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German Autobahn - How fast? Real fast!

T

techfuzz

Diamond Member
I was watching a show the other evening on The History Channel about the German Autobahn. The highlight of the show was watching the owner of Ruf Automotive, Alois Ruf, test drive a modified Porsche. Part of his duties at Ruf is to certify the top speed of each car they modify in Germany. The scene starts with him and two cameramen getting into the car at a gas station. The cameraman in the back filmed the speedometer while the other filmed the road and Ruf. You then see them exiting the gas station and entering the on-ramp to the Autobahn where he floors it. Over the next 1-2 minutes he accelerates from 0 to 213 MPH (~343 KPH for our non-US friends). He was flying past other trucks and cars doing what he said was 90-110 MPH.

Has anyone had the opportunity to really push it on one of the non-speed limited sections of the Autobahn? What's it like being able to pass the police without them blinking an eye at you?

techfuzz

 
i drove through germany once in summer of 1997
i was in a rental, an audi or something diesel, it wasn't a high end car

so i only went about 200 km/hr

didn't see any police

you REALLY have to pay attention BEHIND you so that you get out of the fast lane if anybody comes up behind you , and you stay in the slow lane except to pass
 
I hitchhiked through Europe, and one ride I got was in a 1995 Saab Turbo ... 235kph on the autobahn! Fastest I've ever travelled on land by a long shot. The guy had to hammer the brakes though when a semi passed another a couple of kilometers ahead or we would've been toast. Good story, but I didn't ride with him for long because I was a bit concerned for my life.
 
I've done it a few times. It was easier before 1995, when the roads got much more crowded.

It is amazing how fast you catch the car in front of you. If people aren't paying a lot of attention, major accidents occur. Staying to the right except to pass is critical. :beer:
 
my fam lived in germany from 90-93. i cant remember wtf we were doing buy my dad had a straight-6 mercedes and we went on the autobaun a couple times. i dont remeber him going more than like 100mph, but there were constantly motorcycles zooming past people and fast looking cars doing the same. i dont remember seeing any cops, but if i'm not mistaken they get really pissed off if you pass on the right side or if you dont get out of the way when in the left lane
 
I had an audi A6 last year on my drive from Dusseldorf to Geneva, I managed to get up to 220km/h before getting scared. Even at that speed, BMWs and Porsches were passing me like I Was standing still. Autobahn is safer than US highways per capita crashwise. You really really have to pay full attention though, that left lane is like a runway.
 
Originally posted by: alphatarget1
Contrary to popular belief: not everyone drives 200+km/h on the Autobahn.
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Definitely true ... I wouldn't ... then again my cars can't really handle over 130 anyway 😛
 
I have seen that show previously and its amazing. After watching I was kind of under the impression that its always under repair since it has to be ultra smooth to go that fast on. I would love to take a Lamborghini out there!
 
Originally posted by: Jawo
I have seen that show previously and its amazing. After watching I was kind of under the impression that its always under repair since it has to be ultra smooth to go that fast on. I would love to take a Lamborghini out there!
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Yeah, they said that a lot of the Autobahn currently is being repaired / under construction due to the roadway finally wearing out. It was designed to last ~40 years (20 years longer than US roads) and the majority of the Autobahn was built in the '60s IIRC.

Personally I wouldn't mind one of the last street legal McLaren's to go for a Sunday drive out there 🙂 Or anything with a ton of down-force to get me along!

techfuzz
 
It must be nice to have the opportunity to drive on a highway where morons dont clog the left lane, and would actually move out of the way when approached from behind by faster moving traffic.
 
Yeah I've seen that special a while ago, and Sluggo yeah it is great to be able to travel on a highway where people are disciplined drivers, but sometimes you'll have folks from the Netherlands (they got the distinctive yellow plates) on A3 between Koeln and Frankfurt that aren't as disciplined so they sometimes take a bit before they move out of the way for faster traffic.

To the OP, the only time I've passed polizei while going at a pretty good rate was when I was coming back home from Amsterdam on A3 near the border with the Netherlands, and a few kilometers into Germany there were 2 armored polizei vehicles, like the ones they have for riot control on Maitag, and a Mercedes van (same one as the dodge sprinter in the states) in between the 2 polizei vehicles. I was traveling at about 150kmh or about 95mph which was after I slowed down a bit because I was a bit curious about what was up with their convoy, it was like they were transferring some narcotics from the Netherlands lol, and then I passed them.
 
Originally posted by: techfuzz
I was watching a show the other evening on The History Channel about the German Autobahn. The highlight of the show was watching the owner of Ruf Automotive, Alois Ruf, test drive a modified Porsche. Part of his duties at Ruf is to certify the top speed of each car they modify in Germany. The scene starts with him and two cameramen getting into the car at a gas station. The cameraman in the back filmed the speedometer while the other filmed the road and Ruf. You then see them exiting the gas station and entering the on-ramp to the Autobahn where he floors it. Over the next 1-2 minutes he accelerates from 0 to 213 MPH (~343 KPH for our non-US friends). He was flying past other trucks and cars doing what he said was 90-110 MPH.

Has anyone had the opportunity to really push it on one of the non-speed limited sections of the Autobahn? What's it like being able to pass the police without them blinking an eye at you?

techfuzz
Click to expand...

I have driven a turbocharged 1100XX tpped out not so high but considering that the worlds fastest car doe not reach that speed unless there i a long enough straight and a McLaren F1 tops out at 330 i don't really believe that.

Maybe with a gt2, if that was the porche.
 
A while back i saw a video from mercedes about their convertable safety in the event of a roll over. A little thing pops up so the drivers head wont come off. The demo video showed a guy doing over 200kph and flipping. His car rolled and tumbled then came to a stop. The guy got out and walked away. I cant find it now though. 🙁
 
Originally posted by: eelw
How long is the Autobahn? At those speeds, you should be able to get through a city in like 10 minutes.
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It can be done, most major autobahns bypass cities like A3 runs south of Frankfurt, west of Koeln, but their cities are pretty compact so theres not much distance to travel from like the Frankfurt Airport to B45 heading toward Hanau. In fact the urban built up area of Amsterdam is a little bit bigger than the urban sprawl of Waco TX or Columbus GA.

edit: alot bigger than Waco, I thought Waco was a bit bigger, so use Lubbock instead for comparison.
 
I've never personally driven on it as the driver but many many times as passenger. I've been in the passenger seat of an Audi RS2. Fastest damn thing I've ever been in. Was awesome.

If you're driving on the autobahn and see the gray sign (pictured here on top) you're free to go as fast as you want.

What else can I say?

The autobahn is in danger in Germany. Although it is strongly tied to the German spirit, the ever-stronger Green party wants to add more 100 Km/H speed limits. The slower people drive, the less gas consumed, and the less pollution produced, etc.. If not the Greens, Germany's steadily-growing population will kill the autobahn, especially in the southern and western portions of the country on corridors between cities like Munich and Stuttgart. But at the same time, as the West continues to upgrade the infrastructure of the East, new autobahns are being built in areas of declining population and economic stagnation, for example near Schwerin in Mecklenburg Vorpommern. Those autobahns are nearly deserted so I am told.

My only advice to those who happen to drive it someday at full speed, remember one very important thing about German highways: the LEFT lane is for passing only! They are dead serious about that. If you get caught doing 180 Km/H in the left lane, thinking you're going fast enough, don't remove your eyes from your rearview mirror because a Ferrari will be on your ass in an instant doing 250 Km/H. Or not even that, perhaps just an Audi S8 or something.

The Germans are dead serious about driving, far more than the average American. It took years for German auto makers to add cupholders because they were like WTF, who can eat or drink in the car while driving? The McDonalds "drive through" was first introduced in Germany in the American Sector of West Berlin to cater to American soldiers and their familes. Germans pay over 1,000 Euro to get a license and have to take written and driving exams for a year before they can get their license at the age of 18. (The drinking age is 16 in Germany.) And when I say driving exams, that includes driving at night, in the rain, in the snow, on the autobahn, on small farm roads, in the city, and around town. When they get their license, they get it for life. Serious business.
 
GTaudiophile, you have "heard things"

It doesn't matter, the abtobahn is free speed and will stay that way, it's an institution.

You ever want a stretch you can top out any bik eor car on, that is it, and they still somehow mamage to produce less co2 than CALIFORNIA which has extreme rstricions.



It's not going anywhere, but it's fairly useless to do anything with but top it out, the nurenburg ring is a helluvalot more fun, especially with a viper.


 
Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
The Germans are dead serious about driving, far more than the average American. It took years for German auto makers to add cupholders because they were like WTF, who can eat or drink in the car while driving? The McDonalds "drive through" was first introduced in Germany in the American Sector of West Berlin to cater to American soldiers and their familes. Germans pay over 1,000 Euro to get a license and have to take written and driving exams for a year before they can get their license at the age of 18. (The drinking age is 16 in Germany.) And when I say driving exams, that includes driving at night, in the rain, in the snow, on the autobahn, on small farm roads, in the city, and around town. When they get their license, they get it for life. Serious business.
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Exactly how it should be everywhere.
 
Originally posted by: Sluggo
Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
The Germans are dead serious about driving, far more than the average American. It took years for German auto makers to add cupholders because they were like WTF, who can eat or drink in the car while driving? The McDonalds "drive through" was first introduced in Germany in the American Sector of West Berlin to cater to American soldiers and their familes. Germans pay over 1,000 Euro to get a license and have to take written and driving exams for a year before they can get their license at the age of 18. (The drinking age is 16 in Germany.) And when I say driving exams, that includes driving at night, in the rain, in the snow, on the autobahn, on small farm roads, in the city, and around town. When they get their license, they get it for life. Serious business.
Click to expand...


Exactly how it should be everywhere.
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I concur. I hope to drive the autobahn and the ring someday ... siiiigh
 
Yes, I have. I didn't go over 130mph. Most of the parts I were on were congested, so there were very few "speed free" areas where I was traveling. Regardless, much better than the Autostrada in Italy.
 
Originally posted by: Slackware
GTaudiophile, you have "heard things"

It doesn't matter, the abtobahn is free speed and will stay that way, it's an institution.

You ever want a stretch you can top out any bik eor car on, that is it, and they still somehow mamage to produce less co2 than CALIFORNIA which has extreme rstricions.



It's not going anywhere, but it's fairly useless to do anything with but top it out, the nurenburg ring is a helluvalot more fun, especially with a viper.
Click to expand...


Institution or not, more and more sections are getting 100 Km/H speed limits. And the Green party has voiced its concerns. Those are facts.
 
Yeah, I would love to have more stringent driver examinations here in North America. Imagine how many people would not pass. And for everyone who does pass, they will be far better drivers as a result.
 
Originally posted by: eelw
Yeah, I would love to have more stringent driver examinations here in North America. Imagine how many people would not pass. And for everyone who does pass, they will be far better drivers as a result.
Click to expand...

I would have no problem if we adopted similar laws here...including the 16yo drinking law. Might as well let kids go nutz and get it out of their system before they start driving.
 
Originally posted by: eelw
Yeah, I would love to have more stringent driver examinations here in North America. Imagine how many people would not pass. And for everyone who does pass, they will be far better drivers as a result.
Click to expand...

Yeah, everyone who does not pass can use mass transit to offset the pollution we create🙂
 
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