How long (distance) to get up to top speed? - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

SteveP · 30th January 2001, 21:09

Thinking of doing a little video project of my own. Here's what I have in mind.

1st, find a lonely stretch of road. Send a friend ahead with a camcorder and cell phone. Friend will be looking for smokeys.

At some pre-determined distance, friend stops, and calls me on cell phone to indicate road is clear. Turn on camcorder.

I, in M5, start my own camcorder, and start up through the gears, reaching terminal velocity just before I pass my friend.

I'll have two videos. One shot from inside the car, recording video and sound of full throttle acceleration, and the other video shot from the outside of the car as it passes at full speed.

How far does my friend need to go? I'm figuring at least two miles, but it could be less.

Anyone else got a video of the M5 at top speed? There was one posted somewhere, but it was at night, and of poor quality.

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SteveP
'00 M5 Avus Blue/ Black Exclusive
'01 Acura MDX
'99 GMC Sierra 4WD P/U
'99 Triton Bass Boat w/ 225 Mercury OptiMax

fais2000 · 30th January 2001, 21:39

hey steve,

i am not 100% sure about this, but do you remember some years back there was a video of a guys driving his f40 top speed in PA? I remember something about how he was selling it for a couple of bucks. But for some reason i also recollect him getting in trouble for the speeds he attained and got in some sort of trouble. Please dont quote me on that but i for some reason remember that. My point is not to deter you from making the video, but be careful about posting taht on the web. though i would love to see it, i think you should just make sure there can be no repurcusions of it going to the wrong persons. GREG do you think you can confirm that or elsewise?

on that note i think 2 miles may sound about right, too far you wont be able to see you roaring down the road.

fas

johann · 30th January 2001, 22:11

Steve,

Have you removed your VMAX limiter?
If so, you need a looong distance to reach top speed, but it would be cool!

/Johan
PS Wasn't taht F40 story from Japan?

A-Train · 30th January 2001, 22:21

Here's the video of a guy in Japan going 199 mph in his F40. He's the Director of the Japanese Ferrari Club, whatever that is.
http://www.taner.net/movies/ferrari199.ram

The clip is narrated -- sounds like a segment from a British TV show. The narrator talks about how the driver videotaped himself. But the tape worked its way into authorities' hands and the driver was prosecuted using his own video as evidence. No mention of the penalty.

- A-Train

SilverSBlack5 · 30th January 2001, 22:49

fais2000, I know the president of a Japanese Ferrari club made (and sold I think) a video of himself in his F50 doing ~195 down the freeway. He lost his license etc. when the authorities got a hold of a copy.

Oops, great minds think alike, eh

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I'm working on getting M5 shots

[This message has been edited by SilverSBlack5 (edited 30 January 2001).]

Gustav · 30th January 2001, 23:42

As I have said earlier I was on a military airfield with my M3 I had before, which was 2000 meters long. I was able to "begin" at 140 km/h in the start and I barely managed to reach 250 km/h on the speedo (250 km/h limiter is at 265 km/h on the speedo).

After full braking from 250 km/h on the speedo I was two-three carlengths from some concrete blocks. And you could say 1 second from ***** also... VERY stupid done!

Anyway, you need at least 2400 meters with the 286 HP M3 E36 to reach top speed and should be similar with the E39 M5.

I have promised to post that video when I pass the camera at 250 km/h (with a 10 meter cloud of dust behind the car) and then after braking stepping out of the car "a little" shaken". I will post is, some day. I have it on a different computers harddrive.

greg · 31st January 2001, 00:50

I think you'll be near a mile to get to the speed limiter, probably 1.25 miles. I have gone from about 80 to speed limiter. I know where, but I haven't clocked the distance. I would bet its a little under a mile. we know from the magazine quarter mile tests it takes 1/4 mile to accelerate 0 to 107mph. As the speed builds the car accelerates more and more slowly. Aything over the speed limiter speed is 6th gear with mondo wind drag. To get from 155mph to 189 might easily take another mile.

DrJimM5 · 31st January 2001, 00:54

Motor Trend clocked just a shade over 150mph in their one-mile test, so the rev-limiter isn't far beyond that. The tester they had hit the limiter at 157, but they estimated it would do better that 175.