Why do people buy and drive sport cars yet drive slow or the speed limit?
Maybe you don't see them driving the mustang out on the open road. They may open the throttle up and let it fly. And, do you know how damaging to your brakes driving a fast car in the stop and go traffic of the city can be? And another thing. If you have something nice, you must have worked hard for it. Maybe you waited a very long time before you could get it. So, why tear it up? That makes no sense. You mention a Mustang. This car looks great, but if it is not equipped to be driven like its on the racecourse, then it will be falling apart very soon. The stock equipment on a Mustang does not allow it to be driven like that. This is why there are aftermarket companies like Saleen that add the equipment the car needs to be driven like that.
Why do Americans buy fast cars if they have speed limits? Are speed limits considered to be more of a guideline than a law, and people actually drive a little bit “with more fun” from time to time?
In my case it’s because we can still accelerate as fast as we want.We don’t have average speed cameras like they do in parts of Europe, we rarely even make use of speed cameras at all so the only way you get caught speeding is if a police officer catches you. Through the use of apps like Waze or radar detectors it’s pretty easy to avoid being caught speeding, not that I advocate driving recklessly.Unfortunately most of the speed limits in the US are a joke, enacted at a time when gasoline was being rationed and things like radial tires and anti-lock brakes were not widely used.On Route 128 in Massachusetts for instance, the speed limit is 55 mph. I’ve been on single lane back roads with speed limits that high, there is no excuse for such a low speed limit. Most people feel the same way and the normal speed during a non-traffic congested trip is close to 80 mph, even the state troopers drive over 75 mph. In fact, if you drive near the speed limit you’re liable to pose a threat to the other drivers, I tried driving on a weekend day (no congestion) at (and slightly below) the speed limit to see what kind of fuel economy I could achieve and it was downright dangerous.For the most part, if you keep with traffic and don’t drive erratically you’ll be safe and your risk of being pulled over is relatively low. But honestly, the big thing for many (and why I have a performance car) is because any time I want I can floor it from a stop and get a nice rush, even if it’s just from 0 mph until the speed limit.Cheers!
What's the point of driving an expensive sports car when the maximum speed limit is 70 MPH?
The “speed limit” is just a suggestion. It’s a “fake sign.”Seriously: I drive a Porsche, which will quite happily go 175 mph (280 kph). There aren’t too many places off the track where you can go that fast, but that’s not really the point.My car is a BLAST to drive. It gets to 60 mph in under 5 seconds, but its the sound of that flat-six motor that’s the beautiful part of the experience. Nothing else sounds like it.I usually cover my car at night. I still get a little thrill of pleasure when I take the cover off in the morning and see what’s underneath. The 997 (Carrera) is one of the prettiest cars Porsche has ever made, in my opinion. It’s all sensuous curves and perfectly crafted sheet metal.When you sit in a car like mine, you feel the car sort of wrap around you. It has plenty of room—I’m over 6 feet tall, and I sit in the car with my legs nearly straight. Because Porsche is race-bred, all the controls are placed and designed to be reached quickly and efficiently. I don’t have the Recaro seats in mine (they’re really hard to get in and out of), but you feel very secure and well supported. This is necessary because…Going around a corner is an experience. You don’t have to be going all that fast; the car just kind of chuckles when you corner, as if to say, “That all you got, kid?” When you find the limits of adhesion (and they’re quite high), the car treats you very kindly, with the ability to adjust your cornering angles with the throttle. This one is quite neutral and very predictable. Older Porsches had a tendency to oversteer in a lot of hair-raising ways, and one could get into some trouble if one did a few things wrong.Or so I’m told.To anyone who loves cars, these cars—not just Porsches, but enthusiasts’ cars—are gorgeous. I think I already mentioned the car’s looks, but it bears repeating.There are those who are convinced that we who drive performance cars do so for ego gratification. While I’m sure there are those who do, the satisfaction in driving a powerful thoroughbred car well—shifting, cornering and braking proficiently—is the primary appeal. It’s not necessary to extract every last iota of performance out of the car. There are lots of ways to appreciate and enjoy fine machinery.
Are supercars fun to drive?
Are they fun to cruise along in (under the speed limit) or do people just buy them to show off their wealth or for any opportunity to take the car to the track? Also, are they easy to drive on the road?
What's the point of owning a sports car?
Now don't get me wrong. I think sports cars can be pretty cool. I was actually getting hyped up over a couple of them, and seeing how well they can perform is pretty cool. I even thought that since its just my wife and me looking for a car, why not a sports car instead of a compact? But then again I'm the kind of guy who always goes the speed limit. Safety is of upmost importance to me. So then I figure, what good is it to having a car that can go 150mph or more when the speed limit around town is only 35mph and the highway being only 55mph? The fastest speed limit I've ever been on was 80mph. Even my old 1972 VW Beetle with its stock engine can go that fast (it even says so in the owner's manual.) One thing that popped into my head is that my poor wife, who has a hard time actually going as fast as the speed limit, might be either encouraged or discouraged to go a bit faster behind the wheel of something a bit more sporty than the 1985 Golf she normally drives around. Any thoughts?
Do you look at speed-limits as something to be matched, or as something to slow you down when driving?
That depends on several things, including the weather, road conditions, traffic conditions, what I’m driving, and the known or suspected presence of law enforcement.In good weather with a good vehicle, light traffic, and no LEO around, the speed limit is just a suggestion. With LEOs around or suspected, then I need to keep it within tolerance to avoid being pulled or ticketed. Ten over is acceptable where I live. In heavy traffic, I go with the speed of traffic, which may be way above or below the posted limit. When weather and road conditions get bad, like the heavy fog I had on my way into work this morning, I may wind up going considerably less than the posted limit.
What is the point of driving a car like a Lamborghini if you aren't even allowed to go at high speeds?
I can understand your dilemma. What’s the point of owing a high performance super car if your not allowed to reach it’s top speed on any public roads or highways. Other answers have mentioned that it could be used for track days at a race track. But then again, it’s not like anyone who could afford a Lamborghini (Investment bankers, celebrities, businessmen) would have the time to take off from work to do a track day. So why then you could ask would these people spend an enormous amount of money on these cars when you could own something cheaper and probably more efficient like a Ford or a Nissan?I think a major factor is the mindset or core beliefs of a “petrol head” viz.“The journey, Not the destination matters...”― T.S. EliotThe destination being the permissible speed limit at the road / highway and the journey being the time taken to reach the speed limit. You could also floor it on empty roads with no speed cameras. Not that millionaires care a lot about speeding fines. What I’m trying to say is driving on the whole will be more enjoyable for a petrol head in a super/sports car. It’s not only the the higher acceleration, but also the better handling, improved braking & faster cornering speeds; the list goes on. The luxury and the status that you get out of owning such a car is a huge plus too.