Quote:
Originally Posted by pastuch
I found the BMW 335I, Mustang GT and pretty much every other RWD coupe on the market boring to drive. Yes, they are fast but they don't feel that way. My NA Miata takes almost 9 seconds to 60 and is five times more involving to drive than any Mustang I've ever tried. Not to mention the complete lack of steering feel in the Mustang.
Go-kart-theory: You FEEL like your going fast but you're not even coming close to 60mph.
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One explanation for the fact that a low-slung car like the Miata feels subjectively faster than it "really" is stems from the physics of perception: Your eye is much lower to the ground and consequently your visual field as you look at the road ahead or to the side appears to be moving more quickly. You get the same effect at a more exaggerated level when you see video from low fender-mounted cameras.
The same highway speed in my 1st-gen Tib (51" high, same as FR-S) feels much faster than in a family member's Corolla XRS I occasionally drive (58" high).
Another subjective factor influencing speed perception is sound. A Miata will be letting far more road, tire, and engine noise in the cabin than a 335i - again, creating a perception of more speed.