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Volvo Drastically Cuts Top Speed Of All New Cars

May. 20, 2020 4:40 PM ET by Karl Furlong Industry News / 45 Comments Swedish brand puts an end to excessively high top speeds. For most gearheads, a visit to Germany is less about visiting famous sites like the Cologne Cathedral and Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, and much more about hiring the fastest car you can afford to blast along unrestricted sections of the Autobahn. It's the perfect playground for powerhouses like the Mercedes-AMG S63 and the Bentley Continental GT. Volvo has other ideas, though. The Swedish automaker has announced that all of its vehicles will now leave the factory with a top speed limited to just 112 mph, making good on the promise it made last year. Known for building extremely safe vehicles like the Volvo XC60 - a recipient of the Top Safety Pick award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety - Volvo's latest move was made to work towards a goal of zero fatal injuries in a car. Volvo Volvo Volvo While a 112-mph top speed may be a psychological blow to a customer who has just dropped over $70,000 on a range-topping XC90, it's still far above the legal maximum in the US. A stretch of highway in Texas carries a maximum speed limit in the country of 85 mph, so you'll still theoretically be able to bag yourself a speeding ticket in a new Volvo. The manufacturer also announced that all cars will come with what's called a Care Key, which also aims to reduce serious accidents caused by speeding. The Care Key allows owners to set their own speed limits, which can be used when allowing your son or daughter to drive your car, for instance. "We believe that a carmaker has a responsibility to help improve traffic safety," explained Malin Ekholm, who heads up the Volvo Cars Safety Center. "The speed cap and Care Key help people reflect and realize that speeding is dangerous." CarBuzz CarBuzz Volvo Volvo makes the point that even the most effective safety features and crash structures are rendered ineffective at excessive speeds. The automaker also says that too many drivers still drive too quickly based on the traffic situation, a claim that few would argue with. Intoxication and distraction have been identified as two more crucial areas that require focus if a future of "zero traffic fatalities" is to become a reality. It will be interesting to see if customers in regions like Germany will turn to other brands in light of Volvo's new limit. We also think it will be a while before the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz move away from their vehicles' 155-mph limited top speed. Koenigsegg, another Swedish manufacturer, probably won't be following in its neighbor's footsteps anytime soon. What we'd love to see in time is whether Volvo can provide irrefutable data that the new limit has reduced the rate of severe injuries or even fatalities. If this happens, it will be hard to dispute a decision that ultimately saves lives. Volvo Volvo Volvo Volvo

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Volvo XC60 Karl Furlong Senior Editor Sweaty-palmed hot laps are fun, but Karl is a gearhead cut from a different cloth - or is that finely stitched Nappa leather? An E23 BMW 7 Series was the first car he fell madly in love with three decades ago, and this affection for Autobahn-conquering luxury sedans has persisted. Following studies in copywriting and journalism, along with stints in TV scriptwriting and marketing that had far too little to do with cars, Karl kept the fire burning by writing for automotive websites on the side, including a Florida-based auto repair shop and another for Porsche enthusiasts. It all came together when he joined CarBuzz in 2019. He has penned some of the latest news, reviews, and features ever since. Contact Karl @FuelAffection LoginSign Up Home News Features Car Reviews Car Advice 2021 CarBuzz Awards New Cars Used Cars Future Cars Compare Cars Sell My Car Car Dealerships Buy Here Pay Here Used Car Reviews Popular Tags Cars # Video # TOP # Spy Shots # Reveal # Rumor # Auto Show # Supercar # Tuning # Car Culture # Industry News # Motorsport Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Make Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Car Type SUVs Crossovers Sedans Coupes Trucks Sports Cars Wagons Vans Hatchbacks Convertibles Small Cars Luxury Cars Electric Cars Hybrid Cars Future Cars By Price Up to $15K $15K - $25K $25K - $35K $35K - $45K $45K - $55K $55K - $75K $75K - $100K $100K - $200K $200K - $300K Above $300K Back To Top