3 ms·

True, because it takes long to actually get to that speed. But imagine if you'd like to drive 160 km/h on the highway all the time, you probably need a car tha

True, because it takes long to actually get to that speed. But imagine if you'd like to drive 160 km/h on the highway all the time, you probably need a car that has a rated top speed of at least 180 km/h.

maxxxxx 9y ago
Most of the (gas engine) cars sold today can go 180.
- jacquesm 9y ago
  Most of the high end cars will go 225 or 249 (legal limit enforced by the engine firmware, also related to what the tires the car is sold standard with can handle). A small car doing 180 will not live long.
  - stcredzero 9y ago
    I once had my little Honda CRX almost up to 110 mph on an empty highway one late night in Nevada. (I might've made it with a tailwind!) Pretty exciting. Not something I'd want to do for an extended period of time. Car journalist David E. Davis claimed he had fun driving the same car on the Autobahn, however.
    - jacquesm 9y ago
      CRX is a car that is quite frequently modded the crap out of because the engine is capable of substantially more HP than it puts out standard, you'll also find these engines in many other custom builds (super popular in souped up classic minis for instance). They'll definitely go fast (even in the standard setup) but I'd really hate to have anything unexpected happen at those speeds. Even in a larger and more stable car that would be taking your chances but in a CRX you'd be in little pieces all over the road, just a deer would make you really wish you were somewhere else. I've driven a little Daihatsu Copen (660 CC, 63 HP, a bit over 800 Kg), which was a ton of fun to drive and would go quite fast (on the GPS about 175), it's mere inches off the ground so it feels much faster still. But I always realized that I'm playing the lottery when doing that. Coming back from Poland to NL one night through Germany I came upon a bunch kids in their CRX's going flat out on the autobahn, I could keep up with them easily because of the better handling of the Copen but on the straights they definitely had the advantage. Wicked fast for such small cars. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daihatsu_Copen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daihatsu_Copen
      - stcredzero 9y ago
        Well, crap, TIL, Daihatsu made the Ford Ghia Barchetta! Jealous!
  - maxxxxx 9y ago
    I was taking golfs and fiestas to 180 all the time. Even faster downhill. Never any problems.
  - ferongr 9y ago
    You'd be surprised, here in the poorer European countries where high-power engines are taxed, and speed limit enforcement lax, you constantly see 100HP sedans with 4 people and luggage cruising the highways above 150km/h. Engines do not really suffer since you're not going flat-out all the time
sidcool 9y ago
Then you would also buy a high end car. Model S, perhaps??
- ferongr 9y ago
  An 125HP car of normal weight (on American landbarge or anything) surpasses 180km/h and can easily maintain a cruising speed of 160km/h with tolerable noise, but mediocre fuel consumption.
dx034 9y ago
Going 160km/h is easy with most cars. Problem is that it increases fuel consumption significantly so won't really be an option with an electric car (currently).

maxxxxx 9y ago

Most of the (gas engine) cars sold today can go 180.

jacquesm 9y ago
Most of the high end cars will go 225 or 249 (legal limit enforced by the engine firmware, also related to what the tires the car is sold standard with can handle). A small car doing 180 will not live long.
- stcredzero 9y ago
  I once had my little Honda CRX almost up to 110 mph on an empty highway one late night in Nevada. (I might've made it with a tailwind!) Pretty exciting. Not something I'd want to do for an extended period of time. Car journalist David E. Davis claimed he had fun driving the same car on the Autobahn, however.
  - jacquesm 9y ago
    CRX is a car that is quite frequently modded the crap out of because the engine is capable of substantially more HP than it puts out standard, you'll also find these engines in many other custom builds (super popular in souped up classic minis for instance). They'll definitely go fast (even in the standard setup) but I'd really hate to have anything unexpected happen at those speeds. Even in a larger and more stable car that would be taking your chances but in a CRX you'd be in little pieces all over the road, just a deer would make you really wish you were somewhere else. I've driven a little Daihatsu Copen (660 CC, 63 HP, a bit over 800 Kg), which was a ton of fun to drive and would go quite fast (on the GPS about 175), it's mere inches off the ground so it feels much faster still. But I always realized that I'm playing the lottery when doing that. Coming back from Poland to NL one night through Germany I came upon a bunch kids in their CRX's going flat out on the autobahn, I could keep up with them easily because of the better handling of the Copen but on the straights they definitely had the advantage. Wicked fast for such small cars. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daihatsu_Copen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daihatsu_Copen
    - stcredzero 9y ago
      Well, crap, TIL, Daihatsu made the Ford Ghia Barchetta! Jealous!
- maxxxxx 9y ago
  I was taking golfs and fiestas to 180 all the time. Even faster downhill. Never any problems.
- ferongr 9y ago
  You'd be surprised, here in the poorer European countries where high-power engines are taxed, and speed limit enforcement lax, you constantly see 100HP sedans with 4 people and luggage cruising the highways above 150km/h. Engines do not really suffer since you're not going flat-out all the time

sidcool 9y ago

Then you would also buy a high end car. Model S, perhaps??

ferongr 9y ago
An 125HP car of normal weight (on American landbarge or anything) surpasses 180km/h and can easily maintain a cruising speed of 160km/h with tolerable noise, but mediocre fuel consumption.

dx034 9y ago

Going 160km/h is easy with most cars. Problem is that it increases fuel consumption significantly so won't really be an option with an electric car (currently).