Are underpowerd cars safer or dangerous?

[thexav]

What is the most underpowered car you have driven?

I had a go in a 1.0 Peugeot 208 68and the thing barely moved. I say it is a danger to have such an underpowered car. I couldn't go up hill, when the wind blew the car slowed up and cruising at 70 sounded like I was revving the head off the engine?

Do you think underpowered cars should be banned? Perhaps there should be a minumum power to weight ratio for our roads or at least on the motorways. They get cheaper insurance because they are percieved as being safer but is this the case?

What do you consider underpowered when it comes to power figures?

 

[davalav]

The new Fiat 500 cannot get up hills.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02b8935

 

[obi_waynne]

It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a minimum power on motorways, just as we have a minimum speed limit. These slow cars clog up the traffic.

I guess they are safer as they go so slowly you can't really lose control unless it's deliberate or you happen to be on ICE!

 

[HDi fun]

I tried a new Clio 1.2 and that was spineless. Dangerous? No. Hard work to drive. Any car is capable of going too fast any given situation, it's a question of how long it takes to get it to a speed where safety becomes an issue. I do think though that the frustration of being trapped in a noisy metal box with minimal overtaking potential might well induce fatigue in a driver thus leading to a lack of attention or an inclination to take risks.

 

[old-git]

It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a minimum power on motorways, just as we have a minimum speed limit. These slow cars clog up the traffic.

Don't understand this comment. There isn't a volume car made today, as far as I know, that can't reach 60mph. So there aren't any slow cars just slow drivers. My 1.2l Fox can reach 105 without any real difficulty. It travels at 70-80 easily with no discomfort to the ears and the brakes work well. Very few modern cars are noisy, either inside or out, compared to the cars of yesteryear.

 

[stamford]

There are some cars that are a struggle to drive at speed due to the gearing and noise they generate up the rev range. My wife had a Suzuki Jimny, not bad little car but a pig on any fast 'A' road. It was screaming for another gear and I had to drive it I wouldn't go over 60mph as it was dreadful. Best thing that ever happened to that car was it being squashed by an Ocado van!

 

[obi_waynne]

Don't understand this comment. There isn't a volume car made today, as far as I know, that can't reach 60mph. So there aren't any slow cars just slow drivers. My 1.2l Fox can reach 105 without any real difficulty. It travels at 70-80 easily with no discomfort to the ears and the brakes work well. Very few modern cars are noisy, either inside or out, compared to the cars of yesteryear.

It just takes a weekend to get to those speeds, the acceleration and stop start driving today is made worse by "underpowered" cars. I could do about 40-50mph on my bicycle, but I'm still not allowed on the motorways! (Just playing Devils advocate here though!)

 

[davalav]

It's a difficult subject to discuss. There are equally slow vehicles, that are driven by mad people that think they're the fastest things on 4 wheels, but you do equally have many slow drivers even in very powerful cars. Nothing worse getting stuck behind a slow driver in a supercar.....

 

[old-git]

It just takes a weekend to get to those speeds, the acceleration and stop start driving today is made worse by "underpowered" cars. I could do about 40-50mph on my bicycle, but I'm still not allowed on the motorways! (Just playing Devils advocate here though!)

I could turn this around by saying that the problem is caused by too many overpowered cars and thier drivers getting frustrated and causing problems. Do away with overpowered cars and the problem goes with them

 

[T9 man]

I could turn this around by saying that the problem is caused by too many overpowered cars and thier drivers getting frustrated and causing problems. Do away with overpowered cars and the problem goes with them

 

[Aerial Andy944]

. Do away with overpowered cars and the problem goes with them

How dare you. Go sit on the naughty step and think of what you just said. Come back to us when you're ready to apologise

 

[Aerial Andy944]

Wimpy powered car's are only dangerous when the driver tries to do an overtaking manoeuvre that takes ages and is butt clenching to watch when following. Why I like my torquey Golf as it dispatches overtaking in minimal seconds.

 

[Aerial Andy944]

Actually thinking about it some drivers shouldn't have 'normal' powered car's as they wouldn't be able to control it.

 

[TCJBOLDIE]

Low power to weight cars have to be driven hard thru the gears to get reasonable performance out of them and keep up with the traffic flow .
Most owners rarely experience flat out acelleration or see the tacho over 3500/4000 revs as they are afraid of hurting it .

 

[old-git]

What we, as car nuts, need to remember is that the majority (meaning almost all) of the drivers out there are not interested in power or performance and just want to get from A to B and are not in a hurry. We are in the small minority.

 

[HDi fun]

It's often said that having some power in reserve (torque and swift acceleration) can get one out of trouble.

1: You managed to get into trouble without the extra power so it's likely that the extra will get you into it more quickly and result in more damage.

2: Higher performance cars generally have better suspension and brakes than lower performance ones, though in recent years the difference isn't that vast anymore. A modern Micra anchors up pretty decently even in 1.0 litre basic form.

My jury, for one, is out on this particular topic.

 

[old-git]

I'm with HD on this one.

1: If in doubt or trouble, brake don't accelerate you idiot. Any resulting collision will be at a slower speed.

2. Agreed

 

[SLEEPER]

there are no unsafe cars only unsafe drivers