The top-speed question

[EmmDrei]

Hi all,

the question came up a couple of times... will it go faster in 5th, than in 6th.

The answer: No. Tried it twice yesterday when the Autobahn was clear. I hit the rev-limiter in 5th before I hit top-speed. Top-speed reads 272 according to the speedo and then the limiter kicks in in 6th. No GPS speed reading so far.

Not that it matters, just thought I'd pass the info.

[Dackelone]

That is what I noticed too with my 135i. V-Max is always attained in top gear(6th!), not 5th.

I would think your 272 kph top speed was really around 261 kph (true speed) - given that BMW speedo's seem to read high by 4% or so. But that is just a guess.

Dackel



PS: How does the 1M drive at high speeds? Does it wander around at all? My 135i really does wander when you go over bumps and dips at anything over 220 kph. You get use to it... but it ain't no Porsche that is for sure!

[BrokenVert]

The rev limiter top speed trick employed on the E46 doesnt work on the E82. Its unfortunate, but its all done electronically off the speedo now, not mechanically off the tach.

[EmmDrei]

Yup, I agree. My guess would have been somewhere around 260ish.

As far as the ride goes, the car is fine. Not "fidgety" but yes, it moves. No comparison i.e. to an M392. That is simply planted, even when the speedo reads 300. But I wouldn't describe the 1M as "nervous" at high speeds. It feels like a car with a shorter wheelbase and with very wide tires on top of that. The only thing that takes a little getting used to, is cornering at those speeds if you hit uneven bits of road in the corner. Then the car sways a little, I would say simply due to the suspension travel. But nothing that gave me sweaty palms. The Pirelli P Zero I have on my car have a little softer carcass than the stock Michelin, that naturally adds to that effect. But I knew the tires did that before I had them put on, so no problem.

[Dackelone]

^^^Thanks EmmDrei. Yea... that is whta I notice too on my car. When I upgraded the tires to Michelin PS3's 225/255's... I noticed my car was less "nervous" than with OE RFT. But I think the way a 1M or 135i drives at high speeds is mostly due to the car's short(er) wheel base.


Thanks,
Dackel

[mpower2]

With GPS, it was 259KM/h
Top-speed reads 272 according to the speedo

[Dackelone]

I have seen 274 kph (6,100 rpms in 6th) with my GPS on my tuned 135i. But I know I have gone 280 kph (real speed @6,300 rpms) a few times.


PS: Sorry to thread jack.

[bdaddylo]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

V-Max is always attained in top gear(6th!), not 5th.

Not true at all. The top gear is an overdrive gear for fuel economy and not performance/speed. The second highest gear usually achieves the V-Max. Since the 1M is electronically governed, top speed is achieved in 5th gear, but there may be a good chance that the ungoverned top speed could be achieved in 6th gear due to the power curve and low final drive ratio.

http://www.caranddriver.com/var/ezfl...29515ea9e2.pdf

[EmmDrei]

Originally Posted by bdaddylo

Not true at all. The top gear is an overdrive gear for fuel economy and not performance/speed. The second highest gear usually achieves the V-Max. Since the 1M is electronically governed, top speed is achieved in 5th gear, but there may be a good chance that the ungoverned top speed could be achieved in 6th gear due to the power curve and low final drive ratio.

http://www.caranddriver.com/var/ezfl...29515ea9e2.pdf

Ok... I'll write again... slowly this time...

I wrote, that I hit the rev-limiter in 5th before I hit the cars top-speed and/or speed limiter.

Rev-limiter... the thing that prevents you from over-reving your engine, ok?

And I also wrote I actually tried it out (as opposed to reading about it). So what exactly are you trying to tell me?

@Dackel: No problem. Jack it, there's nothing more in it anyhow!

[clived]

bdaedylo was clearly commenting on the use of "always" in Dackelones post, not questioning your experimental results. Chill.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by EmmDrei

And I also wrote I actually tried it out (as opposed to reading about it). So what exactly are you trying to tell me?

+1 !!

EmmDrei and I are talking from experience (IRL - In Real Life!). Not some quasi theory.


And... yes, when I said "always", I meant only for our cars. Not some hyper over drive car model.


Dackel

[bdaddylo]

Originally Posted by EmmDrei

Ok... I'll write again... slowly this time...

I wrote, that I hit the rev-limiter in 5th before I hit the cars top-speed and/or speed limiter.

Rev-limiter... the thing that prevents you from over-reving your engine, ok?

And I also wrote I actually tried it out (as opposed to reading about it). So what exactly are you trying to tell me?

@Dackel: No problem. Jack it, there's nothing more in it anyhow!

Are we supposed to be impressed that you're driving at high speeds with a car that has the aerodynamics of a small pickup truck? For one, the n54T loses HP after 6,000 RPM, so you're not going to reach the top of anything at the rev-limiter unless it's been tuned.

The car and driver data was just a point of reference of what was achieved on a track and they were able to reach the speed limiter in 5th gear and for some strange reason they were only able to reach 145 in 6th. Not sure why BMW did this. Peace out Einsteins!