Maximum speed

By: CAR magazine

I have noticed that the maximum speed quoted in your road tests is now the manufacturer’s claimed top speed. Why?

Please tell me that you have not stopped measuring top speeds completely.

I also have a problem with the “your choice ” selection in your road tests. The choice often goes to a vehicle with “est” written next to the performance figures.

If you haven’t tested the vehicle how can it be your choice? Do you rely completely on manufacturer’s figures? We are all aware that the average driver will never attain those figures.

MILDEN LURIE – By e-mail

We understand your concerns, but the sober fact is that the world has changed a great deal since CAR started in 1957.

In earlier days very few cars could reach 160 km/h, and as recently as 20 years ago few cars could reach 200 km/h. At present at least ten cars for sale in SA can reach over 300 km/h.

There has been an equally significant change in the believability of manufacturer’s claims, especially with regard to maximum speeds and fuel consumption.

This has come about because the standards organisations in various countries have taken a hard line with regard to false claims.

A further consideration is that the ultimate speed a car can reach is greatly dependent on the ambient temperature and pressure, as well as whether the road is level.

This means that in many cases the manufacturer is the only organisation that will have the required facilities to measure the maximum speed accurately.

The result is that we feel justified in deciding to stop measuring maximum speed on very fast cars, in the interest of our own testers’ as well as public safety.

The “our choice” criteria has never been about only the performance figures. Instead, our eight testers are asked to vote for the “best” vehicle using overall performance, driving pleasure, perceived quality, price and even the manufacturer’s reputation as yardsticks.

In short, we imagine what it’s like to own the vehicle. In the rare case when we haven’t tested the competitors of a particular car, we have enough experience of a similar model to make a valid judgement.

Also keep in mind that we can only publish tests on about half the cars we actually receive for road testing.

Lastly, practically all the performance figures we publish can be repeated by Joe Soap, provided he’s an aboveaverage driver.

 

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