I was taking the kids to Legoland today. Knowing that it would be about 140 miles each way, I topped off the gas tank (adding 45 liters to a 50 liter tank) and headed out.

The first hour was uneventful -- lots and lots of construction. I try to be a good German driver; I obey the signs and speed limits religiously. The Germans don't mess around with them; they're generally there for a reason, and if no reason exists, there is no speed limit.

Reason 1: I have the OEM Nav. I have the 2007 DVD. With help from Henry, I have the speed cameras added to the DVD. That long stretch of construction? Peppered with speed cameras. No issue for me. Man, I like my MCS.

When the construction ended, I pulled off at a rest platz to hit the latrine and let the kids stretch their legs. While there, my son asked me what that whistling sound is. You know, the howl when you get going fast. I told him it was air getting caught up in the front of the car when we get going fast. "So, we're going too fast, that's the problem" he asked. No, I explain, it's just a byproduct of the design of the car. Race cars do it, too.

Reason 2: So he asks, "Oh, so when it makes that whistling noise, you're driving at racing speeds." Yeah, something like that, I tell him. I am sure that the grin on my face was pretty big at that point.

Getting going again, I saw behind me no traffic on the autobahn, and a nice, long onramp to get onto the autobahn.

Reason 3: So I punched it. I wound out the gears -- five high-rev shifts that had the car screaming. DSC kicked in as I slammed it into third -- third! Could be the car, could be the Alta 15% reduction pulley I installed. No matter -- I roared out onto the autobahn (which was empty) at full throttle and with an enormous smile blanketing my face.

We made it to Legoland, and had a great day there. We've got year passes, so we go there often enough. We stuck around until about 1830, and headed back, getting back onto Autobahn 8 in the direction of Stuttgart.

And for those of you who drive that stretch, there's that section where the east and west bound traffic are split, due to the steep grade. Going down it, I was being good boy and doing the posted 120 km/h -- about 75 mph. Coming to the bottom of it, I could see wide open, flat road ahead of me for miles, with little to no traffic and what could only be described as ideal driving conditions. It was as if the road came off of a mountain and onto the Bonneville Salt Flats.

And as I waited to pass the road sign marking the end of the speed limit, who comes zipping by me at what had to easily be 120+ mph? A black Mini Cooper -- just a Cooper. I just about soiled myself.

Reason 4: So I took off after him. The roads and conditions were the best I think I had ever had in Germany, and I've been here for more than a decade. Driving 75 mph is annoying; driving 90 is in traffic. I'm happy in my '06 MCS doing 110 to 120 mph on most days and in most conditions, but have done 130 mph before under the right conditions. Today, I hit 140+ mph, and I never did catch that MC. Passed a Carrerra S. 5750 rpm, and there was throttle left, too. Twice what all y'all are suppose to do back in the States.

Reason 5: At 140+ mph, the whistling / howling sound stops. It must be what it's like to break the sound barrier. I turned off the radio, the AC, everything, and just soaked it all in. It was an awesome experience.

Of course, at that speed, I was going through fuel faster than an SR-71. When we had left Legoland, the OBC told me I could make it home and have 40+ miles to spare. When I eased off the gas and slowed from about 145, I was going to come up 20 miles short of my house.

Egads. What had I done?

I adjusted my driving style and foot pressure, to try and maximize my mileage. I watched my shifting, eased up on the hills, and looked for that speed -- that sweet spot -- where my mileage went up the most.

Reason 6. And that sweet spot seemed to be between 90 and 95 mph. Slower got me nothing -- I wasn't using all of the gears. 4000 rpm in 6th gear seemed to be ideal. When I pulled up a the house, the OBC had worked itself out enough to tell me I was good for another 18 miles -- a vast improvement. Somehow, though, I don't think a policeman would ever understand were I to offer that I was doing 90 to 95 mph, just to be nice to the environment.

Now, you can leave me comments and tell me you hate me, and that's fine. I've got it good -- I know that. But the MCS is just that good. Spinning the wheels, going into third gear? Breaking the sound barrier? Happiest when cruising between 90 and 95 mp? Yeah, the car is that good.

I love my R53.

 

I love my R53 too and the autobahn sounds amazing.

 

I'm green with envy

 

sounds like fun but im not sure i would do 140 with my child in the car

but then again ive never driven on the autobahn

 

perhaps because that would be suicide/homicide in a cavalier... I think you would have to drop it off a cliff to hit 140mph... Teasing.


-Rick

 

hahahahahaha

you sir....







are correct

yeah the old cavs top out at 107 and ive been there in my dumber days, lets just say its not really something i would do with a loved one in the car

 

I wish the states had an autobahn. Only problem, more than half the drivers in the states do not respect driving. Most drivers in NJ don't understand about yeilding to the faster traffic. It's a crying shame that the only way we can experience speeds like that are at the track.

 

1. Because
2. It
3. Is
4. A
5. MINI

 

My buddy hit a log on the autobahn -- in a Cavalier. He had very appropriately named the car the Blue Goose - appropriate 'cause it took flight that day. He survived, but his pants didn't.

By the way, I miss driving the autobahn after 3 years of having it in my daily commute -- but I have more fun driving the Dragon in my MINI than I did driving the autobahn in my BMW.

 

Great post!
And yeah, a little jealousy.....

 

You. Lucky. Bastard.


Thanks for at least taking the time to write such a wonderful and detailed account that I could close one eye while reading it and dream, and live vicariously through my brother in Deutschland...

... and it makes me fell less dangerous about the, er, lowgear somewhat autobahnish speeds that I hit in ideal conditions...

 

In the West, we don't call it the autobahn, we call it Nevada. Now, granted, the law has changed. Still, on the lonliest road in America, or the Extra-Terrestrial Highway, it is hard to keep up with the times.

 

i am soooo sooo jealous, absolutely love it, i think one day im going to ship my MCS to germany to see what shes realyl capable of

 

Thank you all for sharing this experience with me.

Calling them "the roads" only covers part of it. There are many fewer on and off ramps -- that's something that you have to adjust to here. The roads are much less windy -- very gradual curves. They don't go through the down, but tend to go near the towns (and cities, for that matter). And they have to be well built (smooth), with minor seams if any at places like bridges, and then they need to be well maintained. How do they do it? Did I mention the 18% tax rate?

Well, yeah. That does just about sum it up.

And again, I was on what I can only describe as ideal road conditions. It's the same stretch of road where, about 2 years ago, I got passed by not one but two Alpina V8's on the same day and, years ago, I ran into an original GT40 out for a drive.

 

that does, clever ppl on this site

 

abuzavi- you make want to hate you, but it's really only massive jealousy!

 

You left one out. It's not an R56.

 

There is nothing better than doing 110mph+ in a MINI

 

This is why America needs to up the speed limit on the interstates. A speed limit of 100mph as a matter of fact.

Anyway, nice story there abuzavi and now I really really want to go to Germany. Hell, I wouldn't mind living there. My German may be a bit rusty at the moment, (my three years taking German didn't really pay off mainly because I did not put forth the effort) but I can always learn it again.

 

You did it to me too. I remember 128 mph in a three series bimmer on the autobahn which was top speed and full revs and NO paramonia. To do it in the MCS would be twice the fun. On the other hand, most american drivers are so undisciplined on a freeway, that they would kill themselves on the autobahn.

 

Great story, thank you and very well written, by the way. Is English your first language? And does this apply to R50s, also?

Yea, Ford Expeditions going 110 mph on underinflated tires, piloted by a person woman talking on the phone, drinking a latte, and yelling at the kids in the backseat. Just throw a cow-catcher brush guard on it and it's Mad Max all over again.


Just as well though, the Gov probably wouldn't be able to maintain the roads to be adequate for those speeds anyway. Just look at the current condition of most US highways. Mostly poo with intermittent stretches of satisfactory asphalt.

Agreed. Do you ever feel like people are getting. . . Stupider?

 

My grade school teachers would love these comments about this being so well written because, yes, English is my mother tongue. I am in Germany at your service -- I am in the military and hang my hat here in between adventures to places like Bosnia and Iraq.

And while I am but an R53 owner, I would imagine that these feelings we have for our cars are also felt by the R50 and (gasp!) even the R56 owners. Although, I have to wonder if an R56 will ever spin the tires going into third gear.....

Truth be told, I also get these same feelings for my R53 when I hit the twisties. I am fortunate enough to live adjacent to the Odenwald, and about 30 miles from the north end of the Black Forest (and 7 from Hockenheimring); a good weekend, for me, includes a drive through either. And they are both big enough that one can get lost in them, and die a happy death of twists, turns, and ridgelines. But that's 5 other reasons to love your R53 -- which I'll save for another day.

 

I couldn't agree more....especially about the New Jersey part.

 

Yep, that's just what the cell-phone using, BigMac muching, half asleep, bald-tired piece of junk drivers around here need to make me feel safe on the interstate. a 100 mph speed limit.

 

Well, thanks a bunch for your service and a great post