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Stories on Sebastiaan

242 (231) km/h

25 September 2005

Two years after our first visit, my colleague Jonathan, his younger brother and I once more went to the Internationale Automobiel Ausstellung (IAA) in Frankfurt. Like last time it was a gigantic show with an enormous amount of carnews, showmodels, concepts, world premiers and thousands of visitors. It dwarfs many a carshow (like the Auto-RAI in the Netherlands) and is a true spectacular automotive feast!

 

This time as well as last time we travelled the 450 km's by car, enjoying the "free speed" highways of Germany (advised maximum speed is 130 km/h). In 2003 Jonathan had a Hyundai Coupe (codename Tibby - in South Korea it's called Tiburon) which we tested to its limits on the German highways. We managed to push it past the 215 km/h mark, on the speedometer. That means that we might be doing around 205 "real" kilometers. This time we went in Jonathans "new" car, a chiptuned Seat Leon of the former generation - the new one is just out. Normally the Volkswagen Audi 1.8 turbo engine, which also lies under the bonnet of the Audi TT, has around 180 brake horsepower, but this car was tuned to contain no less than 225 wild mustangs under its hood. That's a lot of power and I was dying to give them a run for their money on the German highways.

Early Saturday morning we left Leiden and Utrecht, heading towards the German border. We eached it around 7:30 with Jonathan at the steering wheel. Through the upcoming fog and slight drizzle he was the first to break the 200 km/h mark. He then continued flat out until the needle just passed the 240 km/h mark. Looking at the onboard computer, which measures the exact speed you're driving, we could see it flipping between 228 and 231. That was our real speed! Soon after it was my turn to drive.

I must say that it wasn't my intention to go as fast as I could, but this Seat just asks to be driven fast. It reacts like a wild cat to the gas and leaps forward with gigantic steps. There's not even a need to shift back from 6th gear. An abundance of power and torque is ready for you at all times as soon as you put the pedal to the metal! The sun lit up the morning sky as I crept behind the steering wheel. Going slow at first I gently eased the car into it's rythm. Speaking to me, begging me to go faster I slowly moved the needle of the speedometer towards the 200 mark. It kept asking for more, so when a long straight piece of tarmac loomed ahead of us, I floored it. Whizzing past cars and trucks, even a Ford Escort XR3i which gave it's best, the magical numbers were soon to present themselves to me as well. Feeling the adrenalin slowly seeping into my system, focussing on the road ahead, I gave the onboard computer a quick glance:

231 km/h...!

This is fast, it is really sickening fast. And then to know that the German supercars are all electronically set to go no faster than 250 km/h. I understand now why that is. It's a ridiculous speed, it demands the utmost of driver and machine, but it gives you a wonderful sensation, a tingling to long for and an enormous urge to do it again and again and again...

Posted by Sebastiaan Naafs - van Dijk | top

Comments

  1. Jonathan van Zuijlekom posted:
    1

    Ludicrous speed* I said. "I'm giving it all I've got Captain" was heard coming from the engine bay.
    With 3 people in the car and a diverter valve needing replacement, 240 km/h on the speedo was the best it could do.

    All in all it was a great day with just to much to see. The IAA is just to big for one day.

    * Spaceballs


    ... on 26 September 2005 @ 11:44

  2. Marjolijn Naafs-van Dijk posted:
    2

    Gelukkig zijn de mannen weer heel thuis gekomen na dit avontuur :-)
    En Sebas: Onze tweede auto wordt waarschijnlijk een lekker langzame zuinigrijdende "veilige" auto waar je elke dag veilig mee naar den Haag kan sukkelen. Snel genoeg om wakker te blijven en langzaam genoeg om de adrenaline te laten slapen ;-)
    Liefs,
    M

    ... on 26 September 2005 @ 12:08

  3. Pappa posted:
    3

    Eens met Marjolijn, we kennen allemaal je verlangen om Formule 1 rijder te worden, maar je hebt wel een gezin...je zou een Suv moeten kopen, kan niet stuk....
    Hoewel die max.snelheid op de autobahn....is een lachertje...als je 135km/u rijdt, krijg je al binnen de 2 seconden een woedende BMW rijder in je nek die nijdig toetert of groot licht geeft als ie langs je heenscheurt....weet er alles van...

    ... on 26 September 2005 @ 12:39

  4. Pappa posted:
    4

    SEAT????????? Ja wat wil je, spaanse furie en een spaanse peper in de ko.....
    Ik dacht dat dat autootje een karretje voor bejaarden zoals ik was...hmmmmmmmm
    (Nou ik er over nadenk: herinner je je onze nachtelijke rit naar NL toen jullie redelijk groot waren met de Renault Stationcar? Toen zei jij ook ineens van pappa weet je wel hoe hard je rijdt......motor zonder geluid, lekkere franse zetels, gemaakt pour l'amour, zoals de fransen zeiden...en toen reed ik ook 200km/u....sorry Sebas, je verslaatme weer...)

    ... on 26 September 2005 @ 12:44

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