HIGH levels of safety have been achieved by the seven executive cars tested in the latest round of crash tests conducted under the European New Car Assessment Programme. The BMW 5-series, Saab 9-5 and Toyota Camry all achieved top four-star ratings after undergoing a 40mph frontal crash and a side impact crash at 30mph.

Three-star ratings were achieved by the Audi A6, Mercedes-Benz E-class, Opel (Vauxhall) Omega and Volvo S70. All seven cars were crash-tested for occupant safety at the TNO crash test laboratory in Holland and it is understood that the three-star rated cars were all 'very close to achieving the requirements for four stars'.

None of the cars managed to get more than two stars when rated for how well they could protect pedestrians which they may hit - a test carried out at 25mph. Six of the cars achieved a two-star pedestrian rating with the BMW 5-series received a single star. While Euro NCAP consortium members and safety groups were pleased at the results and claimed that car makers were learning the lessons of earlier NCAP tests on supermini, lower medium and upper medium sector cars they said there was 'still room for considerable improvement in pedestrian-friendly design'.