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0-60 is overrated. There are many cars with good 0-60 because the manufacturers geared them for that, to make motortrend, car and driver and all the auto reviewers happy and not call their car slow. But when you drive these cars like a sane adult (2-4000rpm) that you spend 90% of the time in, you realize if you are not flooring it, many of these cars don't really have good performance down low, due to such tall gearing for better mpg.
Anything with 0-60 in under 7.5-8 seconds is good acceleration, considering 0-60 in 7 seconds was considered very fast just 10 yrs ago. Most cars are 4cyl and take 8-9.5 seconds to reach 0-60, so many times your main goal is to out accelerate them. And for anyone who wants to mention and accord, camry, or altima doing 0-60 in the 7's, just put 1-2 people in the car and see how much that 4cyl bogs down in real life driving, due to 180lbs of torque.
0-60 is overrated. There are many cars with good 0-60 because the manufacturers geared them for that, to make motortrend, car and driver and all the auto reviewers happy and not call their car slow. But when you drive these cars like a sane adult (2-4000rpm) that you spend 90% of the time in, you realize if you are not flooring it, many of these cars don't really have good performance down low, due to such tall gearing for better mpg.
Anything with 0-60 in under 7.5-8 seconds is good acceleration, considering 0-60 in 7 seconds was considered very fast just 10 yrs ago. Most cars are 4cyl and take 8-9.5 seconds to reach 0-60, so many times your main goal is to out accelerate them. And for anyone who wants to mention and accord, camry, or altima doing 0-60 in the 7's, just put 1-2 people in the car and see how much that 4cyl bogs down in real life driving, due to 180lbs of torque.
Two very good points.
Many of those cars have 4-series axle ratios and 3- or 4-series 1st gear ratios. To compare, many classic cars, even muscle cars, had low-3-series axle ratios and mid-2-series 1st gear ratios. Muscle cars had 3.90 to 4.88 ratios available, but many were sold with milder gearing, like 3.23, 3.25 and 3.50.
Yes, a big difference when more weight (people/luggage) is added.
I keep seeing a lot of references to the speed at which a car goes from 0 to 60. While I understand the need to accelerate upon entering the highway, most on-ramps will provide for more than 10 seconds of road.
Try living in an area with timing lights. When I get on the freeway from work, I start from a dead stop and I am put immediately into the path of whatever big-rig or texting fiend might be in that lane. Fortunately, most cars these days have adequate power for any situation. My Ford's 0-60 time of 7.4 is considered slow these days, but in the 70's that would have been an exotic sports car. Even as recently as the 90's, getting that kind of performance in a full-size sedan would have meant a V8-powered BMW.
I keep seeing a lot of references to the speed at which a car goes from 0 to 60. While I understand the need to accelerate upon entering the highway, most on-ramps will provide for more than 10 seconds of road.
So if getting up to highway speed isn't the main concern, why is 0 to 60 speed so important?
FYI. I'm a right lane driver and I try to stay within 5 miles over the posted speed limit.
I am not a big fan fan of 0-60 due to safety concern for me and the other cars .
I am particularly fan of 60-80 and back to 60 and do it when its safe to do so.
Many of those cars have 4-series axle ratios and 3- or 4-series 1st gear ratios. To compare, many classic cars, even muscle cars, had low-3-series axle ratios and mid-2-series 1st gear ratios. Muscle cars had 3.90 to 4.88 ratios available, but many were sold with milder gearing, like 3.23, 3.25 and 3.50.
Yes, a big difference when more weight (people/luggage) is added.
A fast 0-60 matters a lot if you're trying to change lanes from a stop into moving traffic. If your car is too slow you physically can't do it
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