Power and Speed Limits

[GhostRai]

Y'all need a Prius. Foot to the floor for a good 5 seconds and you are barely if not under the speed limit. Then you go to the pumps and scratch your head while you've been driving like a complete asshole and only pay about $25-30 for half a tank of gas...

But in seriousness, I'd rather have a low horsepower car with which I can shift gears without getting into big trouble.

[Mim]

I think this kinda covers just about any car these days.

It really comes down to the speed zones around your daily commute, degree of traffic and where you live in the world. If you have relaxed law enforcement and generally liberal speed zones then a high powered car might make more sense, but reality is most people only encounter some of those conditions (if any) and that's when lighter and smaller cars are possibly more fun.

My own decision around buying a twin was the old saying that its more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow and in the part of the world I live in with anal law enforcement and low speed zones a twin, Miata or any of the small hatchback turbo terrors seem like a much better fit than a big V8 monster (been there done that got the shirt).

[Ultramaroon]

Admit it, guys. It may not be a rocket but it sure as hell ain't slow. It's a mischievous little fucker; always goading me.

[Vision86]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Admit it, guys. It may not be a rocket but it sure as hell ain't slow. It's a mischievous little fucker; always goading me.

Have to agree, has more than enough power to get you in trouble.

[Jegan_V]

As someone who drives a whole bunch of fleet cars. This car is not a slow one in the grand scheme of things on public roads. For a 2-door coupe built today, fine its on the low end as far as power where only basic coupes like Civics and Fortes are slower while being on par with Civic Si or the Camaro V6 convertible and slightly slower than today's MX-5, V6 Mustang, etc. Throw in your normal stuff like 4-cylinder CUVs, most minivans, regular family sedans and this car is no longer slow.

If you truly want to experience the realm of the very slow cars you're going to have to pick stuff that makes our cars seem like it has a supercar. This would be things like the Dodge Magnum 2.7L V6, yes this V6 is too weak for its application and not helping is the Magnum's heavy weight making it somewhere in the 12 second range as far as 0-60. VW Jetta with the seriously out of date 8V 2.0L, that too is as slow as that Magnum. As for the slowest thing made today...Mitsubishi Mirage, another 12 second car...although I think this feels even slower than the weak Jetta or Magnum, although it could be that 3-cylinder making it seem like its about to explode.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Jegan_V

As someone who drives a whole bunch of fleet cars. This car is not a slow one in the grand scheme of things on public roads. For a 2-door coupe built today, fine its on the low end as far as power where only basic coupes like Civics and Fortes are slower while being on par with Civic Si or the Camaro V6 convertible and slightly slower than today's MX-5, V6 Mustang, etc. Throw in your normal stuff like 4-cylinder CUVs, most minivans, regular family sedans and this car is no longer slow.

If you truly want to experience the realm of the very slow cars you're going to have to pick stuff that makes our cars seem like it has a supercar. This would be things like the Dodge Magnum 2.7L V6, yes this V6 is too weak for its application and not helping is the Magnum's heavy weight making it somewhere in the 12 second range as far as 0-60. VW Jetta with the seriously out of date 8V 2.0L, that too is as slow as that Magnum. As for the slowest thing made today...Mitsubishi Mirage, another 12 second car...although I think this feels even slower than the weak Jetta or Magnum, although it could be that 3-cylinder making it seem like its about to explode.

To add to this list take a base model Charger for a run if you want to make you FRS seem like a rocket.

[BRZnut]

Felt the same way as the OP when I first took delivery of my BRZ in late 2012. The speed limit was 40 mph from the dealership to my home. Remember thinking what a waste to have such a great car with lower speed limits.


On the east coast of the US we do get higher limits up to 70 mph but that is on the interstate with straight roads. Again, thinking what's the point!


My dream is to take my BRZ to Route one in northern California and have a day of it!

[rustyfender]

Gotta learn to drive and carry speed through corners. If they have them in you area I highly reccomend trying out autox its what this car is made for

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by BRZnut

.............

My dream is to take my BRZ to Route one in northern California and have a day of it!

Come on out!

Don't limit yourself to N CA.

Chart a course on Route 1 (sometimes 101) from San Francisco to Seattle.

I'll betcha after the first day and a half, you will be looking to cut over to I-5, just so you won't have to be twisting the steering wheel any more .....


humfrz

[Weigaldo]

Coming from a CRZ, this car has too much power for my commute. I used to be able to hit 5-6k rpm on the Z whenever I wanted... Now in the FRS, I'm lucky to hit the torque dip before I'm restricted by speed limits or traffic. I already know I can take 90 deg turns in dry conditions above 35mph without scrubbing, whereas it was under 25mph in the Z. Only problem with that is I could be 300ft behind the next car going into a turn, and they still slow down to less than 20mph... In those instances I just hammer it after the apex and pick whichever lane they didn't. Then again, you have the people who don't feel obligated to pick a lane and just drive down the middle before eventually picking one... I have very little patience for people who don't take driving seriously, but that's another thread I'll start someday.

[Summerwolf]

I am still amazed at how many people have said the car has "too much power," or the general concept that the car isn't underpowered.


Or comparing this car to vehicles like crossovers and prius'.... ffs when we do that you know the thing is slow.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Summerwolf

I am still amazed at how many people have said the car has "too much power," or the general concept that the car isn't underpowered.


Or comparing this car to vehicles like crossovers and prius'.... ffs when we do that you know the thing is slow.

Hey Sum, can't you just let the guys that are happy with the power be happy with the power?
We know some think it is "slow" or "underpowered" but do not all believe that and constantly being told that were are wrong because of that opinion is insulting.
You said yourself in your opening statement that there are plenty of us.
You want faster/more power that is cool, but that does not make it "slow" to everybody and their driving wants and needs.

[Weigaldo]

As a DD, it isn't underpowered. As a track car, it is. The thread is about power and speed limits. If you're on a track trying to rein in a GT, then that 6 seconds you're losing on the straight would lend to the criticism that it's underpowered... The 1-2 seconds you lose to a GT getting up to speed if you both decided to go WOT on green mean very little in real world driving.

[Summerwolf]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Hey Sum, can't you just let the guys that are happy with the power be happy with the power?
We know some think it is "slow" or "underpowered" but do not all believe that and constantly being told that were are wrong because of that opinion is insulting.
You said yourself in your opening statement that there are plenty of us.
You want faster/more power that is cool, but that does not make it "slow" to everybody and their driving wants and needs.

That actually wasn't a dig or meant as an insult. People are comparing this car to prius' and crossovers..... that's effing insulting.


I am a little jaded. I see people barely able to control this car with "200" HP and wrecking daily, yet saying they are "overpowered" at the same time. It is just a freaking odd community.