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[SomeGuyInEagan]

22. Ford Pinto.

Last edited Sun Mar 24, 2013, 12:05 PM - Edit history (1)

Ford execs were presented with a number of fixes for the Pinto models which had the safety issue (four exposed bolts on the differential which, upon impact, could easily rupture the gas tank on the models with a saddle-type tank which was around the axle).

Engineers presented caps for the bolts, a rubber inner-tank bladder and other safety precautions which would have cost only a few dollars per vehicle to include while keeping the original design (which would have cost a lot more to re-engineer and implement, albeit a one-time cost). But, Ford execs wanted a car to sell which cost less that $2000 and weighed less than 2000 lbs. And the car was already at that point.

Enter Ford's wonks, who determined that after litigation, trial, deals with client families and payments on those which actually went to jury, etc. through their own "cost-benefit" analysis that a human life is "worth" about $275k and therefore it was actually more profitable to NOT FIX the problem upfront and simply pay out on the deaths.

Because, you know, that is capitalism. Money and profit drive everything.

There are many more reasons why the Pinto was a deathtrap - rushed to market to compete with VW, using lobbyists to relax safety rules, etc. But ultimately it was all about the money. And in our country, money ALWAYS WINS. Always.

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/1977/09/pinto-madness