Degrees "fast" - quite, very, seriously, insanely...

[L555BAT]

After hearing a non-car person describe a 1.8 Focus as "pretty fast", I got wondering about the various degrees of fastness/quickness. Not all about outright power, also about how quick it would cover ground, corners etc.

For non-racing cars by 2014 standards, I ended up with this:

"Nippy" - e.g. Mini Cooper ~130bhp (heard it used a few times by owners, hate the word but I think it probably fits)
Quite quick - e.g. Fiesta ST, Polo GTI ~180bhp
Pretty fast - e.g. Golf GTI, Focus ST ~250bhp
Fast - e.g. Audi S3, BMW M135i ~300bhp
Very fast - e.g. BMW M3/M5 ~425bhp (the M5 is in the same category as it isn't on par with the other examples of "seriously fast")
Seriously fast - e.g. Ferrari 458, 911 Turbo/GT3, Nissan GT-R ~550bhp
Insanely fast - e.g. McLaren P1 700+bhp

How would you classify, what names and how many categories?

[Zyp]

I thought the M135i should be in the 'insanely fast' section....



I'd say an S2 Exige could be classed as seriously fast but it only has 240bhp.

[ohtari]

"absolute flying machine" - Puegeot 206 HDI, said by a mate at work.

Bless him

[Passeyfier]

I've overheard people say that their 1.0L or so supermini is "nippy" around town, so I guess it could be down to how experienced people are with particular cars and generally what they use them for and the speeds they generally reach.

Of course to the more informed people on here your list seems very apt.

[J4CKO]

"Nippy" is only used by people who have no idea about car performance.

[Troubleatmill]

Ring time < 7:30 fast
Ring time >= 7:30 Various degrees of slowness

[slipstream 1985]

you get used to speed very quickly. after a while cars that should be mental just feel meh or you question whether they are running right. ie out in my mates atom and tbh i know its wuick but i dont get that "whooa" feeling anymore. Its like a drug you need more and more to reach the previous high.

[Tickle]

BHP isn't a direct correlation to how fast a car is.

Braking, chassis and power to weight play a bigger part in overall speed. IMHO anyway.

A car lapped on different circuits with the same driver maybe a good benchmark?

[Boobonman]

Neighbour was telling me about the acceleration on his 10yr old Kia Sorento diesel when in "triptronic" mode, sounded pretty darn impressive.

[aka_kerrly]

The problem with these threads on car sites is the majority tend to drive faster than average cars, the vast majority of cars on the road barely crack 60mph in 10 seconds, there are plenty of sub 1.5L compact cars and older low power diesels that can take 13-15seconds - the amount of time for a average 1/4 mile in something with a bit of poke!

Generally I will not accept anything that can't manage sub 9 seconds to 60 being described as anything remotely fast.

Sub 8seconds is quite fast

Sub 6seconds is very fast

sub 4seconds insanely fast

[750turbo]

L555BAT said:

After hearing a non-car person describe a 1.8 Focus as "pretty fast", I got wondering about the various degrees of fastness/quickness. Not all about outright power, also about how quick it would cover ground, corners etc.

For non-racing cars by 2014 standards, I ended up with this:

"Nippy" - e.g. Mini Cooper ~130bhp (heard it used a few times by owners, hate the word but I think it probably fits)
Quite quick - e.g. Fiesta ST, Polo GTI ~180bhp
Pretty fast - e.g. Golf GTI, Focus ST ~250bhp
Fast - e.g. Audi S3, BMW M135i ~300bhp (aka Junior Supercar)
Very fast - e.g. BMW M3/M5 ~425bhp (the M5 is in the same category as it isn't on par with the other examples of "seriously fast")
Seriously fast - e.g. Ferrari 458, 911 Turbo/GT3, Nissan GT-R ~550bhp
Insanely fast - e.g. McLaren P1 700+bhp

How would you classify, what names and how many categories?

Sorted that for you OP

Thanks to the dearly departed Vadimir!

[Buff Mchugelarge]

J4CKO said:

"Nippy" is only used by people who have no idea about car performance.

I'd describe my Seicento as 'nippy'. I have quite a good idea about car performance.

I do agree its all to do with personal experience though. My Clio IMO is fast. To somebody who drives an M5 everyday I'm sure it would seem quite slow.

I have a work colleague who can't comprehend anything being faster than his old 600 Fazer, it's the only big bike he's ever ridden so I imagine to him it's true.

[Fattyfat]

J4CKO said:

"Nippy" is only used by people who have no idea about car performance.

I think performance or at least the perception of it has moved on so much in the past 10 years though.

Quite a few mid sized diesels are sporting 150-200BHP these days and massive torque figures. I remember when a E300D with 177BHP was considering to be a serious bit of kit when the average family oil burner sported around 90BHP.

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

J4CKO said:

"Nippy" is only used by people who have no idea about car performance.

Yes - 'nippy' is a term used by middle-class women, who spend their lives relentlessly chasing the latest designer labels and 'lifestyles,' to describe their modern dull, overstyled but small 'trendy' eurobox.

Note that these same women also like to 'stay in with a bottle of wine and a DVD...'

[98elise]

Nippy = Below Average, but seems ok around town.

[Pebbles167]

Tickle said:

BHP isn't a direct correlation to how fast a car is.

Braking, chassis and power to weight play a bigger part in overall speed. IMHO anyway.

A car lapped on different circuits with the same driver maybe a good benchmark?

This, Absolutely.

I usually drive a peugeot Gti of some sort, and have had loads of people stick their nose at me for inferior BHP and telling me their car is "faster" than mine.

Doesn't really bother me, just labels them an idiot.

[xRIEx]

98elise said:

Nippy = Below Average, but seems ok around town.

This. Or, "fking slow but I don't want to admit I've bought a st car."

[Pebbles167]

I think if a car can be called "nippy" then stuff like the Fiat Panda, or the Fiesta Eco Boost could be classed as such.

Definitely not fast with only 100bhp and 125bhp respectively and a little more weight than a 90's hatch, but they handle well and are not heavy by any means.

Above all they are a fun car, which couldn't be labelled st, but nor could they be labelled fast.

[Davie_GLA]

List is irrelevant.

Put a 200bhp engine into a 106. That's seriously quick if going fast after first gear is your thing. But sat spinning its wheels does not a lot. Give it a decent chassis and see your grin improve.

Standard R1 is "insanely fast".

All dependant on whom you speak to of course.

For me going fast in a straight line is pretty pointless outside of a drag strip.

Chucking a car or bike into a corner and feeling all of the components work together does it for me.

[Bonefish Blues]

Passeyfier said:

I've overheard people say that their 1.0L or so supermini is "nippy" around town, so I guess it could be down to how experienced people are with particular cars and generally what they use them for and the speeds they generally reach.

A supermini is much more nippy around town than a supercar: it's narrower, with better visibility, and with many fewer consequences (mainly pecuniary) when something goes wrong. The older a supermini gets, likely the nippier, too.

Horses for courses and all that.