Why do they build cars that exceed the speed limit?

70 mph will get me there just fine. Traffic flow on the interstate highways is about 80.My car has 140 on the speedometer. I've had it up to about 110 once.

And it will probably go most of the 140. If it maxed out at 85, I could keep up with traffic, have a lighter car, and better fuel mileage. Why do they build these things?

Asked by boatman 42 months ago Similar questions: build cars exceed speed limit Sports & Recreation.

Similar questions: build cars exceed speed limit.

It's the American fetish with power. You are correct though, if they built vehicles that couldn't exceed the speed limit, it would save money and fuel in this country. There is no need to have a car that can go 140 mph, because you never will.

There is no point in having a car that can go from 0 to 60 in 5 seconds, because you're really not going to be doing that either. It's insanity for the collective American ego. Schelli's Recommendations The Complete Book of Classic GM Muscle (The Complete Book Series) Amazon List Price: $55.00 Used from: $33.50 Million-Dollar Muscle Cars: The Rarest and Most Collectible Cars of the Performance Era Amazon List Price: $34.95 Used from: $13.49 Average Customer Rating: 5.0 out of 5 (based on 15 reviews) .

There are at least 2 reasons First, people want reasonable acceleration, whether it's to pass a slower vehicle or merge on the freeway. Because of inertia, it requires a lot more power to accelerate than it does to main a steady speed. This extra power required for acceleration allows the car to have a higher top speed.

Second, the optimal speed of engine is substantially less than flat out. Most cars today are running around 2000 rpms when traveling at highway speeds and are quite capable of going up to 4-7K rpms (or higher). Of course at higher rpms,they use more fuel, but they are designed to get the best mileage at normal highway speeds.63swc's Recommendations Wheels for the World: Henry Ford, and a Century of Progress Amazon List Price: $18.00 Used from: $1.67 Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 15 reviews) Modern Automotive Technology Amazon List Price: $78.00 Used from: $30.42 Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 10 reviews) .

Logically Speaking Well, vehicles would have to go faster than the 35 mph required for streets in order to be able to do 40-45 mph on rural routes. Then they would have to go faster than that to traverse the 55 mph required for the Expressways. After that there are some 70 mph highways and perhaps some lucky families are able to travel and go to Germany and drive the no limit Autobahn (spelling?).

Beside all the rules, regulations, freedoms and laws, it's a BLAST going FAST and faster and faster. Then there is all that power to control and pushing that limit just because we can! YIPPEE!

Sources: My own non-senior moment :) Video RACES! Now this is a good reason to build cars for speed. Once beauty and great options were the norm but now...

Unless they used a limiter you'd be out accelerated by golf carts If you "max out" at 85, that's because the power output by the engine equals the drag and rolling resistance (mainly drag at that speed). That would mean a car that had a much more limited power output than you are used to, so as a comedian used to say, "it couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding". They could put a mandatory limiter on that capped you at 85 (as buses do in the UK, for example).

But until that's "the law" people would not buy them in any large numbers. If large numbers don't buy it they won't make it, etc. Some cars (Audi for one) do come equipped with a user settable limiter (and warning). You can chose to never go above 85 if you want to in a car like that.

It's a matter of torque and RPM's.. Run an underpowered engine at high rpm's and watch it self destruct--quickly.... Actually a powerful engine may get better gas mileage cause it pulls the car effortlessly.. Better to have a small V8 loafing along then a little 4 cylinder screaming at 55 mph.. Japanese cars usually get great gas mileage cause they spent a lot of time engineering just the right engine size for their cars..Performance Vs gas milage...Just right! In the old VW beetle, the engine was over-engineered to be capable of much higher horsepower, yet de-tuned to produce much less.. Thus the engine was sturdy, and hardly broke a sweat at regular speeds...Harley Davidson motorcycles likewise..Detuned to protect it until your warrently runs out.. Sources: years of playing with motors...

" "How fast over the posted speed limit can I safely go?" "I drive a semi truck,and I want to know why when I'm doing the speed limit.

Why don't they limit the top speed of vehicles...

I drive a semi truck,and I want to know why when I'm doing the speed limit.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.