How Fast is Your Alfa?

[aralfa8589]

This thread is getting wierd. I have great fun with my cars, especially trying to keep 3 of the damn things running. EVERYTHING is faster! There a bunch that are cooler too.

[Farace]

My car is really fast. (Especially since the speedometer reads approximately 15 percent higher than actual speed.)

[AlfaEric]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farace My car is really fast. (Especially since the speedometer reads approximately 15 percent higher than actual speed.)

[GTV4EVR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farace My car is really fast. (Especially since the speedometer reads approximately 15 percent higher than actual speed.)

[onethumb]

I always tell other people that my car is so fast that the speedometer can't even keep up. It's about 10-15 mph slow

[ALFA Abnormale]

I've got the opposite problem. My '88 Jeep Cherokee is so slow that the speedo gets about 10 mph ahead of the car at highway speeds. That or the 32 X 11.50 tires that are on it. I know it's not as fun as an Alfa on road or track, but it beats the heck out of one in the mud or on the beach. Don't tell my Jeep this, but I really want to get my own Alfa, but I've put too much money, blood, and sweat into the Cherokee to sell it for the $2,500 that I'd be able to get for it. As for speed experiences in an Alfa, I remember driving my dad's then-stock Verde to hockey practice in high school, and pulling out of a gas station behing three other cars into a gap in heavy traffic. I could tell the two other cars were giving it all they had to get up to speed, but the Verde hummed on past them without hesitation with that beautiful Alfa V-6 growl. As far as the Giulietta goes, it sure feels like you're going faster with the top down, and it sounds great at 5,000 RPMs.

[nicke]

My alfa is about this fast...

[Leo]

A few months ago I was driving back home from San Francisco to Menlo Park on I-280 at a very sedate 70 when a late-model BMW M3 blows past me on the left lane, probably between 90 and 100. It was around 10 pm and I was driving the Milano Gold. Normally I just smile at displays of such flights of youthful fantasy, but that particular night I was up for some excitement. It was almost ten seconds since the BMW had passed before I made my move. Double-clutching down to 4th, I stood on the gas and took off after the M3.

The Milano may not seem all that fast at city speeds but on the highway can she fly! In almost no time at all the speedo was reading past 100 and the M3 was coming up fast. Here comes the fun part. Just as I was about to brake, the BMW switches on his turn signal and quickly slides into the right lane! A few seconds later, I zoom past the M3 like it was standing still. I glanced down at my speedo and it was at 120. I had never taken the car up to this speed before.

It was exhilarating. The car didn't feel very stable at that speed but the acceleration to 120 was exceptionally swift and smooth. After that I noticed that continued acceleration occured much more slowly. I read somewhere that the top speed of the 2.5L was around 130, but I had gotten my "high" for the month and, about 10 seconds after passing the M3, slowed back down and got out of the fast lane.

Here's the really interesting part. It took awhile, but the BMW, finally convinced I wasn't a cop car out to get him, slowly caught up to me in the fast lane. Then he stayed glued to my left rear fender for over a minute, as if he were thinking to himself, "what in the world is this old sedan that knocked the socks off my M3?!?"! One of my license plate lamps was out and I was missing a side marker or two, so my Milano really did look the place of an old car, kind of like a Volvo 240!

After he had eyed my whole car to his satisfaction, he slowly accelerated back to his old speed, ~90, and I played cat-and-mouse with him for a few more minutes until my exit arrived and concluded my evening of fun.

Forget what everyone says about the E-class AMG or M5 being the ultimate "Q-car". The Alfa Milano *is* the ultimate Q-car!

[Bill-Sims]

With about 330 flywheel hp and effective gearing of 3.70 (4.10, but with 18 inch 30 series rear tires) and rev limiter at 6400 rpm, it probably peaks out about 145 to 150.

Zero to sixty is surely under 5 seconds, though! Much more power (with weight to power ratio just a tad over 8 to 1) than any other car I've ever had, and I've had several muscle cars.

[116_Veloce]

Old battered 164TS (2 Liter) still does 0-60 in a tad under 10 secs and tops 220Km/H on the speedo, checked with GPS. With possible instrument diversions around 1.5% that is still 215Km/H, approx 135MPH...

[greg stidsen]

It's not how fast you go, it is how you go fast.

[Bill-Sims]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lgbalfa does it really matter?

[redspiderveloce]

I've never really understood straight line racing... You can always determine the faster car by plugging in the numbers/running on the dyno. If the cars are equal the faster driver is just who puts his foot down first and can move the gear shifter the fastest...

[crashmctavish]

Finding Nemo is a fish story, you should see my haddock.

[Bill-Sims]

Quote:

Originally Posted by redspiderveloce I've never really understood straight line racing... You can always determine the faster car by plugging in the numbers/running on the dyno. If the cars are equal the faster driver is just who puts his foot down first and can move the gear shifter the fastest...