How fast can a Mazda 5 go?

[PAHSTeacher]

Not sure if this is the proper forum.

I was looking at the speedometer which goes up to 160. Clearly the car will not. A quick google search didn't easily find the answer.

Just curious.

 

[hornsfan10609]

Too chicken to find out? lol, I would guess 110-120. My P5 topped out at 120 and the MSP is 130.

 

[Rally Man]

^^^ Sounds about right looking at the RPM's in 5th gear.

 

[kw_da]

Not sure if this is the proper forum.

I was looking at the speedometer which goes up to 160. Clearly the car will not. A quick google search didn't easily find the answer.

Just curious.

In free fall, anywhere from 100 mph to 600 mph (sun)

 

[thaxman]

Since the 5MT is at nearly 4K at 85mph, so I wonder if it can even exceed 100 mph. Doubt I'll ever find out, either.

 

[5zoom]

There is a speed limiter that may kick in at 119mph. There as discussion about this a few years ago when the cars were newer. I'm not sure about the 2012 and newer models.

 

[PAHSTeacher]

So if we drop the car it might crack 120?

Got me wondering what the terminal velocity of the Mazda 5 (or any car really) would be. Found this clip from (an Australian Beer commercial?) where they drop a small car 14,000 feet from an airplane.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBAzWE2CtBY

It takes the car 70 seconds to hit the ground, which works out to an average speed of 136 mph. Almost all of that time spent at terminal velocity. The car keeps flipping around.

 

[phunky.buddha]

Not sure if this is the proper forum.

I was looking at the speedometer which goes up to 160. Clearly the car will not. A quick google search didn't easily find the answer.

Just curious.

The best I got was 109mph confirmed by GPS before I had to shut it down, and I think that was in the flat. It was accelerating less than 1mph per 10 seconds, so that's probably as good as it gets.

Since the 5MT is at nearly 4K at 85mph, so I wonder if it can even exceed 100 mph. Doubt I'll ever find out, either.

From what I can remember, mine shows 1k rpm per 20 mph. Since the power peak is right around 5900rpm, I would think the theoretical max assuming I had enough better aero would be about 118mph, since the car seems to be power/drag limited at the top end.

--edit--

Oops, forgot my power peak:

There is a speed limiter that may kick in at 119mph. There as discussion about this a few years ago when the cars were newer. I'm not sure about the 2012 and newer models.

Maybe I'll try it out on the dyno the next time I have the 5 in the shop... I was able to confirm (double-check) my truck's 110mph limiter on the rollers.

 

[Jedup]

It will top out in the high 140's, close to 150.

 

[kw_da]

So if we drop the car it might crack 120?

Got me wondering what the terminal velocity of the Mazda 5 (or any car really) would be. Found this clip from (an Australian Beer commercial?) where they drop a small car 14,000 feet from an airplane.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBAzWE2CtBY

It takes the car 70 seconds to hit the ground, which works out to an average speed of 136 mph. Almost all of that time spent at terminal velocity. The car keeps flipping around.

Depends what altitude you dropped it at. If you started from 127,000 ft like this guy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Baumgartner did, my guess is 800 mph+. He hit an estimated 843 mph. At that altitude the air is very thin, so the drag force is very low. If you can stabilize the car in a head-down attitude, the Cd is lower. This would be an interesting one to figure out - the equations are relatively simple and you just need to find equilibrium points. The mass of the car is >> person, and the Cd could be a lot lower, but the frontal area is larger for the car. The exercise is left for those interested

 

[oldpunk]

I bet the rev limiter kicks in at 120. (Assuming we have one :/ ) Mathematically, we should be able to go faster than that.

 

[phunky.buddha]

I bet the rev limiter kicks in at 120. (Assuming we have one :/ ) Mathematically, we should be able to go faster than that.

Assuming unlimited power, then yes per your gearing.