Re: Top Speed Discrimination

[Brian M Kennedy <kennedy@xxxxxx>]

Matthew McCabe wrote:
> 
> Ron Browne sez
> >Anyone have any info on how BMW decides on what the Top Speed will be when
> >programming their Top Speed Governors?
> 
> Based on what I've heard from a friend, it has to do with how the cars are
> rated by governmental standards.  Every production vehicle is evaluated on
> various features - ie, safety features, durability, cost, and, of course,
> performance.  These data, when entered into the governing body's algorithm,
> determine if the car is subject to any special fees or taxes.  BMW (and
> other manufacturers), in an effort to help the consumers avoid these fees,
> set the top speeds of their cars at the highest allowable speed for
> whatever governmental yardstick they are using.

That is correct.  (At least that was what two BMW dealers told me.)

>  Apparently, BMW uses a
> German standard (appropriately enough...) hence the odd mph numbers due to
> conversion from kph.  As far as the apparent randomness of these limits, I
> can only guess that they each meet the current legislation - it could
> possibly change from year to year or for different "classes" of cars
> (5-series might be considered "luxury" versus "high performance" for the M
> cars).

I don't think that's quite right.  I don't think the US fee collectors care
about any German numbers.  The numbers for the various models, factored
by how many of each sell, are then averaged together for a number for the
manufacturer (which is then used to dictate special fees/taxes).  Thus, the
odd numbers come from trying to carefully engineer their big total to be under
a threshold.  Since the top speed is just one of numerous factors that are 
combined together, oddball numbers are sure to fall out.

Well, that was what I was told -- so take this as you would any third-hand 
information, where one hand was a salesperson!  I hope that disclaimer didn't
make this a total WOB.  8^0


Brian

P.S.  This could be a good reason for BMW to make a fuel efficient SUV -- if it
sells okay, it'll greatly skew their overall numbers down and allow them to drop
the speed limiters on the M3!  Not that it matters to most of us since we'll 
shark our cars in any case.  ;^)

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End of bmw-digest V9 #340
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