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A new viral internet marketing campaign released by Renault in Europe has produced a must-see advertisement for the brand's current model range. So if you haven't, visit www.renault.com.au/safety.asp to see some cars getting smashed to pieces.
The Renault Safety Ballet features eight of the company's cars performing a series of carefully choreographed moves accompanied by classical music. At least that's the way it starts. But, slowly, the cars start to tap mirrors, guards and bumpers, and the sequence ends in the total destruction of several brand new vehicles.
Created to promote the fact that Renault is the only manufacturer with eight five-star models in its global range, the 90-second film was shot in South Africa, in the Verneuk Pan desert, 800km north of Cape Town.
Filming took place over only three days with 10 cars being used in the production. All of the collisions are real and were made at speeds of about 60km/h by stunt drivers.
Specially designed ramps and rails were used for some scenes, such as the final mid-air collision between a Clio and Modus.
The footage was shot using a Photosonic camera capable of recording 2000 frames per second for higher-quality slow-motion shots.
The music selected to accompany the footage is an adapted version of Jacques Offenbach's Ballet of the Snowflakes. The final version was recorded live by the Czech National Symphony Orchestra in Prague.
Renault has made a point of showing the public how its cars crash.
Last year, it celebrated the 10,000th crash test at its Lardy Technical Centre in France, a facility that was opened in 1955.
Back in 2003, the Renault Megane was also the first car to be crash-tested live on television, with a real driver at the wheel. Popular BBC motoring show Top Gear slammed a Megane hatchback into the side of another car at 50km/h.
