S4Aero

Hi folks. It's been a while since I've posted. Work keeps getting in the way of fun.

Sometimes however, work gives you a chance for fun. I had to travel to a clients location today for an off-site catering, and the best way to get there is by taking the interstate (I 80 actually). The Department of Transportation has been doing some major rework on the highway, widening it to 3 lanes in most spots, and repaving it everywhere.

The road is in as good a ahape as I've seen it in my 36 years of driving.

It was a beautiful day for a drive today. Cool (around 50F), dry, and a little overcast.

I was trying to catch a coworker of mine whom had left about 10 minutes before me. A nearly impossible task in 40 miles when someone has a 7 to 8 mile lead.

We all know that the RS is a very capable autobahn cruiser, but in the states speed limits on most interstates are 65 - 70 mph (65 where I live) You can usually get away with 75 -80 in the 65 zones, but much more than that, and you're asking for trouble.

Extreme extra-legal speeds are really frowned upon. The fines are very heavy, and a triple digit speed is likely to land you in jail.

My RS has laser jamming and radar detection, but it doesn't detect airplane timing. It's up to the driver to keep an eye on the sky.

Anyway, enough background. I was averaging a little over 80 mph through some light to moderate traffic with no problem. A couple of brief sprints up to about 100 where traffic was lighter. Remember, 3 lanes, so there is some margin for safety.

After passing a group of cars rounding a gentle bend, the road completely opened up. I couldn't see a car for a mile or more.

Without downshifting to 5th, I just put the pedal down. 100 came pretty quickly, then 110, 120, 130, 140 and before long at all, 150. The only car I passed during this blast was a silver M3 - probably while I was doing about 130.

He never made a move to catch me.

The car was absolutely rock solid at 150. Scary so. I've heard people mention a "wobble" at high speed, but I never felt it.

When I slowed down to about 80, it felt like I was standing still.

I imagine that a few people who watched the RS4's taillights disappear into the distance were suitably distressed by the reckless speeder.

Oh well. The only person in any danger was me, and frankly, it didn't feel very dangerous.

I'm not in the habit of doing 150, but this is one car that is capable of that speed (and more) in the right circumstances. I didn't get a look at the tach before I backed off, but it felt like there was a lot of room left. I would have liked to hit the speed limiter, but I was gaining on heavier traffic pretty quickly.

Oh yeah, I caught my coworker just before the exit we needed.

I've had the RS for about 9 months now, and have experienced many 0-60 runs and a lot of speed runs through the twisties, but this was the first time I've opened her up on the highway for a top-end run.

I didn't hit the limiter this time, but I will...

Mr. M

Thanks for sharing your experience. Next time, you could bring it to the track, eh?

audi_rudy

haha sweet story Just make sure that those coppers dont catch ya. Thats good to hear at 150 the car feels stable and all that.

PC Valkyrie

Living in Canada, I also have strict speed limits of 100km/h (62mph) on all highways.

The fastest I have taken my C55 is 230km/h (143mph), not far off from the electronic speed limiter at 250km/h. I had to slow down before hitting 250km/h because of traffic ahead which was coming towards me at an alarming rate. Still, the run to 230km/h was very uneventful. The car just kept accelerating, and the steering wheel just stayed glued to the straight ahead position with a very weighty feel, making me feel very secure during the run. No vibrations, no unwanted wobbles, just a dead solid feeling at high speeds.

This was last year, and I haven't tried again, mostly because there really isn't a safe place to do this.

I did take my C55 to a trackday last year with a BMW club, where going fast and turning around corners made for a VERY entertaining day. On the longest straight, I reached speeds of up to 170-180km/h before very heavy braking for a 90 degree turn at 80-90km/h......super fun. I was so impressed/happy driving my car around a track that I'm going again next month.

High performance cars like the RS4 and C55 really can have a dual role....everyday 4 door sedan or a fun track day car. I hope BMW will make a 4 door M3 and import it to North America.

S4Aero

It seems that the speed limits in Canada are more of a suggestion.

I make a trip every year or so to Toronto (hoping to be there in June or July), and every time I'm there, it seems as though the QEW is the North American Autobahn. I've been cruising that highway at 80 - 85 mph and been passed by trucks.

A couple of trips ago (during the great blackout) I was a little west of Toronto, coming back from finding one of the few restaurants that had power to our hotel in the city. There was NO ONE on the road, and I figured that of the RCMP had better things to do, so I managed to wring out my wife's SAAB 95 Aero to about 130 while she slept. Sadly, that stretch of the QEW is a little too rough to try for higher speeds. I think the Aero would do about 155 as well, although not as quickly, or safely as the RS.

Bighead

LOL! Very true...you drive at the speed limit on highways around Toronto and you do risk of being pushed out of the road.

Having said that, QEW tends to be a little too crowded to do any high speed run.

BMW_Dude

Amazing how your RS4 and the C55 are so stable at high speeds!

Bit off topic, but I have take my Dad's golf, (the car I get to drive) up to 105-110mph quite regularly and have been to 115mph, and that car isn't stable at all, as you'd expect from just a golf. When you brake hard at high speeds, the car moves from side to side, and when overtaking lorries, you can feel the car being sucked in. It's fun though!

Teutonic_Tamer

Having just returned from a month in Germany, I can tell you that my RS4 is rock solid whilst v-maxed on the speed limiter, at just over an indicated 170. It actually pulled over 160 in 5th !!!

The ceramic brakes are also mega awesome, with repeated Autobahn high speed stops, but also extremely heavy use in repeated hairpins in the Alps.