Rant on the top speed of cars

[dramaticstatic]

Bit of a rant I wanted to put together after watching several episodes of Top Gear and Fifth Gear. Both tremebdous shows I might add.

What it is the huge obsession with top speed? It's even more pointless than the horsepower war. Honestly I'd rather whoop someone up to say 160-170, limited because of gearing, than have ultra high gears to hit huge speeds. Especially with the new tranny's out there that can shift in milliseconds, you could make a very close ratio gear box for huge acceleration at most any speed for a bit of sacrafice at the top end. It would be insanely cool if they even just offered this as an option. A small sports car manufacturer could try this one.

This all seems driven by water cooler racing culture.

The review of the new M5 and M6 particularly sparked this one.
Why in the world do they quote each car as being a 200 mph saloon car? Why? It's speed limited at 155 mph just like every other car from each of the other top 2 german auto makers. They shouldn't quote a speed unless you can pick the car up from the factory, turn the key, step on the gas, and hit that speed. They seem to quote these specs based on the bs press the company puts out and which flows better with the current review. For example, many quote the BMW M car top speed at 200 yet some have called AMG cars pointless because they only hit 155. Both cars have the same top speed as far as anyone is concerned.

Honestly, removing a limiter to hit a top speed really is along the same lines as changing tranny ratios or installing anything to inhance performance in the engine.

And if the top 3 german manufacturers entered into a gentelmen's agreement to limit the top speed to 155 from the factory, why don't the gear the trannys with a sensable ratio? Why is my manual B5 S4 tranmission geared to hit almost 190 mph when the car couldn't get anywhere near that first of all because of the speed limiter and then because of sheer lack of horsepower?
Even in a car that could pass the limiter, say an Audi S6, which I'm sure are geared to be able to hit near 200 mph if unlimited, why isn't the thing geared to a lower top speed to take advantage of a closer gear ratio and quicker acceleration?

Argh, that's all for now.

[whoneedsanm3]

The transmission in your car is geared up to 190 or so for 1 main reason: fuel economy. Do you really want to be dumping extra gas in your top gear? You would have to be if you reduced the gear ratio, since you would now need to be at a higher RPM at any given speed.

Additionally, and MUCH less importantly, it is geared that way so that the same transmission with no changes can be used in other, potentially faster cars. Besides, imagine all the whining people would do if they couldn't remove the limiters. Believe me, Audi, Benz, and Bimmer know that.

[imola_Jon]

Not to mention that these cars are designed on the autobahn for the autobahn, where people cruise at 150 MHP+ on a regular basis. I believe most of the German-spec versions have a higher or no governer.

[maxh2o]

Originally posted by imola_Jon
Not to mention that these cars are designed on the autobahn for the autobahn, where people cruise at 150 MHP+ on a regular basis. I believe most of the German-spec versions have a higher or no governer.

I concur, speed limiter at 155 mph is an american phenomenon. Autobahn speeds are very different (and are being slowed down as more community developments are being built nearer to the bahn.

[kovachian]

Pretty soon the autobahn as we know it will be no more. Shame we can't build one here in the states.

[whoneedsanm3]

Speed limiting to 155 is NOT an American thing. Most Bimmers, Audis and Benz's in Europe are limited to 155 (or less) too. That's why when you go to the big German or other European tuner sites, they all advertise removal of the limiter as an option...

By the way, I hate to break it to ya'll, but only about 40% of the Autobahn network in Germany is limitless (or ever was). Most of it is between 60 and 80mph. Even on the unlimited portions most people don't really exceed those speeds.

[dmg312]

I want to know what the point is of a 155mph limiter is. Considering most speed limits are 65 what is the difference of going 155 versus 170. Not 15mph, because in perspective it doesn't matter because you are still way over the speed limit, and a car going 155 is the same as driving a car going 170, because either way its really fucking fast.

On another note top speed is listed for one reason. Marketing

[imola_Jon]

Originally posted by whoneedsanm3
Speed limiting to 155 is NOT an American thing. Most Bimmers, Audis and Benz's in Europe are limited to 155 (or less) too. That's why when you go to the big German or other European tuner sites, they all advertise removal of the limiter as an option...

By the way, I hate to break it to ya'll, but only about 40% of the Autobahn network in Germany is limitless (or ever was). Most of it is between 60 and 80mph. Even on the unlimited portions most people don't really exceed those speeds. I agree that that most of the autobahn has a limit these days. But people fly over there, whether a limit is posted or not. That seems to be one of the few things their cops actually don't care about.

Last summer I roadtripped up & down the west side of Germany for a few weeks. Most of the time on the autobahn my friend was killing her POS Peugeot just under 200 KPH (about 120 MPH). That seemed more or less the flow of traffic. But I can remember getting passed tons of times by high end luxo-sedans & porsches that were going WAY faster than we were.

[Tanner]

The German auto manufacturers agreed mutually to restrict the top speed to 155mph, mostly because of inexperienced drivers and tire-related issues.

As for the autobahn, good luck. You see a no speed limit sign then a few minutes later a 80kmh speed limit and you're hard on the brakes. Was there last fall and most of the time you have cars comfortably crusing in the 150-180kmh speeds while you get the odd Porsche or high end german car doind well over 200mph.

[onkloud9]

Originally posted by Tanner
Was there last fall and most of the time you have cars comfortably crusing in the 150-180kmh speeds while you get the odd Porsche or high end german car doind well over 200mph.

Porsche has never followed the 'Gentleman's Agreement' of 155 mph.