• SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca
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    1 day ago

    it was a known specific defect which was covered up

    It was not covered up, the Pinto had the same fuel tank design as other manufacturers, it’s just at that period of time, Ford had more cash.

    Lawyers do not sue to justice, they sue for cash.

    • olympicyes@lemmy.world
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      24 hours ago

      This isn’t true. Read up on some details of the lawsuit. Although Ford had designs overseas with fuel tank behind the rear axle, not one model by Ford or others had 9” or less crush space like the Pinto. They had meetings and reports to discuss crash test results that showed the Pinto vulnerable to fuel spillage based on proposed federal crash tests. They decided to defer any improvements until 1976 to accrue $20 million in savings.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grimshaw_v._Ford_Motor_Co.