Why are cars able to go so fast?
 

just curious.... why is the gt stang's actual top speed around 135-ish? I see that as MUCH more than any speed limit in the united states or even anywhere on earth(dont u dare mention the autobahn). The max speed limit I've ever seen is 70 mph on an interstate. Do car companies have any particular reason to allow cars to travel more than 75 mph? Besides when they race professionally on tracks, but even then, would it hurt to put a 80 mpg governor on any normal street car? Is there EVER a legitimate reason to go faster than 75 mph?

I'm neither for nor against street racing. I've realized that there is literally NOTHING I, myself, can do about others and I didnt know what others thought about the whole top speed deal.

probably sales

Danny, that my friend is an excellent question!

I think the best answer I can give is because we live in America where people have choice. You may be breaking the law to speed, but at least you have the choice.

There are also times when speeding may be "justified" albeit still illegal perhaps. What if you were driving from someone for your life? Ever rushed to the hospital? I have. While these situations are rare, they do happen.

In the end, cars are made to go fast, cuz they can make them that way. People like to brag about it, even if they don't do it. My stang is probably capable of 150 mph, but I will never know. Much like my Suburban has really never been taken off-road....and I just bought all terrain KO's for it.

Crazy world we live in.

and because a dealer can show you the speedo goes to 150! a selling point...

The ability to mod cars and some cars already governors. My friend has a Chevy S-10 Xtreme. Governor on that truck won't allow it to go over 100mph.

Well, if a minor is caught with alcohol, they get in trouble...


if a high schooler is caught with cigs...they get in trouble

if someone is caught with weed...they get in trouble...

if someone has a gun and knife and someone's name with directions of how/when to kill them.....they get in MAJOR trouble...


what do these have in common? They all were POTENTIAL lawbreakers..that were stopped before they could commit the crime. Likewise, our cars are able to break the law within seconds. And thats not reason enough for us to get in trouble? Not saying I'd want us to get in trouble...but the logic of the law doesnt ALWAYS make sense. Even if we're rushing to the hospital bc our wife is in labor...that's still risking everyone elses' life.

As I said, I'm neither for nor against it, it's just something to think about.

Danny, your logic is goofed.

A minor who has weed or alcohol IS breaking the law. That is the law. They do not have to use it to break the law.

Owning a gun legally is legal. Having a gun w/o a license is illegal. Having childhood porn is illegal even if you don't look at it.

Well, with the achohol, and weed posession itself is a crime, it doesent matter if they plan to use it or not. Just posessing it is a crime.

With the cigs, well, i dunno if that is a crime, but they shouldnt be smoking anyways. ive never heared of jailtime with that one.

I can have a gun, knife, name, and directions and that itself is not enough to get me in trouble if i have a permit for the gun. If no permit, then it is a crime to carry it. <grin>

bad examples BannyD! Bad!

BAN!

I think the best answer is because Americans RULE!

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Choice is a main thing, selling point (gauge at 150 seems to impress lots, sometimes even me, but then again I look at it as a challenege going 'Wonder how much faster I can make it go' lol
US Speed Limits in practice

I grew up in Baltimore MD, and driving on the beltway (70 to 10mph in a second) was evil, so was learning some areas of DC, I have drove (and lived) in parts of WV that some are still posted at 70 pending where you are and how open the road is, AZ is iffy b/c of so many snowbirds (not AZ people) driving like jerkies, SC isnt too bad, but we still have some crappy roads (reason I cant lower my soon-to-be).

I thought I heard there was a state that was 'drive at own risk' on a open high/freeway, but I cant find it right now. Wonder how up-to-date the above link is. If anyone knows the 'maybe' speed state, let me know, I will go test drive abit there. :D

even though parts of the autobahn are speed limtless and parts have very high limits, there are hundreds of thousands less auto related deaths in germany than in the states

Just travel an interstate highway anywhere in America. I live 4 miles from I-95. I've been on my little stretch of interstate for many years. I see people form NY and Fla. North and south traveling. You wouldn't believe the speeds I have seen from regular people in regular cars. 120 mph is not uncommon for some people. And most with a radar detector can stay at a high rate of speed. They're not trying to show what they have. They just want to get from point A to point B. It's usually the most unlikely vehicle you'd think going 120 down the Interstate.

uh-oh... i smell an arguement of radar detectors coming...

aaaaaaaaand even though some parts are speedlimitless, other parts are. also, even in the speedlimitless zones, you can still get ticketed. dont give me that "no you cant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" bs, i used to live in switzerland, and have driven on the autobahn, and have seen people get pulled for speeding.

cmon guys. work with me here. I gave the examples to say that many things can get you in trouble for just being a potential threat. Weed is technically not hurting anybody while its in your pocket. But it is still illegal(having a license for a gun is a COMPLETELY different story)However, upon use of the weed...blah blah you know the deal.

now with fast cars...at a stand still, and even at normal speed limits, are hurting nobody, but upon reaching 80mph, are breaking the law in ANY state, and increase risk of hurting anyone. Doing drugs in itself wont hurt anyone, it just greatly increases the risk. Make sense now?

You guys are assholes when I give examples. I've noticed that lately.

I'm sure some of the guyz outwest know in Nevada and other parts of the desert there are long tracks of road that have no speed limit, much like the autoban, I'm assuming this is the reason they can get away with it, that and speed limits steadly increase every couple years. Eventually 150 will be the speed limit, just leave it to the Auto industry to prepare for this 75 years before it happens... LOl

But
 

*start pout*
What if I dont want to wait 75 years to test drive my soon-to-be new car
**** man, I will be really old by then
*end pout*

if your worried about why cars go fast, ride a damn bike ****

I cannot see speed limits EVER exceeding 70 mph. Case in point: every day on my way to school/work, there is an interstate accident SOMEWHERE. not one morning have I EVER waken up and seen that there were no accidents anywhere. Reason: some people are idiots at high speeds, and while most of the time u can get away with weaving in and out, it'll eventually cathc up to you. Those who control speed limits will NEVER raise speed limits bc I guarantee there'd be more accidents. Now think what if the interstate speed was 60 mph? I guarantee ther'd be LESS accidents... of course theres no way to prove it..

Test driving my new car :P
Im not stating I speed everywhere I go, I could see it now, 'Honey Im going to the grocery store, Ima take about 90 there and be back in ten minutes" :P
And so you know, here in Greenville SC, the speed limit is 60, but even cops cruise past me going 80. There will always be bad drivers, but there will also be afew good ones too.

I dont want the speed limits to be insanly high, but I dont want to be on a highway for 60mph when I have cops passing me like !E$holes that cause more people freaking out than the freaks that cant drive to start with.

Im not worried about cars that go fast, I doubt I would be on this thread if I did hehe and I would love to get a bike, but I dont foresee it for awhile still, but I can still dream cant I. :)

here's my retarted theory of the day...

cars are able to go 130mph, sure. but how reliable are they at 130? they're made to be reliable at speeds from about 0-80. if they made cars top out at 80 that would be pushing the motor.

just my .02, probably dumb but oh well, i felt like inputting.

Its just
 

all about being 'able to' not saying I want too all the time, but I already informed the fiance, I will test drive my bday gift, I would feel bad if I didnt push the gas a little :)

Why are cars able to go so fast??

Because they have good engines, and wheels, and transmissions, and superchargers, and turbos, and gasoline, and gas pedals, and...

Pretty simple question if you ask me.

ok, rephrase the question...



why are cars ALLOWED to go so fast?

B/c we mod them so its all our fault Danny :P

WRONG, they are not potential, THEY ARE breaking the law, they have laws to stop you from doing those things, there is no law agaisnt buying a 1200hp Mustang.

That's what I was thinking too. ;)

great minds think alike. ;)

i guess we ask that question here, but in Germany they make the BMW's and Mecerdez, amd Renaults to maintain those speed levels, and look back in the 50's when my dad was growing up it would take him a full day and a half to get to FL from NJ goin 55mph on route 301, now we got I-95 and I can book up to 95 and not even realize it. How many luxury cars have you driven where you look down at the speedometer and you get whiplash trying to make sure your reading it correctly, lol WOW AM I DOIN 110?

But i think we're making it to complicated...here's my answer...WHY NOT? WHY NOT MAKE THE CAR GO FASTER!? in 1830 if the train went faster then 30 people thought they would die...today we got a f'in bike with a JET ENGINE IN IT!

I've been to every state except hawaii and in some areas especially rural areas there is no speed limit and in others higher than 70 the highest posted limit i've ever seen was 80MPH on a remote strip of interstate in east texas. Plus there are circumstances where speeding is legal. I never poste dthis but i should have... a few months back right after i got my bullitt a cadillac started chasing me and trying to run me off the road on a remote stretch of road in the woods. Smoked his ass at 110mph! Legal speeding biotch! :cool: That guy was wasted by like 50 car lengths on a windy road in the country. Scary but exciting and fun as hell.