Overclocker

The autobahn in Germany, fantasy zone of enthusiast drivers the world over, is seeing its speed-limit-free policy questioned by European Union regulators bent on emissions control.

Date posted: 02-05-2007

BERLIN — German car enthusiasts breathed a sigh of relief over the weekend as German Chancellor Angela Merkel backed measures to retain open speed limits on the country's autobahns. She is holding fast against criticism from the European Union suggesting Germany is lagging behind in efforts to reduce ozone-depleting emissions.

In a swipe at Germany's long-held policy of allowing some sections of its autobahn to go unrestricted, the European Union's environmental commissioner, Stavros Dimas, called on Germany over the weekend to take a leading role in the fight against global warming, saying the country isn't doing enough to reduce emissions in light of UN findings on climate change published last week.

Merkel riposted: "Germany already complies with up to 75 percent of the emission standards set by the European Union to come into effect between 2008 and 2012." In the question over whether Germany should fall into line with its neighbors and place a blanket speed limit on its autobahns, she added, "The measures we have in place on the autobahns already contribute to lowering emission levels."

Her comments appear to line up with German carmakers' claims that the open speed limit is crucial to helping them retain a high engineering standard. "If we no longer had to engineer our cars to satisfy their potential top speed, there would suddenly be a fundamental change in the way we go about our business," a high-ranking BMW insider told Inside Line.

What this means to you: If you have a need for speed, hurry to Germany before the EU forces the fatherland to call it quits on the autobahn fun.

Source: http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...cleId=119481#2

Lexmex

If anyone needs to be speed, come on over the border down here. The bad roads themselves are the only obstacle.

I am glad Merkel put her foot down. I hate to see the European Union become this arrogant, socialist union of fools. Cultural traditions in the respective countries should stay the way they are.

mmarshall

Sorry, Lexmex....like it or not, eventually Germany will have little or no choice. The speeds on all the German Autobahns will have to be reduced, and not because of pressure from other European countries. German traffic is growing, just like everywhere else, the roads are becoming congested, there is little room left on the roads for proper spacing at triple-digit speeds, and it will simply be too dangerous to continue with the status quo. Some people may not WANT to see it happen, but soon there will be little choice. You can't live in the past forever.

In fact, increasing congestion is already forcing ACTUAL speeds down in many still-open-speed areas, regardless of official speed policy and the German tradition of not blocking the left lane.