This thread got me thinking. In 1992 I picked up a brand-new Nissan Sentra SE-R. Published 0-60 was like 7.4 seconds. OMG that was so fast. Remember, at the time, a Miata was like 9 seconds. Today, a minivan could probably smoke both of them.
So, today, do we care? And if so, what's your definition?
Anytime someone asks this my initial response is "Fast at what?" Straight line? I'd say 11-second 1/4's. Turning? anything over 1.2G lateral. Do I own anything fast? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Um, no. Although the Forte has peaked at over 1.4G before with a constant of 1.2+.
I have three measurements for speed, and they are all based on quarter mile times:
Quick: a car that can crack into the 13's
Fast: a car that can crack into the 12's
"Holy E36 M3, that's stupidly FAST!!!": 11.99 or faster.
A V6 Camry runs low 14's, doesn't it? Fast today would definitely need to be better than that. Fast doesn't always equal fun, but it can definitely help.
Nothing's fast in a straight line the second time you try it.
Keith Tanner wrote: Nothing's fast in a straight line the second time you try it.
Best answer so far, and one i agree with.
I wouldn't say my Cooper is fast, but it is quick. I think it is important only as far as you cant get beat at the merge by the Toyota Sienna laden with soccer mom and her goods.
Nothing I've owned.
The standards definitely have changed. A V6 Accord could smoke a lot of the "muscle cars" from decades ago....in a straight line, a corner, braking, etc... I remember when breaking 10 sec 0-60 was the goal for a family car. Now it's ridiculously slow. So what's fast? Purely subjective. For me, if it puts a smile on my face, it's fast.
Keith Tanner wrote: Nothing's fast in a straight line the second time you try it.
Untrue:
I remember when 300 hp was considered fast, nowadays that's a spec for a beige Camry.
I find even myself loosing perspective after a certain about of numbers get tossed around. Weather it be prices or power numbers, its easy to get jaded or be dismissive while bench racing.
Used to think my Mustang was hot stuff.
(stock, advertised numbers)
305hp
13.8 second 1/4 mile
5.3 seconds 0-60
Yeah, those days are gone 
Fast is when your hootus smells like tuna on the first date.
Real fast is when it smells like E36 M3.
tuna55 wrote:Keith Tanner wrote: Nothing's fast in a straight line the second time you try it.Untrue:
He's not driving in a straight line 
Obviously, he finds the car's performance just isn't exciting enough anymore.
tuna55 wrote:Keith Tanner wrote: Nothing's fast in a straight line the second time you try it.Untrue:
I always wondered how drifting started... 
tuna55 wrote:Keith Tanner wrote: Nothing's fast in a straight line the second time you try it.Untrue:
In reply to tuna55: Saw a few of those (AA/FA) run at Gainesville a few year back, was supposed to be an "exhibition" race between the pro qualifying rounds. They stopped it after one of them got loose on the top end and barrel rolled through the lights.. Driver was ok but the car was a write-off. Even their burnouts were terrifying, them cars wanted to go everywhere but in a straight line. Those things are wicked fast no matter how many times you see them go down the track. About the only cars I've ever seen that I would be afraid to strap on and take down a track.. Takes a special kind of person to wrestle one of them down the 1/4.
In reply to 06HHR:
Yeah, I'd do it but I'd be scared. I'd sooner jump into a nitro funny car.
Anyway, to answer the question. I can mat the Leaf and outrun traffic with quiet whirring, and that feels pretty quick. I owned a Camaro which ran a best of 12.76 which, with street tires which felt ridiculously fast to a 17 year old. If the car cost a half million, it had better be much faster than that.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Fast is when your hootus smells like tuna on the first date.
I don't know what tuna smells like, but why does your hootus smell like him?
Does he have an opinion on this?
SilverFleet wrote: I have three measurements for speed, and they are all based on quarter mile times: Quick: a car that can crack into the 13's Fast: a car that can crack into the 12's "Holy E36 M3, that's stupidly FAST!!!": 11.99 or faster.
I concur. Anything that runs slower than 14's leaves me yawning (in a straight line).
I love how well a prepped civic handles a road course though. So at least handling on par with that to be considered "fast" in the handling department.
Fast is subjective. A bugeyed Sprite feels faster at 60mph than a C5 does at 100mph.
Fast is when you get that tingly fizzy feeling in your nether region. Fast is a little bit dangerous. Really fast is generally a whole lot dangerous (ask me about getting too much motorcycle sometime )
Instead of always chasing a lower number I'm happy now to be quick.
Giant Purple Snorklewacker wrote: Real fast is when it smells like E36 M3.
Hey now
Keith Tanner wrote: Nothing's fast in a straight line the second time you try it.
I don't agree. My 170 plus HP street bike still feels fast in the straights. I'm still going to modify it, don't get me wrong, but it still feels fast to me. It's a 10.2 or so bike bone stock and high 9s with a few tweaks.
0-60 in 5s or less and able to pull 1.2+ lateral gs. So nothing I own.
I do like cars to have quick steering, a bit of nearly instant power when rolling, and the feeling of control when I need to make an emergency maneuver. There's a while lot of complacency on the roads today.
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