One of the funny things I have noticed about having loads of power and ability is that it makes lesser endowed persons go “bah humbug, what do they even need that for anyway?” “What is the reason?” Of course we don’t NEED that kind of power or ability, but why can’t we? (It’s outclassed syndrome)I think that’s why our friends across the pond poo poo our 350+hp cars and trucks.
I look at it like this.
I don’t NEED it, but why can’t I have it if no one else is going to use it?
Don’t you mean the Exploder?
(Sorry.)
It’s really just for the prestige – nothing more.
I’ve completely changed my mind about having a fast car. To me, the perfect car for LA – I don’t live in LA – would be a Camry 4-cylinder with an automatic. It can go as fast as the traffic ever goes in LA, it’s comfortable, it’s quiet, it’s reliable, it has a huge trunk, it even handles and brakes reasonably well. And it’s cheap to refuel.
Perfect. It does everything a car in LA needs to do.
As far as super high-end cars go… There’s a modified (!!) Porsche GT3 that lives in my neighborhood. That is the sweetest sounding car I’ve ever heard. An extremely nice little unit. But it’s a toy, for sure. I’m sure pretty much all the members of the Camry engineering staff would love to have a modified GT3 for their daily use.
A GT3 will go just a tick over 200. Completely useless. Ah, but the prestige of it; now we’re talkin’.
You have to admit that the guys who drive the biggest loudest vehicles tend to be…um…lacking, especially in…um…self esteem, which with men, is usually related to…um…you know. Some of them just fit the stereotype so well its comical. Let’s face it. The guy with the full sized dually sporting a lift kit and mud boggin’ tires is…um…missing something in his life for which the truck is a substitute. Any real redneck knows the best mud boggin’ vehicle is an ATV.
Yeah, No joke. Some of that stuff fits too well. But also… some people feel that the big guys shouldn’t be able to have it, because all the other people can’t.
Certainly, there are very few places you could stretch out a vehicle capable of 160mph. But most vehicles with that kind of top end speed are also very powerful and capable of scorching acceleration. I can find lots of places to exploit that kind of performance, some of them even legitimate (like merge challenged, NE expressway entrance ramps). We don’t need amusement park rides either but lots of people frequent them. I ride a motorcycle and one of the big factors for me is the cheek-stretching acceleration it is capable of providing.
I would venture to say that the vast majority of police cars can not go over 130 mph. It really does not matter since you can’t outrun the Motorola as they used to say i the olden days. Today it is the helicopter as well.
I suggest that you ask Bill Cosby.
speaking of the Bugatti…
Bravo, joe71c10: I couldn’t have put it any better ! If “need” is the only criteria for a product, then a whole lot of products will disappear overnight, and we’ll all be reduced to driving Prius’s. Yikes! There’s a world I do not want to live in.
Where in the world did you learn that the speed limit across bridges is 100kph? I’ve lived in Germany for seven years, now. True, there are some bridges that are prone to high wind where the are posted speed limits, but it is by no means a law. I just researched AE Pamphlet 190-34/USAFE Pamphlet 31-206 dated 15 February 2006. It is the guide for military servicemembers in Europe and upon which our vehicle licensing is based. There is no mention of bridge speed limits. Additionally, I asked my landlady and her son, both native Deutsch, they know nothing of a speed limits applying to every bridge. Finally, I perused the Stra?enverkehrs-Ordnung, or German Road Traffic Regulations. Excepting icy conditions, there is no mention of any general law regarding speed limits on bridges. Many German cars have a warning light that comes on when the outside temperature nears freezing. That’s when you want to slow down on bridges, but I haven’t found any cite or source of 100kph on bridges being law.
Hear! Hear! I have two cars, a Jeep Wrangler and a Subaru SVX. The Wrangler has an engine approved by Big Brother. It has about eleven squirrelpower. If I want to go 0-60, I have to plan three days in advance. Back when I lived in Colorado, it was great on trails, but a nightmare on highways. I was actually a danger to myself at places like Monument Hill and Rabbit Ears pass where the itty-bitty engine was screaming in third gear just to maintain minimum highway speeds. The SVX is a rocket and can hang at highway speeds no matter the terrain. Also, it’s better at passing, accelerating on onramps and in conditions when you need a bit of oomph to get out of hairy situations and avoid accidents. Perhaps something could be done with gearing to keep speeds low where there aren’t autobahns, but low-end power is definitely an asset.
This reminds me of a funny story;
I rented a truck to move from Fort Meade Maryland to Fort Wainwright Alaska. About 45 seconds into the trip, I got a speeding ticket. So, I was very careful from Pennsylvania to Montana to maintain a steady 65mph and avoid more tickets. Upon entering, then speed limitless Montana, I thought, “Yes! Now I can book!” So, I floored it. The truck sped up… to 66mph. It had a governer.
Just for such occasions it sounds like 
My C5 'Vette will go about 160 mph…but I doubt I’ll ever “need” it to go that fast. I do know it’ll get to 120 in a hurry! The top speed is just sort of a by-product of engine power, aerodynamics, tire technology, and gearing that also helps me go easily up hills, pass quickly and safely, handle twisties with ease, and have a h*ll of a lot of fun!! Plus, I get just under 29 miles per gallon! But I didn’t “need” it to get great gas mileage. :^)
Germany and New Mexico, and several other locations. Whether we actually NEED cars that can go that fast is another question.
In sixth gear at about 72 mph, my C5 is at 1500 rpm. That, combined with great aerodynamics lets me get almost 29 mpg without trying.
Oops.
And, few of us would be married, and there would be no kids…