Dashboard observation

**Brian916** · 15-04-2011, 05:38 PM

For some reason, after 3 weeks I have noticed the speedo is a little different in the GTi. The marks change scale at 60, and 220kph. Up to 60, the marks on the speedo are calibrated in 5kph increments, 60 - 220 in 10kph increments, then the scale changes to 2 x 10kph increments between the numbers.

Don' know why it's taken me this long to notice, I've really only been driving around town and with the speed limits.... and often have the MFD on the digital speed.....

**Corey_R** · 15-04-2011, 08:15 PM

Yep... it's a feature of many many cars these days...

**kevvie** · 15-04-2011, 09:50 PM

Has anyone noticed that when you enable the alternate speed display it comes up in miles per hour, even when units are set to metric/kilometres?

**moniker** · 16-04-2011, 12:07 AM

Originally Posted by kevvie

Has anyone noticed that when you enable the alternate speed display it comes up in miles per hour, even when units are set to metric/kilometres?

Isn't that the whole idea of it being an 'Alternate' display?

**kevvie** · 16-04-2011, 12:19 AM

No, it is alternate because it shows the speed on the multifunction display as well as other information at th same time.

Would be really useful if it was in km/h...

**Corey_R** · 16-04-2011, 10:43 AM

No moniker is correct... it's "alternate" because it shows the alternate speed units... lol

**Brian916** · 17-04-2011, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by Corey_R

Yep... it's a feature of many many cars these days...

Fair enough - it's the only car we have that has that feature though. The Astra (2006) doesn't have it (diesel) nor does the D4 (2010) (diesel). But there are a lot of different cars out there.

Explains why the couple of times I've put my foot down the speedo needle seemed to scream around the dial then slow down - it does due to the scale change!

**Ryan_R** · 18-04-2011, 03:02 PM

Generally due to most of the speed limits around the world being under 100kph compared to having speed limits such as 145, 180, 205 (I wish).

But you're right - it does make 0-100 acceleration time feel quicker due to the needle moving quickly. I once tried to set my car to use MPH on the digital display and enable 'Alternate' speed output, hoping that would give me the KPH digital speed along with other MDI info, but that didn't work. Maybe something in VCDS could make the car think it's Briish/American as far as speed is concerned.

**kevvie** · 19-04-2011, 09:44 PM

Originally Posted by Corey_R

No moniker is correct... it's "alternate" because it shows the alternate speed units... lol

Yes, maybe you are correct. I was mistakingly thinking it might be a useful feature for Oz rather than a leftover from the UK market.

Who in Australia cares about a mph display? No-one I know.

Who would like to see km/h plus other useful information *at the same time* on the "multi-function" display? More than one it seems

If I was after mph as "alternate", I would expect that to come up on the full screen version of the speed, rather than just the small one. LORFL !!