# A $100,000 car with a governor ... why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 29, 2005, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148 "2005-11-29T01:18:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/1 "2005-11-29T01:18:29Z")
According to _Popular Science_, the [2007 BMW M6](http://www.popsci.com/popsci/bown2005/cars/b4d082cb9f827010vgnvcm1000004eecbccdrcrd.html) – with a 5.0-liter V10 capable of 500 horsepower, and an estimated $100,000 price tag – is electronically governed to 155 mph. Why would BMW do that? ☹ The Ferrari F430 profiled on the same page has a top speed of 196 mph, and the '06 Corvette Z06 gets up to 198 mph … hell, even the '06 Pontiac Solstice reaches 123 mph! Why would they give a car so much power and then limit its top speed? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/2 "2005-11-29T01:21:14Z")
155 isn’t fast enough for you? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/3 "2005-11-29T01:21:43Z")
Does anyone who isn’t a professional racecar driver ever get anywhere NEAR those top speeds on any kind of regular basis (or even any kind of irregular basis)? Who cares if the top speed is limited by a governor if it’s at a point where the average person who buys the car is never going to hit? Geez…I can’t even imagine going 155 mph in a car. I get nervous at 80… ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/4 "2005-11-29T01:23:47Z")
\ In California, governor has $100,000 car! In reunited Germany, $100,000 car has governor! \ ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/5 "2005-11-29T01:26:10Z")
Is it possible that the handling gets flaky at speeds \> 160 or so? ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/6 "2005-11-29T01:29:52Z")
I dunno, if I have the cash to blow on a $100k car, you can bet I’ll pony up however much it costs to go to the racetrack on the weekends and open her up a bit. Or eat the speeding ticket. Why buy a car with all that potential without being able to realize it? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/7 "2005-11-29T01:31:24Z")
> [@The Sausage Creature](#): > > Why buy a car with all that potential without being able to realize it? I’d say “Exactly” but it’d be coming from the opposite direction… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/8 "2005-11-29T01:32:45Z")
Lawsuits? 😕 \ I’ll go with **Larry**. Perhaps it’s nice way to avoid getting called out on some BS. This car can go 300 mph but we’ve limited it to 155. \ again. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/9 "2005-11-29T01:46:37Z")
Several German automakers–BMW, Audi, and Mercedes–have a gentlemen’s agreement regarding voluntary speed limitation to preempt government regulation. They settled on 155mph (250km/h) as a limiting number to restrict liability, though in practice there is no public roadway where cars regularly exceed these speeds, not even the famed German Autobahns. Bypassing these restrictions is merely a matter of replacing the engine controller, which can also uptune the engine for greater performance (at the expense of economy and pollution mitigation) which is commonly done by speed-freaks or anyone racing these cars on private racetracks. So Joe the Wall Street Clone doesn’t need \>155mph speeds (actually, all he needs is the badge and the grillwork to impress his “friends”) and Mike the Speed Devil will replace the limiting device as a matter of course. Every regulartory body is happy to pretend that the manufacturers are doing something to limit potential danger, even if it is transparently pointless, and everybody goes home with a bag full of sugar. One does not, by the way, purchase a car like the M6 strictly for straight-line speed, but rather for handling and control. Whether that’s worth US$100k depends on your pocketbook and interests, I suppose. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/10 "2005-11-29T02:07:02Z")
Way to blow all the fun out of our tinfoil hat contest dude! ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/11 "2005-11-29T02:07:08Z")
> [@The Sausage Creature](#): > > Or eat the speeding ticket. Pfft. What speeding ticket? They have to _catch_ you first. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/12 "2005-11-29T02:17:26Z")
> [@Campion](#): > > Pfft. What speeding ticket? They have to _catch_ you first. Clearly you’ve been subjected to one too many viewings of [Vanishing Point](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067927/) on late night cable. It must be that Barry Newman crush you had in 8th grade. 😛 Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Queen\_Bruin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Queen\_Bruin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Queen_Bruin)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/13 "2005-11-29T02:25:38Z")
> [@Campion](#): > > Pfft. What speeding ticket? They have to _catch_ you first. Good point! ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/14 "2005-11-29T02:41:42Z")
> [@Campion](#): > > Pfft. What speeding ticket? They have to _catch_ you first. That’s what roadblocks are for. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/15 "2005-11-29T02:48:11Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > 155 isn’t fast enough for you? > [@jayjay](#): > > Does anyone who isn’t a professional racecar driver ever get anywhere NEAR those top speeds on any kind of regular basis (or even any kind of irregular basis)? Who cares if the top speed is limited by a governor if it’s at a point where the average person who buys the car is never going to hit? The ability to ever actually drive the car at its top speed is _completely_ beside the point. 😃 > [@Larry Mudd](#): > > Is it possible that the handling gets flaky at speeds \> 160 or so? But … but … then they shouldn’t have given it so much horsepower! 😉 > [@The Sausage Creature](#): > > I dunno, if I have the cash to blow on a $100k car, you can bet I’ll pony up however much it costs to go to the racetrack on the weekends and open her up a bit. > > Or eat the speeding ticket. > > Why buy a car with all that potential without being able to realize it? Amen! But more to the racetrack thing than the speeding ticket thing: going that fast on any road with a posted speed limit would be a little too dangerous even for my driving fantasy. \ > [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > Several German automakers–BMW, Audi, and Mercedes–have a gentlemen’s agreement regarding voluntary speed limitation to preempt government regulation. They settled on 155mph (250km/h) as a limiting number to restrict liability Well, at least that makes a kind of sense – and it’s heartening to know that there’s a work-around. Thanks! 🙂 > [@](#): > > One does not, by the way, purchase a car like the M6 strictly for straight-line speed, but rather for handling and control. Hey, you buy your car for what you want, I’ll buy my car for what I want… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Otanx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Otanx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otanx)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/16 "2005-11-29T06:03:27Z")
Part of it also might be the speed rating for the tires that are on the car. Even if the car can do \>155 the tires might overheat, and fail at high speeds. Basically it is a small bit of insurance for the manufacturer aginst lawsuits. If the car is governed below the speed rating of the tires then there is less chance of the tire failing at high speeds, and less chance for someone suing them for it failing. Looking on the web it looks like the fastest rating is 186MPH. After that you would have to have special tires made for the car. Limiting at 155 would give a saftey margin. Anyone who wants to go faster than that would know they need rated tires, and if they don’t get em then that is their problem. -Otanx ---
**Author:** ![Campion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@Campion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Campion)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/17 "2005-11-29T06:13:21Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > Hey, you buy your car for what you want, I’ll buy my car for what I want… 😉 Amen, sister! (Hey – can I get a lift?) > [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > That’s what roadblocks are for. Pfft. They’d have to _get ahead of me_ first! (How fast can helicopters go again? As my fellow Californians can attest, once they put the helicopter on you, you may as well just stop the car and prone yourself out. Because whether it’s one hour or seven (all of which will be broadcast on all channels, preempting any other program), the helicopter signals the inevitability of your capture. But at 155 miles an hour, I’m thinking you could make it to Mexico in like three minutes. Then you’d be safe.) > [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > Clearly you’ve been subjected to one too many viewings of [Vanishing Point](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067927/) on late night cable. It must be that Barry Newman crush you had in 8th grade. 😛 Okay, looked him up. Dude’s like a million years older than my _dad_ (okay, two years, but still). That’s just gross. (Besides, our late night viewing was [Duel](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067023/).) ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/18 "2005-11-29T07:14:57Z")
> [@Campion](#): > > Okay, looked him up. Dude’s like a million years older than my _dad_ (okay, two years, but still). That’s just gross. (Besides, our late night viewing was [Duel](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067023/).) You know he lights your fire. _Duel_? Pffft. Derivative Steven Spielberg dreck. Now [Two Lane Blacktop](http://imdb.com/title/tt0067893/)…there’s a film. It’s still not as good as _Mad Max_, though. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/19 "2005-11-29T07:36:38Z")
I opened this thread thinking it had something to do with my dumb Governor. Lame. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148/20 "2005-11-29T12:50:49Z")
> [@Stranger On A Train](#): > > Several German automakers–BMW, Audi, and Mercedes–have a gentlemen’s agreement regarding voluntary speed limitation to preempt government regulation. They settled on 155mph (250km/h) as a limiting number to restrict liability, though in practice there is no public roadway where cars regularly exceed these speeds, not even the famed German Autobahns. Bypassing these restrictions is merely a matter of replacing the engine controller, which can also uptune the engine for greater performance (at the expense of economy and pollution mitigation) which is commonly done by speed-freaks or anyone racing these cars on private racetracks. > > So Joe the Wall Street Clone doesn’t need \>155mph speeds (actually, all he needs is the badge and the grillwork to impress his “friends”) and Mike the Speed Devil will replace the limiting device as a matter of course. Every regulartory body is happy to pretend that the manufacturers are doing something to limit potential danger, even if it is transparently pointless, and everybody goes home with a bag full of sugar. > > One does not, by the way, purchase a car like the M6 strictly for straight-line speed, but rather for handling and control. Whether that’s worth US$100k depends on your pocketbook and interests, I suppose. > > Stranger What does BMW say about the warranty for this 6 figure car for anyone changing the controller chip. I’m guessing it will turn to poo. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-100-000-car-with-a-governor-why/333148.md?page=2)