Giulia QV owners - settle a question

Started by Cupcake, October 24, 2017, 10:20:05 AM

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Cupcake

If you are lucky enough to own one of the few Giulia QVs that have come to our shores, can you please help me answer a query I had with some UK Alfisti that I chat to.
Apparently, all LHD Giulia QVs have three sets of seatbelts in the back seat. But the RHD version in the UK (at least) has just two. You wouldn't think that the side that the steering wheel is on would affect the rear seatbelts, but apparently it does. I guess it's a local seatbelt mounting point standards thing.
Given that we're also a RHD market, I was wondering if the same thing flowed through to Australian-spec cars? I'm sure that there are some standards differences between here and the UK, but I would have thought from a manufacturing point of view, you'd do a batch of RHD cars together, and you'd probably build them to the highest standard of the markets involved, so that you didn't have to do too much customisation on the assembly line. Hence, if they changed it for the UK, it seems likely they'd change it for us too.
Anyway, if you can answer the seatbelt question, please reply below.

poohbah

Only 2 seatbelts in rear of Aussie QV - was explained to me by dealer as due to the extra strengthening required to meet Aussie ADR would make the QV too heavy. So Aussie QVs are strictly 4 seaters.
Now:    2002 156 GTA
            1981 GTV
Before: 1999 156 V6 Q-auto
            2001 156 V6 (sadly cremated)

Citroƫnbender

Only the folding frames differ by country (and consequently the stitched covers), the physical mount points on the body structure do not vary.

LaStregaNera

Most likely they're 2 seatbelts in the back as there's not a child seat anchor present for the middle seat position. The ADRs require each seating position in the back to be equipped with a child seat anchor. That's why we don't get Jag wagons, and why my stock BMW wagon has a mod plate for changing the number of seats (import approved with the middle belt removed, mod plated back up to 5 seats).
It's a stupid bit of legislation - you can't fit 3 modern kid seats across the back of a modern car anyway.

Did you suggest Brexit was to blame? :P
66 GT Veloce
Bimota SB6

poohbah

QuoteMost likely they're 2 seatbelts in the back as there's not a child seat anchor present for the middle seat position

I'm sure you are right - but how do they get around it for lower spec variants, which I am pretty sure are all five seaters?
Now:    2002 156 GTA
            1981 GTV
Before: 1999 156 V6 Q-auto
            2001 156 V6 (sadly cremated)

bazzbazz

Lower spec units don't have to go as fast as a QV is supposed to ??   ???
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