A bodyshell of a motor vehicle has a front-end structure which has a lower and an upper longitudinal-member plane and in the region of a passenger cell is provided with lateral longitudinal sills. A respective composite strut arrangement is provided on both sides of the vehicle, each said arrangement extending obliquely downwards and also rearwards between the associated upper longitudinal member and the associated lateral longitudinal sill.

An automobile bodyshell frame structure includes a generally elongated first panel member, and a generally elongated second panel member having opposite side edge portions connected to the first panel member to define a hollow between the first and second panel members. A filler is disposed within a portion of a cross-section of the hollow between the first and second panel members. This filler is provided on an inner surface of one of the first and second panel members and has an average compre...

Integral bodyshell structure for a motor vehicle and method for its production. Known vehicle bodyshell structures are composed of a multiplicity of individual sheet-metal stampings, and as a result complex joining processes for the sheet-metal shell construction arise. In the invention, first the inner side-wall part is joined on each side to the under-frame assembly and then the outer side-wall parts are added. This method has applications for the production of passenger cars.

In order to protect pedestrians in the event of a collision with a motor vehicle, a bodyshell element forming a hood or trunk lid has at least one edge area with an outer part isolated from a support structure, in such a way that the outer part creates an energy-absorbing zone in front of the support structure part as a means of protection in a collision.

Tunnel region of a floor structure of a bodyshell f a motor vehicle and a transverse bridge. A tunnel region of a floor structure with a transverse bridge for reinforcing the tunnel region, which is held on the tunnel region by brackets fixed on side walls of the tunnel region. The side walls of the tunnel region are aligned vertically in the region in which the brackets are attached, and the brackets are positioned at the same height on the side walls.

The present invention concerns a method for straightening the bodyshell of an automotive vehicle in a straightening jig, said method comprising fixing the bodyshell (1) to a straightening jig, moving a straightening boom (2) incorporated in the straightening jig to a proper position relative to the bodyshell, fixing at least two clamp tools (3) to the automotive bodyshell and to a pulling tool member (4) which is passed via a backing member (7) connected to a power actuator (6). Furthermore, the...