Cars that can tow

Knurled wrote: In reply to Chadeux: The motorway limits are HIGHER in many parts of Europe. IIRC the speed limit on a lot of autoroutes is ~81mph.

This is not true for trailers. In most of Europe, trailers are limited to 50-55mph on highways max, because of the instability from lower tongue weights required there at higher speeds (usually about 3% of towing weight, vs. 10% in the US). This is why Euro vehicles have higher towing ratings than in the US - because they have low tongue weights and lower speed requirements.

Look at that Porsche 928....7000lbs towing, but 110lb tongue weight. With a trailer balanced like that with almost no tongue weight, driving at any speed over about 40 would be highly unstable.

(source: I've lived and towed in Europe and they are VERY strict about towing speeds and safety).

Yup, rules are made for the lowest common denominator. I can probably safely tow a space shuttle with a stock Tundra as far as durability goes. I dolleyed a Porsche 924 home earlier today at up to around 65 mph, and i didn't even keep it out of overdrive gear! I also saw two people in the same intersection at the same time who couldn't figure out basic concepts of right of way or determine whether or not a stop sign existed. I also came upon someone completely stopped on a highway interchange ramp next to a yield sign. Towing safety doesn't exist in a vacuum. IF you're a good driver, the most dangerous thing you will be exposed to while towing is random other people who suck at driving piloting normal vehicles under normal conditions.

Rules regarding safety are basically made for people who can't figure out how to safely do E36 M3 themselves. Whether or not you follow them has everything to do with your assessment of the risk of being caught (which is why you constantly see cops completely disregarding traffic law) and basically nothing to do with something being patently unsafe because it is outside the bounds of a law designed to prevent stupid people from stupiding themselves and each other to death.

Vigo wrote: Towing safety doesn't exist in a vacuum. IF you're a good driver, the most dangerous thing you will be exposed to while towing is random other people who suck at driving piloting normal vehicles under normal conditions.

when I brought my boat back from Lake Champlain to Atlantic City, I had several near misses where people were completely unaware of the huge white hull that was next to their cars and towering over them. One guy started to come into my lane and then did the quick "oh E36 M3!" double lane change back when realized it was there