Sonata speeder going to jail

[ColonelPanic]

I don't know if you guys ever saw anything about the mysterious Sonata speeder a few months ago... He was allegedly clocked doing 102, 105, 128, and 147 MPH. That would have to have been one with the six if it really happened. Seeing it was a rental, I'd almost guarantee it was, usually the rentals have GLS V6's in their fleet.http://www.eastvalleytribune.c...80157That V6 Sonata will certainly get out there and run, but I'm not sure about the 147 part. According to this article, C&D and Hyundai have found it tops out at 137 due to aerodynamic drag. No word of an electronic governor, and I've read elsewhere that the KDM version of the Sonata doesn't have one... Not sure if that's the case here or not. The company that made these radar units seems to me that they don't know much about cars. Quote »Redflex spokesman Jay Heiler told the East Valley Tribune that the car's optimistic 160 MPH speedometer is evidence that the car can go 147 MPH.Yeah right. How many cars can actually reach the number over on the far right side of the speedo? My 110 HP Hyundai Accent's speedo tops out at 140, and there's no way in hell it can do 120, let alone 140. An Accent from 10 years ago with 92 HP went up to 130 on the speedo, fastest I could go in that car was 103. I know my Vibe was physically unable to reach whatever the top speed was on the speedometer as well... Same goes for every other car I've owned, can't get close to what it says on the speedo. Just because the speedometer ends with any given number doesn't mean the car can actually go that fast, or even close to that fast! Too bad the guy gave in and said he was guilty, it would have been interesting to see results from testing this radar and the car.

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[Atomic]

147 in a stock V6 Sonata? It seems unlikely.And the comment about the speedo going to 160 as an indicator of possible attainable speed is goofy.My '69 Firebird has a 160mph speedo, but I don't think it would get to 140 let alone 160.This also proves the theory that the fastest cars are always rentals.

[engineertwin2]

This happened here in Phoenix metro area and three things:First off, theoretically, given the gearing of the vehicle (3.77 final drive with 225/50/17 tires and 5th gear ratio of 0.468:1) with a peak torque occuring near 3500 rpms, it may be possible that he could have gotten that high as basic math says that could go 154.7mph but that doesn't account for drag etc.Secondly, I'm surprised that the camera actually has a shutter speed that can deliver a photo with that type of resolution without blurring (because 147 is exceptionally fast).Thirdly, I know that some of it would have come down to the accuracy of the radar if it had gone to court, but the general argument could be that "While the specific speed at which you were travelling may be unknown, it can be agreed upon in principal that it was recklessly excessive, and as such punishment should be handed out." Should he have lost control of his vehicle at that speed, it would have been devestating - a simple tire blowout could have claimed an unknown amount of lives.

[GMJAP]

Maybe he was topping out (137) with a 10+MPH tailwind?

[zionzr2]

Quote, originally posted by GMJAP »Maybe he was topping out (137) with a 10+MPH tailwind? And it was downhill!!