Review: America’s Autobahn [Texas State Highway 130]

We sample America\’s highest speed limit.

Opened to much fanfare about a year ago, Texas State Highway 130 has quickly gained a reputation as America’s Autobahn – and that’s not just because it circles within revving distance of the Formula One Circuit of the Americas race track outside of Austin.

No, SH 130 grabbed headlines because of its 85 mph posted speed limit, which exists for about 41 miles of some of the finest pavement you’ll find anywhere in the world. That’s the highest posted speed limit you’ll find in the United States right now, and it essentially matches the “recommended” speed of 81 mph (130 km/h) on unmarked stretches of Germany’s famous Autobahns.

Naturally, we had to check it out. Our steed? A BMW 320i, the German automaker’s pokiest offering. A bad choice, you might say. Not necessarily: The latest 3-Series line has been reimagined as more of a highway cruiser than a corner carver and, as we discovered, the 320i proves that you don’t necessarily need a lot of power to enjoy the open road at high velocities.

A little background

Like virtually all new highways in Texas, SH 130 is a limited-access toll road. And, at over $8 without a toll transponder (you’ll get a bill in the mail based on information gleaned from your license plate), traversing the 85 mph portion from one end to the other is not a cheap way to go fast.

Designed to provide a clean shot around traffic-congested Austin’s Interstate 35, SH 130 either begins or ends (depending on your perspective) just north of the suburban community of Georgetown before culminating at Interstate 10 just west of San Antonio in the town of Seguin.

Look at SH 130 on a map and you’ll probably find that it doesn’t make all that much sense – it adds 22 miles to get from Georgetown to San Antonio. However, those aiming to reconnect with southbound I-35 will probably cut off of SH 130 near the town of Mustang Ridge, where SH 45 will take them back to I-35. That’s a 12 mile detour, but it is a time-saver given how much traffic there is on I-35 through Austin at any time of day.

But turning off at I-35 takes misses the fun of SH 130; between Mustang Ridge and Seguin, the road opens up to 85 mph for more than 40 miles past Lockhart, the barbeque capital of Texas, and a whole lot of nothing.

No, this isn’t quite the “wide open spaces” Texas is known for; to find those, you’ll need to hop on I-10 and go west of San Antonio to El Paso, where the speed limit is only 80 mph. SH 130, however, is imminently reachable for anyone who ventures to either Austin or San Antonio.

On the road

We entered SH 130 from the north off of I-35. At first, it seems like nothing special aside from the relative lack of traffic. Even at rush hour, SH 130 is pretty quiet up around Georgetown and, later, the easternmost stretches of Austin. Eventually, the road buzzes past Austin’s airport and, shortly thereafter, the Circuit of the Americas. You can drive a lot faster there, but it will cost more than a few bucks.

Then you enter Mustang Ridge, which is more a collection of trailers than a town. The road remains glassy smooth, but the speed limit signs jump to 85. As anyone who has ever done their best to elude a speeding ticket will tell you, 85 mph really means you can go just shy of 95 mph without attracting attention.

Your mileage may vary, of course, but our white 320i zipped right along without ruffling any feathers. Not that there were many to be seen: Only a smattering of cars could be found, none of which were Texas’ state troopers in their distinctive black and white Ford Crown Victorias.

You don’t need a fast-accelerating car to actually go fast on an Autobahn; once you’re up to speed, you merely need to maintain that velocity. And since SH 130 stays on the flat side of Texas’ Hill Country, this road is “set it and forget it” cruise control territory.

The 320i is rated at a modest 180 horsepower and 200 lb-ft. of torque, figures down 60 ponies and 55 torquies from the pricier 328i. Envisioned as more of a “lease rate special” than anything else, the 320i offers buyers a cheaper way to get into a 3-Series. Aside from offering only a smattering of options and trims, including BMW’s vaunted but increasingly watered-down Sport Package, it is merely a slower version of its siblings. That means it remains an excellent highway cruiser let down only by more wind rush around the side mirrors than we expected.

Still, on the only American road where you can legally move at Autobahn speeds, the 320i suits the bill just fine. `