Does standing start acceleration even matter?

[fdcg27]

Other than bragging rights as well as the shear juvenile thrill of nailing the loud pedal and maybe smoking the tires (we've all done it) , does anything beyond adequate acceleration have any actual benefit? Whether we're talking 0-60, 0-100 or the standing quarter those cars offering more than adequate acceleration are offering something none of us really needs, although we may want it and be willing to pay for it.
It also seems to me that what really matters is midrange acceleration, like from 40 mph to 70 mph, for use in entering a fast moving divided highway, although cars that are quick standing start will also do well in this respect.
In a day when the typical family sedan will get to sixty from a standing start in under eight seconds and even a fuel economy oriented car like my Hybrid Accord will do the deed in 6.7, who can argue that anything more is needed?
Wanted? Sure, which is what keeps higher performance cars and trucks available.
Is this performance used much?
Not by those who want to remain licensed drivers unless they track their cars or take them to the strip.
Curious to hear what all of you think.
I've got my Nomex on, LOL!

 

[Trav]

Definitely not a priority on my shopping list.

 

[supton]

Of course it matters. But once you get below 10 second 0-60 it does tend to be arguing over hairs, small differences--if you "need" that in driving, have to wonder where the heck you are driving...

but over 10 seconds? that is kinda painful...

Now 40-70, that could be a more useful metric, that's passing power. But still.

I look at the numbers but it's just one more number to look at. Today most cars are good enough IMO.

 

[fdcg27]

Our old Civics were slower than that and were in no way painful, maybe because they were sticks and had ratios well suited to midrange acceleration.
Painful would have been our old Vanagon or either of our 240Ds.
Those were a bit of a hazard even back in the 'eighties, when traffic was both slower and less dense.
Could a four speed stick air-cooled Vanagon run and hide from one of the 240Ds from zero to sixty?
I can assure that the VW would own the Mercedes.

 

[meep]

Our old Civics were slower than that and were in no way painful, maybe because they were sticks and had ratios well suited to midrange acceleration.
Painful would have been our old Vanagon or either of our 240Ds.
Those were a bit of a hazard even back in the 'eighties, when traffic was both slower and less dense.
Could a four speed stick air-cooled Vanagon run and hide from one of the 240Ds from zero to sixty?
I can assure that the VW would own the Mercedes.

We had an 84 water box and a well-worn ‘73 with dual carbs (VWs). Of course they were both stick. They were both fun to drive!

 

[wpod]

I like enough power to burn rubber from corner to corner.

 

[fdcg27]

We had an '81 and it was fun to drive. Took many long trips in it including crossing the low mountains found to the east of us.
It was also very well made and pretty trouble free. Slick shifting considering the length of the shift linkage and a pleasant clutch.
Interior space was well beyond that offered in any modern minivan and weight capacity was as well.
At the time, the Vanagon had the second lowest fatal injury rate of any vehicle in the US after a Volvo wagon.

 

[D60]

I think it's regional or at least location specific. Being in rural areas I tend to accelerate slowly.

But on the PCH, in ABQ and in PHX my experience is everyone goes near WOT only to slam on the brakes again at the next light two blocks later.

If you're not outpacing the stoplight cycle I never fully understood the benefit of flooring it.....?

 

[JeffKeryk]

My '66 GTO was pretty fast off the line back in the day. The bias ply rubber didn't have a prayer.
Our Model 3 is quick, but I have never done a jack rabbit start. Now merging and changing lanes is another story... Right now torque!

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

It's funny that 0-60 is a common metric, but I wonder how many people actually use it vs. like to know they could.

Those kinds of specs used to be used for marketing. Maybe they still are in whatever car magazines still exist?

About the earliest vehicle commercial I can remember is the one where they dropped a Ford pickup from a plane or helicopter. (Years later I read that it was actually dropped from 18 inches and had a bunch of suspension modifications.)

I remember commercials throwing out specs like 0-60, gas mileage, towing capacity, airbags, and maybe horsepower. Now it seems like the main feature mentioned is how well the car can talk to your phone.

 

[fdcg27]

My '66 GTO was pretty fast off the line back in the day. The bias ply rubber didn't have a prayer.
Our Model 3 is quick, but I have never done a jack rabbit start. Now merging and changing lanes is another story... Right now torque!

Your GTO was barely quicker to sixty in stock form than is my hybrid.
Most of what are regarded as muscle cars these days weren't really all that strong.
Times change.
Your Tesla would own my Accord but I'd bet that the Accord would be able to maintain the ton (100 mph} all day long while your Model 3 would fade pretty quickly into limp mode.
Anyway, my priorities have changed as I've grown older. Where I once would have wanted mad acceleration I now value being able to exceed fifty miles on a gallon of fuel and highest tank average has become a game to me.

 

[dnewton3]

Other than bragging rights as well as the shear juvenile thrill of nailing the loud pedal and maybe smoking the tires (we've all done it) , ...

Power (the perception of acceleration is what you're talking about here) is not enough for some, and more than plenty for others.

The thing that I care about is ability to pass someone quickly. That might be from a standing start, or it might be at 60mph on the highway. I want enough power to cleanly and quickly pass. I don't have to be the fastest guy on the block, but I do want to be able to pass efficiently and quickly.

 

[Skippy722]

I agree, our Grand Caravan feels pretty good off the line and is more than capable of smoking a tire (woo open diff!), but that 40-80 range is painful. My truck is the opposite, it wants to light the tires up from a standstill, but punch it at 40mph and it’ll take off like a bat outta hell unless the road is wet… it’ll light the tires up at 45 in the rain.

I’m also a child though, that HEMI just sounds so good with the flowmaster at WOT but it’ll quickly get into “reckless driving” territory.

 

[spackard]

0-60 performance is like grid electricity. You can’t fully appreciate it until it’s gone.

40-70: give me that figure on a steep uphill, because that’s where I’ll need it.

The long answer: I’ve been in trouble far more often in cars with poor 0-60. A lot of advance planning means nothing when the car in front stops dead at the top of an on-ramp, or stops dead in the #2 for a loose wheel. Once a large adjacent lane speed difference exists you are done, even more if car behind is view-blocker SUV. An 18-wheeler, lacking 0-60, has one advantage: everyone expects a big white box to have lousy acceleration. And, it’s real easy to see and give some space to.

Wife’s Honda Fit (10 sec. 0-60) always more frustrating in traffic on freeway, because the feeling I’m going to be nailed in the rear. Always more planning, trying to stay out of a situation.

Interesting hybrids I’m looking at (Toyota Crown Platinum and Volvo V60 T8 Polestar Engineered) combine high torque motors with low torque engines.

 

[RhondaHonda]

I like fast a 0-60 but feel like passing power is more important and useful in everyday situations. A fast car is going to be fast across the board for the most part. I don’t have numbers but my Model Y Performance is the fastest-feeling from a roll of any car I’ve driven. It may be that it’s effortless and there’s no shifting or revving but it flat scoots from 50-80. I do it daily and will not be surprised if I get a ticket at some point.

 

[Cujet]

Many in the country don't know, or have not seen the old style parkway on-ramps. Zero room for acceleration after the stop sign.

These unsafe situations exist in the North East, but are being phased out over time. Sometimes, there really is not enough physical room to do much other than completely re-engineer the road and on-ramp.

You had better believe power matters here. AND, I promise you, that Honda Accord will go 0-60 in 10 seconds when full of passengers and cargo. Not to mention the driver prob won't jab the throttle instantly.

For us nerds, there will need to be at least 500 feet between the 60mph oncoming traffic and you, in your Accord, unless you want to force the other driver to slow. And what if traffic is going 80? Good luck with that...

Look carefully, there is no on-ramp here. Just 5 dashes worth of space to merge from a stop.

 

[72C10]

In a daily driver? Depends on where you live I guess. Around here I don't need it.

I drove a semi for 13 years so I'm used to terrible acceleration.

Now if it's not my daily and one of my projects I'll make it as fast as I can but I'll drive those differently.

 

[TumblrDucks]

Yes. Especially when you are at a stop sign waiting to merge in a 60mph full blown highway.

 

[TumblrDucks]

Many in the country don't know, or have not seen the old style parkway on-ramps. Zero room for acceleration after the stop sign.

These unsafe situations exist in the North East, but are being phased out over time. Sometimes, there really is not enough physical room to do much other than completely re-engineer the road and on-ramp.

You had better believe power matters here. AND, I promise you, that Honda Accord will go 0-60 in 10 seconds when full of passengers and cargo. Not to mention the driver prob won't jab the throttle instantly.

For us nerds, there will need to be at least 500 feet between the 60mph oncoming traffic and you, in your Accord, unless you want to force the other driver to slow. And what if traffic is going 80? Good luck with that...

Look carefully, there is no on-ramp here. Just 5 dashes worth of space to merge from a stop.

Wondering how people deal with this in old time. I encounter serval of these in Mass and I'm so nervous to get rear ended.

 

[MattPersman]

People pulled out and the other drivers were more patient and slowed down. Now they try to not let you go at all