What defines a fast car?

[T0MMY]

Basing it on how fast it feels is the root cause of people overestimating how fast their turbo diesels are.

My definition of a fast car seems considerably lower than many peoples'. I'd definitely call a 6 second 0-60 car fast. Cutting it off at 0-100 in <10 seconds excludes all kinds of cars that I'd find hard to believe shouldn't be considered "fast".

[Toilet Duck]

DoubleSix said:

I believe the Atom can do 0-100 and back to 0 in around 10secs!!

https://youtu.be/Cbo4mHIzQD0?t=1m44s

[chrisb92]

with cars being so much more technologically advanced now, I think it's taken some of the usefulness of the 0-60 time away.

If i were asked to test a cars speed i'd see how it felt flooring it from 50mph! I'd say my car still feels quick up to about 100 and the 0-60 is 6.9 and the BHP/tonne is 160. As previously mentioned though, I came from a string of slow cars and drive a van at work, so naturally my car still feels rapid. If someone who owned an M3 came for a spin i'd imagine they would be less than impressed with the acceleration!!

[RegMolehusband]

So many people are defining a fast car by acceleration alone. But it's also about its ability to decelerate rapidly without the wheels locking (preferably unhindered by ABS) and to turn eagerly into a corner. Then to be able to put the power down earlier than anything else ready for a burst of acceleration, preferably with flat throttle gear shifts, to repeat the process at the next corner. Get all this right with the right car and there's nothing to touch it.

Oh, and 0-60 in 3 seconds is really handy. Like the car in my profile

[ORD]

Bizarre responses from a lot people.

Many focussing on what makes a car FEEL fast, rather than actually being fast. A lot setting absurdly high benchmarks only met by track cars, exotics and turbo monsters!

3 seconds to 60 isn't 'fast'; it's batst mental fast.

[Vyse]

So what cars are considered fast that dont if you the sensation of being pinned to the seat?

[T0MMY]

ORD said:

Bizarre responses from a lot people.

Many focussing on what makes a car FEEL fast, rather than actually being fast. A lot setting absurdly high benchmarks only met by track cars, exotics and turbo monsters!

3 seconds to 60 isn't 'fast'; it's batst mental fast.

I do sometimes think people like to use these threads to emphasise that they're so used to such ballistically quick vehicles that nothing short of an Atom with a Veyron engine driving each wheel is fast to them.

[GetCarter]

Fast = top speed = Not much fun.
Quick = getting fast and getting slow quickly = Fun.

I like quick cars. Much more fun than fast cars. +/- 200 mph in a 911 turbo S wasn't half the fun as +/- 100 mph round a tight bend in a Caterham R500. Believe me, fast is pretty boring compared to quick.

[StottyEvo]

GetCarter said:

Fast = top speed = Not much fun.
Quick = getting fast and getting slow quickly = Fun.

I like quick cars. Much more fun than fast cars. +/- 200 mph in a 911 turbo S wasn't half the fun as +/- 100 mph round a tight bend in a Caterham R500. Believe me, fast is pretty boring compared to quick.

I see your point but that's a terrible example bearing in mind the R500 is batst fast

[cerb4.5lee]

I think similar to the OP as well, my Cerbera did 0 to 100 in less than 10 seconds and I always thought it was a fast car, my E92 M3 did 0 to 100 in over 10 seconds and that never felt like a fast car to me so I would still say anything under 10 seconds to 100 is a fast car.

[TommoAE86]

J4CKO said:

Tracy Chapman ?

[cerb4.5lee]

RobM77 said:

It's a very personal thing. I'm sure we've all been cornered at parties by people who won't stop telling us how fast their V6 Vectra or their ST220 Mondeo is

I still remember when I actually thought both those cars were quick though!

[TheJimi]

What defines a fast car?

When you step out it and can't stop swearing. When the car's performance is all you can think about.

[Jasandjules]

You put your foot down and go "oh s**t"......

[TheHound]

cerb4.5lee said:

I think similar to the OP as well, my Cerbera did 0 to 100 in less than 10 seconds and I always thought it was a fast car, my E92 M3 did 0 to 100 in over 10 seconds and that never felt like a fast car to me so I would still say anything under 10 seconds to 100 is a fast car.

I think that'll be that pesky manual box you chose for your M3 ...

The car is capable of 0-100 in 9.something

[anonymous-user]

My Monaro can light the back tyres up 120mph in the damp which makes it more terrifying than fast. Trouble is you need an airfield to annihilate all other cars so I'd go with the TVR Griff as the ultimate fun, fast car for the road.

O-100 mph should be under 7 secs for proper fast.

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 25th June 20:22

[likesachange]

I've had my atom 300 for almost 2 month now and I can sometimes take it out and think the acceleration is a bit "meh" and then another time I'd think it's completely insane...

Similar to many cars I've had..

Just bought an m135i and just had that "tweaked" as it felt a it slowish..

I think it's a disease I have

[cerb4.5lee]

TheHound said:

cerb4.5lee said:

I think similar to the OP as well, my Cerbera did 0 to 100 in less than 10 seconds and I always thought it was a fast car, my E92 M3 did 0 to 100 in over 10 seconds and that never felt like a fast car to me so I would still say anything under 10 seconds to 100 is a fast car.

I think that'll be that pesky manual box you chose for your M3 ...

The car is capable of 0-100 in 9.something

You make a good point! the manual is 10.5 so the DCT would I imagine dip below 10 but that's still a bit short of the Cerb`s 0 to 100 time though.

The M4`s a flying machine to 100 now though and its a credit to it I think when you consider its weight.

[CaptainSlow]

br d said:

CaptainSlow said:

Any that can out drag me on my 600cc Supersport.

Difficult to find proper specs online but I think my car could.

(But I think you'd be having much more fun!)

It'd be close but I'll concede this one.

[Jbliss]

0-60 sub 4 seconds is what is consider as fast! 4-6 is brisk!