Cars limited to 101mph

[Wizzo]

Would you buy a car that “only” did 100mph? Chances are you might actually have to, if Lib Dem MEP Chris Davies gets his way…

He thinks Europe needs a law to bring down the top speeds achieved by cars, and wants to manufacturers to electronically limit vehicles to 162kmh – or about 101mph.

Loosely speaking, the scheme will probably end up being be largely voluntary, but crucially, will be set against a wider pallete of efforts to reduce the European vehicle fleet’s CO2 output.

Chris Davies has set a timetable of around 4 years to introduce the legislation, which as well as being aimed at reducing the pace of cars across the UK, is being specifically tailored for the German market, where speeds on unrestricted stretches of Autobahn can average around 120mph.

Though the idea of the Germans accepting a blanket speed limit for their motorway network is as unthinkable as the Americans giving up the right to bear arms, the seriousness of this move is in the detail.

Remember, this is likely to be a voluntary plan, that would take the speed limit out of the political arena and put it squarely in the lap of car companies, all of which rely on markets that do have strict speed limits – like the UK – for profit. In theory it should make no difference if a BMW, say, sold in the UK can do 100mph, or 150mph. If it were done on the road, both would be illegal.

But why on earth would any car company in its right mind sign up for such nonsense? Remember, this legislation is being set against a huge change in the car market, and comes at a time in which many manufacturers are facing the threat of being forced by law to reduce their emissions to an average of 130g/km by 2012.

Clearly these are worrying times for big car company bosses, and it’s just possible that many of them would agree to all sorts of things, if they believe it will take away some of the financial burden of reaching their Co2 targets.

Richard Parry Jones, Ford's new Car Chief has already called for Governments to take "an homogenous approach" to new car legislation. I wonder if this is what he means?

[cosworth151]

Only 100 mph? I've had the van above that out west. (And was getting passed by other cars)

[romephius]

and in Australia if get caught doing 100 mph you will lose your licence.......possibly for good......

[cosworth151]

We've still got places out west with no daytime speed limits. Much of it is wide open country without a building of many. many miles. It's wonderful!