Testing automobiles for their ability to travel from rest to 60 miles per hour is quickly becoming a comparison of apples and oranges. Vehicles which (wonderfully, thankfully, fortunately) possess a launch control feature are able to post such stunning times that power-to-weight ratios become relatively meaningless. Many launch control systems thrive on a few sequentially-pushed buttons, a firmly depressed brake pedal, and a floored throttle. Then the car's electronic systems work out the precise shift times and the proper revs for absolutely perfect traction. And we have lift off.
Don't let me rain on your launch control parade. Anything that makes a car quicker is - though completely unnecessary given the speeds cars enjoy these days are unattainable on public roads - fine by me. Granted, times achieved with launch control in place don't sufficiently showcase the comparative quickness of a car since regular people won't be activating the system at every stoplight or at the base of every on-ramp.
Why is this issue arising today? Well, Car & Driver's December issue is now available. As usual, GoodCarBadCar.net collects the times independently tested by Car & Driver in the 0-60mph test. One American supersedan with 556 horsepower and 4,277 pounds requires a whole extra second to arrive at the 60mph barrier than one German supersedan with 500 horsepower (that's 56 fewer horses) and 4,409 pounds (an extra 132 pounds). How did the German car achieve this spectacular, awe-inspiring result? It's 7-speed automatic was switched over to launch control while the American tasked its driver with..... rowing his own.
It's official: The Good Car Guy loves launch control. Nevertheless, it should be clear that another lighter and more powerful supersedan from Britain is a second behind to sixty but is, in the real world, quicker from 30-50mph and from 50-70mph than the German car. In otherwords, the German car's real-world quickness is not accurately shown by its near-artificial 0-60 time. All the 0-60mph tests from Car & Driver's December issue are below. Be amazed.
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MazdaSpeed 3: 0-60mph in 5.8 seconds
Volkswagen GTI: 0-60mph in 6.3 seconds
Ford F-150 SVT Raptor: 0-60mph in 8.0 seconds
Cadillac CTS-V: 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds
Jaguar XFR: 0-60mph in 4.3 seconds
Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG: 0-60mph in 4.0 seconds
Porsche Panamera Turbo: 0-60mph in 3.3 seconds
Subaru Legacy 2.5i: 0-60mph in 8.8 seconds
Ford Mustang V6: 0-60mph in 6.6 seconds
Suzuki Grand Vitara 3.2: 0-60mph in 8.5 seconds
*VW beat Mazda in the hot-hatch comparo. Mercedes beat the Cadillac which beat the Jaguar.
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