Why do rev counters go higher than the limiter?

[p4blo32]

Something I've wondered for a while, why do RPM counters in cars often list higher than the limiter or max RPM possible?

In my current car the dial goes to 8000 RPM, but the limiter is at 7K, with the red section starting at 6.5K, in previous cars I've owned it's been a similar situation. Not that I have a problem reading the RPM, but surely it'd be easier to gauge where you are in the rev range if the end of the dial was the maximum RMP available?

[Moog72]

Generic rev counters used by multiple manufacturers for different applications? Just a guess

[sherman]

The rev counter in my car goes round to 10,000 rpm the red area starts at 8,500 rpm and the limiter kicks in somewhere around 9,500 so it doesnt really go that far past. It would just make it look a bit odd if the rev counter suddenly stopped at 9,500 when it has been counting up in 1000 rpm increments.

[mosp]

A bit like the "live" MPG readout in my FN2 Civic Type-R which, very optimistically, shows a bar graph which goes between 0 and 100MPG!

[v8will]

Aesthetics?

[TheEnd]

So you can see exactly how far you over revved it.

[Scuffers]

TheEnd said:

So you can see exactly how far you over revved it.

This!

[C.A.R.]

As above. So when you miss-shift on the slip road and chuck it into 3rd when you meant to go for 5th....

[gforceg]

v8will said:

Aesthetics?

I agree.

It's the same with speedometers showing a far higher speed than the car could manage.

[DonkeyApple]

Two reasons really:

Firstly if you are the manufacturer of tachos then you will sell more units if they go to 8000 than 6000 as you will have a larger potential customer base.

Secondly, from the car sellers perspective a clock that has 8000 on it is 2000 rpm more macho than the faggoty one with just 6000. A 30% uplift in visual manliness will sell more cars. You can also use the same instrument for your lady shave hatchback as you can for your manly saloon etc and just change the dials.

[BlackBeastT5]

The limiter isn't set in stone and can be increased.

For example, my car as standard has a 6k limiter but the gauge stops at 8.5k, during a remap I had the limiter set to 7.5k. I wouldn't be able to see what I was revving to if the gauge stopped at 6k.