What Exactly is the Autobahn?

When Autobahn comes to mind, I can’t help but reference Michael Jackson’s hit “Speed Demon, “ a fast-paced song about the repercussions of speeding down an infinite highway.  THAT is how I picture the Autobahn.  Millions of people have heard references to the famed speedway, but what exactly is it?  Is it a motorway system that lasts an eternity without a speed limit or a racetrack for the fastest cars in the world?  In today’s blog, we break down WHAT the Autobahn is and how you can see it for yourself.

The Autobahn, by definition, is a superhighway or expressway in Germany that stands as one of the last places on earth where you can drive as fast as you want.  The highway is in no means a free-for-all, with some sections of the autobahn having speed limits, though great stretches still remain unrestricted. 

The Autobahn national highway system stretches over 6,800 miles and is designed to connect all of Germany’s major metropolitan areas.  The presumption is that there are unlimited speeds on the entire Autobahn, but many heavily trafficked sections of the freeway have speed limits in the 50 to 75 mph range. The suggested speed for the unlimited sections is 81 mph, though various speedsters and adrenaline seekers routinely break the fold.

So, you must be wondering HOW fast someone has ventured into the record books.  Well, in 1938, driver Rudolf Caracciola set an autobahn speed record of 268.8 mph.  WOW.