""""I think you'll be able to make out 35mph quite easily in the '11. Looks easy enough to me."""


I'm sure like most things, once you've been driving it for a little while, you'll get used to it...

It could be worse,, the speedo in my 1987 Mustang GT only listed 85mph,,
Back in those days, the federal government 'discouraged' the automakers from listing big numbers on the speedometers, I reckon they figured since it wasn't displaying more than 85, you wouldn't go more than that... I wound the needle almost back over to the peg numerous times,, the tack read just under the redline,

Now every car out there has, including my current Kia, displays 120-140mph, How times have changed,,

 

I drive on the German autobahn every day and sometimes on a rare nice friday afternoon goin home from work I will be doing my Stangs governed limit of 149 mph with an audi or beemer trying to pass me! At this speed I see the RPM gage is at about 4200.

 

Sometimes if i'm doin 100 mph on the autobahn i gotta get over in the slow lane. My German friend's 6 cylinder cars speedometers often read 280 kph (175 mph) and I would like my All American icon Mustang to proudly wear a 180 mph speedometer like a badge of honor. I'm guessing if the speed limiter wasnt there I could reach 180 mph since when I do 145mph the rpms are at 4200. Important note: I have upgraded my brakes and suspension cause the stock brakes would fade out quik at those speeds and the stock springs and shocks did not feel confident on any type of curve in the autobahn.

 

My 1969 Firebird has the rally pack gauges with the 160 mph speedometer from the factory. You don't see that big of a speedometer in the old cars!

 

I think that the speedo and tach locations should be reversed in the 2010/11's. The speedo should be on the right side(like the 2005/09's). When you want to glance at the 2005/09's,you look prettywell straight down(assuming the needle is in the 0-80mph range)...on the 2010/11's,you look down,but then need to look at the left side of the guage(there again assuming the needle is in the 0-80mph range where most of us do the vast majority of our driving). Follow what I'm saying?...the needle is usually displaying in the left side of a guage that is on the left side of guage cluster instead of left side of a guage on right side of cluster(where the needle would now operate almost straight down from the view of the road). I noticed this on a test drive(as I'm looking to buy a 2010/11)so I'm sure I'll get use to it, but seems like it will take some getting use to. Hmm... I better get use to it...I'm almost finished my 1970 Duster 340 restore and the speedo is also on the "left-of-center. Dan

 

I disagree, I'm glad the tach is on the right and Ford made this switch. I had an '05 gt and an '07 gt500 and was relieved to see they moved the tach to the right. I'd really like to see the font on the gauges changed though. The gt500 and boss gauges look better to me. I think there is plenty of retro in the style of the car and dash, they could make the font look better.

 

I have to agree, I am actually considering getting the Boss gauges installed in my GT when it gets dropped off at the dealer.

 

After so many years in the Automotive Dark Ages (mid-'70's thru late '80's) being forced by an overreaching federal government to live with a max of 85 mph on my speedo (and with "55" "conspicuously highlighted), I am happy to have ANYTHING that registers over 100.

To me the real problem is the 1/2 circle 180-degrees arc of the gauge. If we had something more like a 270-deg arc or better, it would allow more room for those salacious forbidden numbers....

 

I liked the 85 MPH speedos. I don't want to know my speed other than to stay close to the arbitrary posted limit. Since 85 was more than enough for that, anything higher just crams the numbers and markings closer together and harder to be precise about at a glance. I never use the speedo on track.

I'm not losing sleep over it just saying there were some up sides to the 85 speedos.

 

Didn't the last batch of Bullit Mustangs have 200 mph speedometers.

 

I lived in Germany and drove back and forth to work at 120+. Just be careful. Not all of the Bahn is unlimited speedlimits, watch for the camera traps. I understand they are enforcing the speed limits more stringently...anyone?

I also lived in Southern Italy and we would drive from Bari to Naples and Rome on the Autostrada, for R&R. On one occasion, I was in our Alfa GT, I was given the "wagging" finger, a comment on "very fast" and a smile by the guy in the Naples Toll Booth when he checked my time...gotta love the Italians.

Enjoy!!

 

Definatly not life in prison as a friend of mine got caught doing 185mph after slowing down from a GPS verified 202mph.

he had some steep fines and somehow suspended the registration on his car or somthing, but he kept his license and such.

I know someone will ask what kind of car it was. A twin turbo 1994 Mustang GT.

 

I got a written warning for going 165 in a 50 MPH zone.

I was testing out some mods on my Yamaha. It was a deserted farm road. No houses or trees and nothing in sight for miles. I did a pass one way to make sure the road was in good condition and no other surprises. I turned around just before a rise in the road and started my run. What I didn't realize is that a Deputy Sheriff was coming over the rise just as I was completing my U-turn. I ran it up to 165 or so for a few miles until the Interstate was in sight. I pulled over to the side, got off pulled an apple out of my pack and started to eat it.

I heard a distant siren get louder and louder until the Deputy Sheriff came to a skidding halt next to me with dust and gravel flying. He asked me if I knew how fast I was going. I asked when? We danced around a bit and I think he decided he couldn't prove in court he was chasing me since he lost sight of me when i pulled off.

When he was on the radio in the car, his partner said they thought I saw them and was trying to escape which made them think they were chasing some fugitive! But since I obviously wasn't and since he seemed to like me and probably would lose in court, he wrote me a warning ticket! He said I don't know exactly how fast you were going but you were pulling away like I was standing still even when I hit 100. He wrote 110 in a 50 zone on the warning. I thought it was cool. I probably still have it somewhere in a box from when I moved.


(not mine but a picture of one like it except for my mods)

 

You could use a portable GPS such as Tom Tom to show your speed past 160. Also keep in mind driving that fast requires extreme concentration, and uses fuel like you got a hole in the tank.

 

A bit I saw on TV about the Bugatti Veyron, said that the Veyron would blow thru its entire 26-gallon gas tank in about 12 minutes at top speed (which is more than 250 mph).

Doing some quick top-o-my-head math, if 60 mph is a mile-a-minute (it is), then 240 mph would be 4 miles per minute, and after 12 minutes you'd have gone only 48 miles (good luck covering that distance without lifting off the throttle). So figure a range of only 50 miles or so, significantly less than the 8 to 10 mpg EPA rating the car carries officially.

 

^ That works out well, however, since the tires will only last for 15 minutes at those speeds.

 

^
Someone watches top gear :thumbs:

 

You got me. After finding it on my streaming Netflix, the Brit/"real" version of the show immediately became my favorite!

 

I don't want to be anywhere near a 102 mph kia...

 

140mph