The Internet has literally changed everything. Nobody will buy Playboy magazines when it only takes a couple of clicks to find "beautiful bodacious blondes" on Google. Likewise, watching a television show just to get a review of the next car you're going to buy is pointless. YouTube is filled with in-depth videos that show you the ins and outs of the latest models, sometimes with up to an hour of footage.
So what's this story about? Well, around 2013 or so, people realized you can get a lot of YouTube hits by filming the speedometer of a car as it accelerates to 100 km/h, 200 km/h or whatever nicely rounded speed it can achieve. Regular people got their first POV experience of what it's like to be in a Ferrari or a tuned BMW M5.
Gradually, the footage became better, as folks figured out how to stabilize the camera and offer higher quality. These "acceleration tests" became so popular that, if you search Google for "Audi A8" or "Mercedes S500 4Matic," you might notice a speedometer shot is the fourth of fifth suggestion, ahead of in-depth written reviews from major publications.
With winter slowly approaching and road conditions slowly deteriorating, the Nurburgring offers its last amateur track days. Likewise, the number of acceleration tests being shot is also going down. So we thought a 41-minute video compiling all the best tests of 2015 would be something you guys might be interested in.
This compilation is made by YouTube user Test Drive Freak and shows most of the cars he played with in 2015 arranged by order of excitement. There aren't any LaFerraris or Koenigseggs here, but we think all these models are relevant for the average consumer, especially in Europe.
Who here doesn't want to see how BMW's 8-speed automatic switches cogs for a 3.0-liter twin-turbo diesel engine? And how about those new Audi digital dashboards? Want to know what car powered by a 1.5-liter engine is the most exciting? Of course, it's the BMW i8.
The point of all these tests is to show how fast certain models are in the real world, not just what their respective automakers claim they are. As a bonus, people also enjoy the latest digital dashboards that sometimes cost €2,000 as options.
Mihnea's favorite cars have already been built, the so-called modern classics from the '80s and '90s. He also loves local car culture from all over the world, so don't be surprised to see him getting excited about weird Japanese imports, low-rider VWs out of Germany, replicas from Russia or LS swaps down in Florida. Full profile
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