[bgower]

On a deserted Autobahn on a recent trip to Austria my passenger took this photo.

I thought you fellow clubman owners would enjoy it!

[I love MINI, Laura]

OMG! Not sure thats allowed on this site!!

[Zack]

OMG, how cool, i thought the top speed for an s clubman was about 135 mph or so.

[DaFlake]

Pretty clear that the photo was taken from the passenger seat and the user states that he was in Germany at the time. For the time being we still have unrestricted speed limits but that may change in the near future.

Do I drive that fast? Nope, but I typically drive 100 to 110 mph going to Regensburg.

[mister.t]

Lucky your allowed to drive that quickly - Id give body parts away to have the freedom of speed on our deserted motorways

[DaFlake]

Quote: Originally Posted by mister.t (original)

Lucky your allowed to drive that quickly - Id give body parts away to have the freedom of speed on our deserted motorways

It is nice, but the only reason that I even consider it is due to how the Germans drive. Germans tend to obey the law and use their blinkers. Typically when I get cut off around here it is an American (or foreigner) that does it. If they opened the speed up in the USA, many people would be dead as we Americans are pretty crappy drivers.

[GoMiniGo]

ok, getting past the notion of jealousy because I leave in the land of 'anything over 60 is the work of the devil', what has been modified on the car?

BTW - I know of someone who lives in eastern WA that has a similar pic.

I have friven on the autobahn and on our remote western roads. Give me the autobahn anytime, especially early on a Sunday morning!

[DaFlake]

Quote: Originally Posted by GoMiniGo (original)

Give me the autobahn anytime, especially early on a Sunday morning!

Hehe.... no trucks and everyone at church!

[KenL]

I have been a passenger in taxis a few times in Germany and had had to close my eyes in fear a few times.

The speed, and the way they drive right up behind other cars and weave about made me wish we were going a lot slower!

[118]

great pic

someone took a pic of my R56 S when we were on a deserted autobahn in Germany back in September - similar speed. it's surprising how stable the car still feels too!

[Bhozar]

I had someone trying to take a picture of my spedo on a race track at 120. They tried video too, but they managed to get nothing but a blur with all the shaking and vibration. I think its the Polyflex engine/gearbox/etc bushings.

Would love to give it a power run on an autobahn some time. I figured it would be a bit boring just driving at high speed. Isnt it like a motorway? Guess nothing will compare with a track though.

I have been saying for a long time that we need tougher tests and driver training over here, more like in Germany. I think it would save a lot more lives than speed camers, speed bumps and choke points all over the place.

150 is impressive for a 1.6L vehicle shaped even more like a brick than the average MINI.

[GoMiniGo]

Quote: Originally Posted by DaFlake (original)

Hehe.... no trucks and everyone at church!

I see you know what I mean! That was our greatest fun. Bensheim to Mannheim in a hurry!

Quote: Originally Posted by KenL (original)

I have been a passenger in taxis a few times in Germany and had had to close my eyes in fear a few times.

The speed, and the way they drive right up behind other cars and weave about made me wish we were going a lot slower!

Obviously, you have never taken a taxi in China. The german taxis are tame in comparison. I will take 180 kph in a Mercedes on the autobahn over 80 mph in a VW econobox weaving and honking through crowded streets anytime. When I assume the 'oh crap, we're gonna die position,' it is really bad!

Quote: Originally Posted by Bhozar (original)

Would love to give it a power run on an autobahn some time. I figured it would be a bit boring just driving at high speed. Isnt it like a motorway?

Boring, no. Especially on those loooooong sweepers. The car settles in a lot further into the curve than you would expect.

[DaFlake]

I do want to say this...

Our little cars will get up and move and although the Autobahn has many unrestricted areas, I highly recommend that you keep them at a manageable speed. Bleeding speed off quickly at 150 Mph is not easy and if a person had to slow quickly due to something on the road, you will quickly find that you can't do it.

So, keep it safe guys... This thread falls within the guidelines of the site only because it is the Autobahn but obey the laws and rules of the road.

[Bhozar]

Quote: Originally Posted by DaFlake (original)

I do want to say this...

Our little cars will get up and move and although the Autobahn has many unrestricted areas, I highly recommend that you keep them at a manageable speed. Bleeding speed off quickly at 150 Mph is not easy and if a person had to slow quickly due to something on the road, you will quickly find that you can't do it.

So, keep it safe guys... This thread falls within the guidelines of the site only because it is the Autobahn but obey the laws and rules of the road.

I dont know what the R56 brakes are like, but the R53 brakes are rubbish when you want to stop from high speed on a track, and at much lower speeds than this.

I think youre right Da Flake, you need to be able to come from whatever speed you do to a full stop as quickly as possible, and R53 brakes wouldnt cope well. Thats one of the reasons I went for some massive Porsche brakes.

[bgower]

R56 brakes are also useless, a big push on the middle pedal at that speed and you get instant fade. However the car is so stable, even taking big bumps and lorry tramlines didn't seem too unsettling, last year I drove a 535d down the same route and the mini is definately superior in that regard.

With regards safety - we where very careful, the road was completly deserted and not in an area where animals cross etc etc, also the runflats provide an element of security . But 150 is 150.

Funily enough a few miles further on we got stopped by the police an un marked Merc, she said they'd been chasing us for "a long time" but she really liked the Mini "it is faster than our Mercedes!" the attitude of the German Police was pretty refreshing, they did their papers check and waved us on within a few minutes.

A great road trip.

[Fin]

Quote: Originally Posted by bgower (original)

R56 brakes are also useless, a big push on the middle pedal at that speed and you get instant fade. However the car is so stable, even taking big bumps and lorry tramlines didn't seem too unsettling, last year I drove a 535d down the same route and the mini is definately superior in that regard.

With regards safety - we where very careful, the road was completly deserted and not in an area where animals cross etc etc, also the runflats provide an element of security . But 150 is 150.

Funily enough a few miles further on we got stopped by the police an un marked Merc, she said they'd been chasing us for "a long time" but she really liked the Mini "it is faster than our Mercedes!" the attitude of the German Police was pretty refreshing, they did their papers check and waved us on within a few minutes.

A great road trip.

I'd find it completely surreal to be stopped by the Police after driving at 150mph, and to then be waved on my way. Excellent.

I bet the fuel economy at that speed is enough to make you cry. What are the petrol prices like in Germany?

[DaFlake]

About 3 Euro per liter!

[GoMiniGo]

$10/gal!!!! Oh MY!!!

[bgower]

Yup the Police thing was very strange - I was preparing for a long stretch on a cabbage soup diet, but instead almost got a pat on the back - amazing.

9MPG at that speed.

[DaFlake]

Thank goodness for US military rations.