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The 2008 BMW 5-Series performed the worst in a new side-impact crash test of luxury sedans by the Insurance Institute of Highway safety. The test showed what would happen if a truck or an SUV hit the side of the sedan at 31mph.

While the air bags in the 2008 BMW 5-Series protected the head, the air bags that protect the chest and the abdomen area performed poorly. A spokesman for BMW said that while the test showed the 2008 5-Series has a strong body, dummies were injured when the car was impacted by the arm rest.

On the other hand, the Acura RL, Kia Amanti and the Volvo S80 earned the highest rating, followed by the Mercedes E-Class and the Cadillac STS.

Side-impact crashes are the most common of accident, injuring and killing 9,000 people in 2005.

2008 BMW 5-Series Gallery:

        

 

Source: msnbc

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