View Full Version : RS6's Perfect Cruising Speed
Curious what you all think. Took a trip to NYC this week from Boston just cause I wanted to drive some of the highways through Connecticut and let the Beast roll a bit. OK, I still have only 2K miles, so I've still got that "new toy feeling".
My question is, what do you think the RS6's most comfortable cruising speed is. Let me further define.. I'm not talking about how fast this beast goes, but rather, what do you think it's "natural cruising speed" is.
I drove the beast for four hours and on open highway, she seemed to think that 65 was not hip and the beast kept migrating to 80-85 as a natural cruising speed.
Does anyone else have an opinion here or am I just still too in love with this darling beast?
:rs6kiss:
SpinEcho
June 3rd, 2004, 22:41
I'm not past break-in yet, but I agree - mine seems to like to sit at 130 km/h (about 81 mph). In my experience cars often have several 'natural' cruising speeds. I suspect the RS6 has a higher one that our European friends may be able to tell us about...
TaTaPiRaTa
June 3rd, 2004, 23:02
160 km/h seems quite natural :rs6kiss: :rs6kiss: :rs6kiss:
iconcls
June 3rd, 2004, 23:26
In the US, 80'ish seems very natural.
rs6_newyork
June 4th, 2004, 00:18
On 55/65 roads in USA, 80 feels comfortable, as it means your speed relative to left lane cars is not so different that it requires a lot of concentration. On an empty straight road with no limits I'd probably sit around 100 for a compromise between consumption and transit time.
When I owned a mitsubishi cordia, a 2 liter turbo coupe (back in the 80s) the little brother to the "starion" if anyone remembers that car, I'd tend to sit at 180kmh-200kmh or so. Wind noise and stability at that speed is far FAR better 20 years on in the RS6.. so probably its "natural" speed is really "as fast as you are comfortable with".
...80-85 is, at least for me, just inside my upshift into 4th. This is generally just after taking 3rd up to 60-65mph (pushing 5,000 rpm). She is just beginning to accelerate down the runway at 80 in 4th...
:rs6kiss:
P.S. I have had my beast since December, and I still feel like a kid with a new toy come the weekends...can't get enough of this car.
P.P.S. Recently got the clearcoat treatment on the front end of the car as well as a strip on the rear bumper. I should have done it sooner, but I was concerned about how the visible line across the hood would alter the car's appearance. Well, it's barely noticeable and the protection is well worth it. Got the XM satellite, too: it's AWESOME.
200-220 km/h is reasonable cruising speed - traffic permitting of course ... :wo:
At 260+ the fuel tank is too small.... .. :doh:
Nordschleife
June 4th, 2004, 06:54
but its natural cruising gate is 285 - at least you get to have a pee every hour. Its hard to average more than 250 kph with stops every 50 mins for gas.
European spec cars can fit an extra fuel cell in the redundent wheel well.
R+C
lukegarratt
June 4th, 2004, 07:30
Cordia was good car, saved my life it did!
80mph crusing speed! Looks like i'll be in trouble when I eventually get mine, 60mph max here on our very heavily policed roads...
2nd post! yay:applause:
European spec cars can fit an extra fuel cell in the redundent wheel well.
where can one get info on extra fuell cell?
Nordschleife
June 4th, 2004, 09:46
MTM knows how to fit fuel cells into the car. Not cheap, better to change the battery position whilst you are at it - sealed multiparts with a custom harness tucked into the empty spaces in the wings.
R+C
nene
June 4th, 2004, 14:26
I'm sorry to admit, but I think you are all bailing out on the RS6 here.
In the span of two weeks, I did two trips from Boston to Maryland (Columbia), and that's about 450 miles each way. Totalling about 2000 miles, with some extra driving.
The roads through Connecticut (CT) are nothing in comparison to New Jersey! I do the NYC trip about 10 times a year, on various cars, and it's great, but not like using New Jersey Turnpike (NJ TPK) baby!!!
I had the luck of having extremely light traffic on the NJ TPK on Saturday of this past weekend, and I must admit that the beast was very nice and comfy going about 88MPH (avg.) through CT, but when we got to the NJ TPK, I have to admit that it was yet more comfy going 105MPH.
I'm not talking about the sudden burst to pass someone going 80MPH. I'm talking about 10-15 miles of road going that speed.
I was uncomfortable going that fast for so long, but the beast was extremely happy. Now I know what the AutoBahn feels like, sort of.
I think mid 80MPH is nice, but upper 90 to low 100MPH is even more comfy.
Lower half of NJ, where you can also catch the TPK from the Garden State Pkwy, is the best spot. Take the side where no trucks are allowed, and just enjoy it until you hit Delaware.
rs6_newyork
June 4th, 2004, 15:15
Originally posted by lukegarratt
Cordia was good car, saved my life it did!
80mph crusing speed! Looks like i'll be in trouble when I eventually get mine, 60mph max here on our very heavily policed roads...
2nd post! yay:applause: Are you insane? buying RS6 in Oz at over $200k ?? when the roads are stuffed with speed traps and photo radar ??
I was back in Jan and drove from sydney to brisbane. What floored me vs my memories of driving 6 years ago in australia, let alone 15 years ago, was just how meek all motorists have become. They set the cruise control for the speed limit (not limit + 10kph) and sleep, as the cars kick-down from the bottom of hills after wasting all the momentum down a slope.
so sad. and hardly economical on petrol either.
Erik
June 4th, 2004, 15:17
315 km/h was no problem. Not the best cruising speed perhaps.
The car started to feel a bit light, no wonder when Jumbojets take of a around 270 km/h. :lovl:
On Autobahn I think 200 km/h is ok when travelling long distances.
http://www.rs6.com/pics/Various/RS6-315-2.jpg
Read more:
http://www.rs6.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3983&highlight=autobahn
avdh
June 4th, 2004, 16:00
160 km/h (100 mph) seems to be the ideal cruising speed (specially when the national speed limit is 120km/h - 75mph), but very often she seems to want to creep to 190 km/h (118 mph) and still feels very relaxed at that speed.
You can cruise all day long at 250 km/h (155 mph), but it is not so relaxed at that speed, simply because if I get caught I might go to jail, from the time the laser jammer goes off there isn't enough time to slow down/brake to 120 km/h and the other traffic is too slow. Furthermore the time you would have made up in speed, is going to get lost by the additional stops to re-fuel.
On the other hand, I found the RS6 to be fairly economical, 11.5 to 13 l/100km (more so the my ex-S6) up to 140/150 km/h (85 -95 mph), thereafter the fuel consumption rise abruptly.
TaTaPiRaTa
June 4th, 2004, 16:31
Originally posted by gjg
where can one get info on extra fuell cell?
OCT does one and they claim to sell quite a number of them already.
http://www.oct-tuning.com/shop/catalog/default.php?cPath=34_105_217&sort=1a&page=1&language=en
and click the first link under "product name".
:rs6kiss: :rs6kiss: :rs6kiss:
TaTaPiRaTa
June 4th, 2004, 16:31
one more pic of extra fuel tank from OCT
Nordschleife
June 4th, 2004, 16:53
Does O.CT's tank have TÜV approval, and what do they do with the battery?
Is it protected from the interior of the car by a firewall?
R+C
I've contacted OCT with the above questions ....
Erik
June 4th, 2004, 17:26
Dahlback Racing sold one before as well.
Perhaps the same as MTM?
nene
June 4th, 2004, 18:39
That extra fuel cell won't fit into US cars. There is no space for this thing!!! :(
djinn
June 4th, 2004, 19:38
Because there is no space for extra wheel?
nene
June 4th, 2004, 20:45
Because of US emissions, we have the fuel system coal/carbon system in there or something to that effect.
Nordschleife
June 4th, 2004, 21:10
If you delve into your rear wings, you will find lots of unused space. You can use this to install a replacement battery system, and relocate the carbon canister there, freeing up the wheel well for the fuel cell and getting rid of the battery filled dog coffin.
R+C
Aronis
June 4th, 2004, 22:48
When I am on long trips, I call in a tanker for refuels on the run.
Mike
85 through CT, are you CRAZY? They have more unmarked cars in the CT State Trooper Baracks than at a major junk yard in Boston! I lived in CT for 5 years, drove to Boston from Stamford frequently, and I saw every combination of strange unmarked car. A Hunda with TURBO, an ICE CREAM TRUCK, A Yellow TAXI...
Becareful if you run over 85...they don't arrest, they exicute on the side of the road...At least in MA, they just slap you across the face and give you a ticket, in CT they kill you LOLOOLOO
lukegarratt
June 5th, 2004, 05:48
rs6_newyork: I know it sounds crazy, but audi's have terrible residuals in australia atm, although they are improving slightly due to the new A4. A8s can lose around 80% over 5 years or so! Audi's are becoming very trendy amongst the upmarket mum's though.
Besides, there would be no way I could resist the chance to purchase the beast :bow:
As for the police, luckily I live on the west coast, Perth is relatively small and police are normally at the 'usual spots' so to speak. But you can't be too careful :looking:
What I can't work out are the 'fixed' camera's over east? Who gets caught by them?!? :doh: