If the speed limit for driving is a max of 70, why do they make cars to go faster?

Answer 1

because ppl have emergencies and not all places have a 70 mph speed limit

Answer 2

Brands Hatch? Silverstone? Donington Park? I could end there, but I think there's more I need to point out.

Yes, the speed limit is 70, but that limit was set back in the '60s, when your car would probably struggle to make 60, unless you happened to have an AC Cobra.

A modern car, with disc brakes, ABS, modern aerodynamics, radial-ply tyres, and improved reliability can cope rather well with 70, probably a walk in the park for many.

I think many of us know very well what speed is dangeerous, without a car being physically resticted by a nannying device, or by engineering. I'm sure many drivers are far more clever than they're ever given credit for.

As for those who can't be described as above, shouldn't we be increasing police patrols? Speed cameras aren't as useful as the 'Cash Production Partnerships' would have you think.

And thre's those who take their car to race tracks for 'track days' How would that be if your car was resticted to 70, in an environment where you could probably safely reach speeds over 100, and maybe then some more. Still, I suppose in this age, it's 'anti social' and wrong to get any pleasure from driving.

Oh, and before I forget, if you were to limit cars to 70 by gearing, how efficient would a car's engine be, screaming it's nuts off at maximum revs in top gear at the maximum speed limit? And how uncomfortable would that be? It probably wouldn't last long either.

Answer 3

There is no EU speed limit.
Cars have got faster because of legislation, particularly crash testing and pedestrian safety, the pedestrian considerations have lowered bonnet lines improving aerodynamics while crash tests have added 25% weight to most cars in requiring greater strength and airbags etc, the result is that enough power for 0 to 60 in 8.4 secs got you 115 mph in 1985 and 125 mph in 2005.
I addition enough power for 70 in still air will get you 90 slightly down hill and 55 into a headwind.
My Ariel Motorbike has a 70 mph top speed on the level in still air yet struggles to maintain 55 up the hills on the M40 through the Chilterns but manages 80 plus downhill effortlessly. it is too slow to use safely on the motorway.
Actually you should check your speedometer against the 100 metre posts on the Motorway, you will probably find it shows 65 when you take 60 secs for 1600 metres which is within 1% of a mile, and would need to show 76 to be doing 70.
Some cars are 10 mph out and you find their owners winding everyone else up driving down the outside lane at 62 mph absolutely convinced they are saving everyone trying to overtake from a speeding fine for exeeding 70. Pillocks.

Answer 4

Well, it relates to better technology and marketing. A car that is manufactured at a maximum speed of 70 mph does not sell better than one that can go 120 mph. It gives the buyer a sense of a better bang for the buck. Another thing is that if you have a car that can only go so fast, the person wouldn't really be happy compared to someone who has a faster car. Even if car manufacturers don't intend for their customers to drive over the speed limits, every consumer likes to know they have the privilege and capacity to, in essence, be "better."

Answer 5

Wow, the amount of automotive ignorance on this site is staggering!

1) Virtually all cars today are controlled by computers. It's a simple matter to "speed limit" vehicles to 70 mph without sacrificing ANY acceleration or performance. In fact, most performance vehicles (such as my own vehicle, a Lincoln Mark VIII LSC) are top speed limited via computer controlled fuel cut off. This doesn't stop the car from accelerating like a banshee up to the limit. If they weren't limited, many cars would be capable of 150+ mph speeds, thanks to overdrive trannys.

2) Forget about the rest of the world, the speed limits in the US are mandated by the Federal Govt, meaning the states comply in order to get federal money. There are no US states with a speed limit higher then 70, so for all practical purposes, cars have no need to go faster then 75-80 mph. 10-15 mph is adequate for passing.

3) Today's cars can safely do 100 mph easily, but driver reaction reduces exponentially the faster you go. That's why accident risk increases so much, not because the cars are so much less safe. Also, F=MA, so hitting something at 100 does a lot more damage.

4) Up until the war, speed limits were increasing each decade. It was the gas rationing of WW2 that caused the govt. to enact speed limits to conserve fuel. After the war, and up until the early 70's speed limits were 60-70 mph throughout the nation. Engine horsepower began increasing in the late 50's, and auto racing began gaining popularity. By the 60's almost any car with a V-8 engine could do 100+, and manufacturers were marketing almost entirely on the power and performance of their cars. The govt had its work cut out trying to fight the powerful automotive lobbys. By 1970, engines were getting so powerful that you could virtually by race cars from local car dealerships. The govt finally stepped in and started to enact laws to limit the emissions & power/weight ratios of vehicles. Once the oil shortage of the mid 70's hit, many cars were so castrated by emission controls, they had trouble reaching 80 mph!

5) By the mid eighties, automotive engineers began to figure out how to build power with low emissions & decent milage, and once again performance became a selling feature. This has been steadily increasing. With gas supplies plentiful, many states raised the 55 mph speed limit, which was enacted by the Carter administration to conserve oil, to 65 mph. With safer vehicles, and the faster pace of modern society, this seemed a reasonable speed, and still does.

So why are cars capable of speeds in excess of 100 mph? Simple. Because customers want this (even though it's more or less pointless.) Fast cars have always been a cultural status symbol - a uniquely American mindset if you will - to know you can go fast, even if you don't. The reality is few people regularly drive over 90 mph (mainly because it's almost guaranteed to get them a nasty speeding ticket.) The police are pretty lenient when it comes to a 5-10 mph cushion (I know I have relatives on the force) but 85-90 starts to approach the "danger zone" where people just can't react fast enough. Truthfully, nobody wants people driving that fast, even if speeding tickets are a source of revenue. You can bet that the car manufacturers are in bed in some way with the fed govt., insurance companies and the various State Depts of motor vehicles to insure the revenue stream isn't lost by having fleets of cars that can only go 70 mph, hence we have cars that can go fast, but darn severe penalties if you get caught. In NY, 25 mph over gets you 9 points. That's enough to double your insurance rates! OUCH!

Answer 6

Well they do this to make it more appealing to the younger driver's and sometimes cars can be entered into races where they may be flexible with speeds we have the same thing australia
except in the Northern Parts where there is no speed limit so a car that can go 260kmph would be great

Answer 7

Because speed and power sells cars. If all the cars out there could only do 70 the manufacturers wouldn't make any money in the top end cars.

Answer 8

Because if a car was only tuned to go at 70 mph, it wouldn't be very powerful and would take time to accelarate to top speed. A car that goes 200 mph may never be allowed to go that fast, but you won't find yourself trundling along the motorway, having just pulled on, at 30 mph and being a danger to yourself and everyone around you.

Plus what happens if you wanted to visit the Autobahn?

Answer 9

A Ford Anglia can do 70MPH, it takes as the highway code states 315ft from 70-0, a Ferrari 430 can do 195MPH, stopping from 122-0 takes 315ft. So if that Ferrari's doing 70MPH, and so is the Anglia, which car would you feel is more likely to avoid hitting you if you slipped and fell in front of it?

Furthermore you can drive these cars fast. Take them to a track day. Its fantastic fun, even people who don't much like driving have fun at them.

Answer 10

Nobody whats to purchase a car that can only go 70 mph. if so, everyone who be driving Yugo's still. It a matter of responsibility and obeying the law not to drive past the limit. over 10 to 15 mph that is :-)

Answer 11

Just to impress people into buying the cars. But at the end of the day it is up to the driver to make sure they are driving at a safe speed.