John J Szobocsan
10-09-2007, 01:28 PM
Mark Twain popularized the above quote; however, that quote is reflective of the current environment of this forum. Several writers are fixated with straight line acceleration times. They continuously whine about the apparent lack of horsepower from most of the current Audi engine line up.
The Autospies writer of the attached table, too is fixated on straight line acceleration, and concludes that the BMW is superior to the Cadillac and Mercedes because of the BMW's superior 0-60 mph, 0-100 mph, and 0-120 mph times. However, the three cars post similar 30-50 mph acceleration times.
Most forum posters resident in the real, physical world with traffic lights, traffic and less than ideal road surfaces, a few; however, insist on living in dreamland. Therefore, 0-60 mph and beyond times are virtually a meaningless comparison of a car's true, real world performance. The more realistic measure is in-gear acceleration times. In the U.S. 30-50 mph are probably one of the more meaningful statistics regarding a vehicle's real world performance.
Seldom do most drivers accelerate from 0-60 mph, and virtually all drivers never accelerate from 0 to 100 mph, let alone to 120 mph. Consider, even if one commutes daily on a tollway, the number of times one accelerates from 0 to 60 or 70 mph. Most likely, the number is relatively small and measurable on one hand. However, think of the number of times that the typical driver accelerates to pass another car, merge into traffic, or move through an intersection under yellow. In-gear acceleration is more important in day to day driving and it is directly affected by the shape of the torque curve, and the amount of torque generated, not horsepower.<ul><li><a href="http://www.autospies.com/images/users/Agent001/335-comparo/SNAG-1119.jpg">Autospies performance chart of BMW 335i vs. Cadillac CTS vs. Mercedes C350</a></li></ul>
The Autospies writer of the attached table, too is fixated on straight line acceleration, and concludes that the BMW is superior to the Cadillac and Mercedes because of the BMW's superior 0-60 mph, 0-100 mph, and 0-120 mph times. However, the three cars post similar 30-50 mph acceleration times.
Most forum posters resident in the real, physical world with traffic lights, traffic and less than ideal road surfaces, a few; however, insist on living in dreamland. Therefore, 0-60 mph and beyond times are virtually a meaningless comparison of a car's true, real world performance. The more realistic measure is in-gear acceleration times. In the U.S. 30-50 mph are probably one of the more meaningful statistics regarding a vehicle's real world performance.
Seldom do most drivers accelerate from 0-60 mph, and virtually all drivers never accelerate from 0 to 100 mph, let alone to 120 mph. Consider, even if one commutes daily on a tollway, the number of times one accelerates from 0 to 60 or 70 mph. Most likely, the number is relatively small and measurable on one hand. However, think of the number of times that the typical driver accelerates to pass another car, merge into traffic, or move through an intersection under yellow. In-gear acceleration is more important in day to day driving and it is directly affected by the shape of the torque curve, and the amount of torque generated, not horsepower.<ul><li><a href="http://www.autospies.com/images/users/Agent001/335-comparo/SNAG-1119.jpg">Autospies performance chart of BMW 335i vs. Cadillac CTS vs. Mercedes C350</a></li></ul>