Kerbweight

Lutz. People will still ask the question for years to come even when it's so simple.  

A: Kerb weight is the weight of a car with all fluids (coolant, engine oil, brake fluid) plus a full tank of fuel and a driver weighing 75kg. It's measured when new cars are put forward for UNECE (United Nations Economic Commission for Europe) type approval by their respective manufacturers.

Lutz,much as I will bow to your superior knowledge on this subject,you can see why people find this so so confusing.I had always thought the kerbweight included 75kg for the driver.

Well thats interesting....

heres my volvo from the volvo website. So is the driver a slim lady of 60kg or a big fat git at 130kg?

Max. gross vehicle weight, etc. can be read on a label in the car.
Kerb weight includes the driver, the fuel tank 90% full and all fluids.

The weight of passengers and accessories, and towball load (when a trailer is hitched) influence the load capacity and are not included in the kerb weight.

Permitted max. load = Gross vehicle weight - Kerb weight.

I was at school when I was only 75kg ..... 🙄

From the Gov.uk website, makes no mention of kerbweight which i believe is a leftover of ancient towers folklore...

Towing weight and width limits
Most cars have a maximum weight they can tow. It’s usually listed in the handbook or specification sheet.

Alternatively the vehicle’s ‘gross train weight’ may be listed on the vehicle identification number (VIN) plate on the car. This is normally under the bonnet or inside the driver’s door.

The gross train weight is the weight of the fully-loaded car plus fully-loaded trailer and must not be exceeded.
If your VIN plate doesn’t list a train weight, you should not use your vehicle for towing.

Width and length
The maximum trailer width for any towing vehicle is 2.55 metres.

The maximum length for a trailer towed by a vehicle weighing up to 3,500kg is 7 metres. This length does not include the A-frame.

What you are stating is a cross between the definition of mass in running order (also known as mass in service in the V5c) and and that of kerbweight. UNECE type approval makes no mention of kerbweight, only of mass in running order and that does include 75kg for the driver, but only a 90% full fuel tank. Kerbweight is a UK thing and only defined in UK legislation which I quoted above.

It seems the latest version of the sites manual has another view...

The information that you have provided, dawlishpete, would indicate that car manufacturers are free to interpret kerbweight as they wish. This would conflict with UK legislation.

What is true, however, is that car manufacturers are under no legal obligation to publish kerbweights.

Maximum train weight and maximum towing weight are issued by the manufacturer and usually based on the ability of the fully loaded towing vehicle and trailer being able to start on a 1 in 10 gradient without compromising the integrity of the vehicle. The trailer may be a caravan or a horse box or some other undefined trailer. The maximum towing weight does not imply that the outfit will be stable. Indeed, no manufacturer could make this claim on a trailer not of their manufacture. 
It would be better if the caravan industry adopted the use of mass in service, as it has official status and is listed in the V5c.

 Ray 

Yes Ray! Thats the point I have been making. The caravan club will now totally ignore what you are suggesting and remain with one foot firmly planted in the 20th century ;-)