Patent ID: 8128160

Claim:
A motor vehicle, comprising: a vehicle body structure including an upper panel, a first strut tower and a second strut tower; a tower bar assembly configured to extend between the first strut tower, the second strut tower and the upper panel; the tower bar assembly including a central reinforcing portion, the central reinforcing portion further including a base portion and wherein a portion of the base portion is spaced apart from the upper panel; a first side reinforcing portion configured to connect a first side portion of the central reinforcing portion to the upper panel and a second side reinforcing portion configured to connect a second side portion of the central reinforcing portion to the upper panel; wherein the central reinforcing portion, the first side reinforcing portion, the second side reinforcing portion and the upper panel enclose an interior space when viewed in a cross-section taken along a longitudinal axis of the central reinforcing portion; wherein the tower bar assembly further includes: a first extended member extending between the first side reinforcing portion and the first strut tower and a second extended member extending between the second side reinforcing portion and the second strut tower; and a tower bar component extending between the first extended member and the second extended member; the first extended member including a first end portion attached to the first strut tower, a second end portion associated with the first side reinforcing portion, and an intermediate portion disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion; and wherein a first end portion of the tower bar component is attached to the intermediate portion of the first extended member.