... "external surface" means the structural unit constituting the outside of the vehicle and including the bonnet, the lid of the luggage compartment, the doors, the wings, and the visible strengthening components ...
378 L 0549: Council Directive 78/549/EEC of 12 June 1978 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the wheel guards of motor vehicles (OJ No L 168, 26.6.1978, p. 45).
1. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 1.1. The motor vehicle must be provided with wheel guards (parts of the bodywork, mudguards, etc.).
1.2. The wheel guards must be so designed as to protect other road users, as far as possible, against thrown-up stones, mud, ice, snow and water and to reduce for those users the dangers due to contact with the moving wheels.
2. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS 2.1. The wheel guards must meet the following requirements when the vehicle is in running order (see section 2.6 of Annex I to Directive 70/156/EEC) and the wheels are in the dead ahead position: 2.1.1. In the part formed by radial planes at an angle of 30ŗ to the front and 50ŗ to the rear of the centre of the wheels (see figure 1), the overall width (q) of the wheel guards must be at least sufficient to cover the total tyre width (b) taking into account the extremes of tyre/wheel combination as specified by the manufacturer and as indicated in section 5.2 of the certificate set out in Annex II. In the case of twin wheels, the total width over the two tyres (t) shall be taken into account. 2.1.1.1. For the purposes of determining the widths referred to in 2.1.1, the labelling (marking) and decorations, protective bands or ribs on tyre walls are not taken into account.
