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Gear ratio, perhaps? (archive)
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Posted by Andy 02 on July 23, 2000 at 22:11:30:

In Reply to: Slow start off posted by Fellow Bimmer on July 23, 2000 at 18:35:30:

I don't have a lot of hard data to back this up, but it's my impression the gear ratios in many japanese cars are a lot lower, letting them get off the line faster. In Japan, speed limits are relatively strict. In Europe, (particularly in Germany) emphasis is traveling longer distances at high speed, so cars are geared higher.

Thinking about this, I put together a little chart of what some past cars I've driven showed rpm's at 80 mph in fifth:

89 Acura Integra -- 4400
72 2002 tii 5sp OD -- 3400
91 318is -- 3750
95 318ti -- 4000
97 M3 -- 3750
85 Alfa Spider -- 3600

Also interesting is that BMW appears to taylor gear ratios to the US market...

Andy -- '72 tii

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