“Speed, it seems to me, provides the one genuinely modern pleasure.” – Aldous Huxley
(Photo: CarSpotter)
I recently wrote an article mentioning about how my old Acura Integra was faster than the fastest car from the 1920’s and 1930’s. The point was not that my Acura was necessarily fast (it was not) but that over the years the automotive technology has improved so much that even an average old jalopy, made over the last 20 years, is on average faster than the fastest cars made even 60 years ago. I decided to see just how fast that evolution was taking place and just how long it would take for your average car to be as fast as a sports car made today. For comparison I took the Porsche Boxter.
Depending what model we look at, the Boxter 0 to 60 times are between 4.2 and 5.5 seconds. I decided to use a good round number of 5 seconds as the time to reach for. I also picked a few car models which are not known for their speed and whose performance data went back at least two decades. I used 0 to 60 website to gather the information and used the fastest time for each year on each model. So how do the numbers look?
Toyota Camry
(Photo: Wiki)
First up is the Toyota Camry. The Camry is like the automotive equivalent of Nickelback. It sells very well but you never brag to your friends about actually liking it. Here is how the performance of the Camry looks like over the years.
| Year | Model | 0 to 60 time |
| 1983 | Toyota Camry | 12.4 |
| 1987 | Camry DLX 2.0 | 9.1 |
| 1988 | Toyota Camry All-Trac | 11.4 |
| 1992 | Toyota Camry SE | 7.6 |
| 1993 | Toyota Camry LE | 10.9 |
| 1994 | Toyota Camry SE | 8 |
| 1995 | Toyota Camry LE | 7.9 |
| 1997 | Toyota Camry CE | 6.9 |
| 1998 | Toyota Camry LE | 7.7 |
| 1999 | Toyota Camry Solara SE | 7 |
| 2000 | Toyota Camry LE | 7.9 |
| 2001 | Toyota Camry Solara SE | 8.1 |
| 2002 | Toyota Camry SE | 7.9 |
| 2004 | Toyota Camry Solara SE | 6.6 |
| 2005 | Toyota Camry SE | 6 |
| 2009 | Toyota Camry Hybrid | 7.9 |
| 2010 | Toyota Camry SE | 8 |
| 2011 | Toyota Camry LE | 8.3 |
| 2012 | Toyota Camry SE (V6) | 5.7 |
If we plot a graph we can get a formula for the linear trend line.
f(x)=-.1419776275x+291.9794891059
We can then solve the formula and come up with the year when the Camry’s 0 to 60MPH time will be under 5 seconds. In this case the year will be 2021.
Toyota Corolla
(Photo: Wiki)
Next up is the Toyota Corolla. Trying to decide between a Camry or a Corolla is like trying to decide between Billy or Stephen as your favorite Baldwin brother.
| Year | Model | 0 to 60 time |
| 1968 | Toyota Corolla | 16.8 |
| 1973 | Toyota Corolla 1200 | 18.3 |
| 1974 | Toyota Corolla 1200 | 16 |
| 1975 | Toyota Corolla E-5 | 15 |
| 1976 | Toyota Corolla SR-5 | 15.2 |
| 1980 | Toyota Corolla Sport | 11.9 |
| 1984 | Toyota Corolla | 13 |
| 1985 | Toyota Corolla GT-S | 10.4 |
| 1987 | Toyota Corolla FX16 | 9.1 |
| 1991 | Toyota Corolla LE | 10.1 |
| 1993 | Toyota Corolla DX | 9.2 |
| 1995 | Toyota Corolla DX | 10.1 |
| 1998 | Toyota Corolla LE | 10.2 |
| 2003 | Toyota Corolla CE | 9 |
| 2005 | Toyota Corolla XRS | 7 |
| 2009 | Toyota Corolla LE | 8.4 |
| 2010 | Toyota Corolla XRS | 7.4 |
| 2013 | Toyota Corolla S | 8.5 |
f(x)=-.2187745906x+446.7715034366
And once we solve the formula we come up with 2019 as the year the Corolla will do 0 to 60 in 5 seconds.
Honda Accord
(Photo: Wiki)
The Honda Accord considered to be one of the most reliable cars in automotive history. The good news is that the Accord you bought in college all those years ago is still running well, the bad news you are still driving an Accord that you bought in college because it’s running well.
| Year | Model | 0 to 60 time |
| 1976 | HondaAccord | 13.6 |
| 1981 | HondaAccord | 13.1 |
| 1982 | HondaAccordLX | 12.9 |
| 1986 | HondaAccordLXi | 9.7 |
| 1990 | HondaAccordEX | 10 |
| 1991 | HondaAccordEX | 9.3 |
| 1992 | HondaAccordEX | 9.7 |
| 1993 | HondaAccordLX | 10 |
| 1994 | HondaAccordEX | 8 |
| 1995 | HondaAccordLX | 8.4 |
| 1996 | HondaAccordLX | 8.7 |
| 1997 | HondaAccordEX | 7.6 |
| 1998 | HondaAccordEX | 7.1 |
| 1999 | HondaAccordCoupe | 7.3 |
| 2001 | HondaAccordLX | 8.2 |
| 2003 | HondaAccordEX | 6.1 |
| 2004 | HondaAccordEX | 5.8 |
| 2005 | HondaAccordHybrid | 6.9 |
| 2006 | HondaAccordEX | 5.8 |
| 2007 | HondaAccordSE | 8 |
| 2008 | HondaAccordEX | 5.7 |
| 2009 | HondaAccordType-S | 9.1 |
| 2010 | HondaAccordCrosstour | 7.2 |
| 2011 | HondaAccordEX | 6.1 |
| 2012 | HondaAccordEX | 6.1 |
| 2013 | HondaAccordCoupe | 5.5 |
| 2014 | HondaAccordPlug-In | 7.6 |
f(x)=-.1866595895x+381.4102972399
As for the Accord 0 to 60 time will reach 5 seconds in 2016
Honda Civic
(Photo: Wiki)
And finally the Honda Civic. The Civic is Accord’s smaller less popular brother. It’s like the Frank Stallone of cars.
| Year | Model | 0 to 60 time |
| 1973 | HondaCivic | 19.1 |
| 1974 | HondaCivic | 15.5 |
| 1976 | HondaCivic | 14.2 |
| 1980 | HondaCivic1500GL | 11.1 |
| 1981 | HondaCivic | 15 |
| 1985 | HondaCivicS | 11 |
| 1985 | HondaCivicWagon | 11.8 |
| 1987 | HondaCivicHatchback | 13.5 |
| 1991 | HondaCivicEX | 9.6 |
| 1992 | HondaCivicSi | 8.3 |
| 1993 | HondaCivicCoupe | 8.3 |
| 1994 | HondaCivicEX | 8.7 |
| 1995 | HondaCivicEX | 9 |
| 1996 | HondaCivicDX | 8.4 |
| 1998 | HondaCivicGX | 11.8 |
| 1999 | HondaCivicSi | 7.1 |
| 2000 | HondaCivicEX | 8.3 |
| 2002 | HondaCivicSi | 7.5 |
| 2003 | CivicHybrid | 12 |
| 2006 | HondaCivicSi | 6.2 |
| 2007 | HondaCivicLX | 7.6 |
| 2007 | HondaCivicType-R | 4.9 |
| 2008 | HondaCivici-CTDi | 7.5 |
| 2009 | HondaCivicType-R | 6.5 |
| 2010 | HondaCivicType | 6 |
| 2011 | HondaCivic1.8 | 8.8 |
| 2012 | HondaCivicSi | 6 |
| 2013 | HondaCivicHF | 8.5 |
f(x)=-.2306929899x+470.1763973438
For the Civic 2016 should be the year when 0 to 60 times will be under 5 seconds.
So the good news is that all the acceleration you crave in todays sports cars will be available to you in ordinary cars at fraction of the cost in less than 10 years.
A Grain of Salt
Here are few possible flaws in my conclusions.
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The trend of cars getting faster and faster seems to be taking place over the last 75 years, but if we were to do these calculations in the late 70’s or early 80’s, we would come to the opposite conclusion. Due to the need for greater fuel efficiency most of the cars actually got slower in the 70’s. For example, the Ford Mustang 0 to 60 times was 7.3 seconds in 1964 but by 1974 was almost twice that at 14.1 seconds. Since the 80’s cars have been getting faster and faster but it is possible the trend might still reverse once again. There’s nothing to guarantee that the trend has to continue.
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Even if the trend continues for a while longer it will at some point stop or become miniscule. For example the Toyota Corolla will reach 0 to 60 in 1 seconds in year 2037. That is never ever going to happen.
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There is clearly going to be a point where cars will not be allowed to accelerate at a breakneck speed even if the technology to make them go that fast does exist. Much like the regulations which limit top speeds on today’s cars.
But for now the future looks bright.
Michael Page
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