How much slower is a car at altitude?

The middle car of 2,929 is 5.9% slower to 60 mph, simulated at 1,600 m above sea level — for that car, the Nissan 180SX, 6.06 s becomes 6.41 s. That is the middle of the losses, not the middle of the field: the spread is very wide and the median is the honest number here: the VW Touareg V6 Mk I loses 2.32 s while the Ruf BTR 3.4 loses -0.26 s, so an average would be pulled a long way from anything a reader is likely to be driving.

Which car is worst affected?

The VW Touareg V6 Mk I (2005): 10.42 s to 60 mph normally, 12.74 s at 1,600 m above sea level — 2.32 s worse, or 22.2%.

Is any car quicker at 1,600 m above sea level?

Yes — 34 of them. The biggest gain is the Ruf BTR 3.4, 0.26 s BETTER. It is not a mistake: those cars are traction-limited, so anything that reduces the power reaching the road also reduces wheelspin, and they leave the line more cleanly than they do at full power.

Does it hit turbocharged and naturally aspirated cars differently?

Yes. Simulated at 1,600 m above sea level, forced-induction cars lose 3.4% on average against 15.1% for naturally aspirated ones and -0.2% for electric cars. That gap is the point: a spec sheet quotes one number per car and cannot show it.

Are these real measured times?

No. Both the normal and the altitude figure are produced by the same physics simulation, each car modelled from its published mass, power, drivetrain and gearing and trimmed to its own published acceleration figures. What is meaningful here is the difference between two runs of the same car under rules that differ in exactly one respect.

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How much does altitude cost a car?

Run at 1,600 m above sea level, the middle car of 2,929 is 5.9% slower to 60 mph — for that car, the Nissan 180SX, 6.06 s becomes 6.41 s. The worst affected is the VW Touareg V6 Mk I, which loses 2.32 s (22.2%). 34 cars are actually quicker, led by the Ruf BTR 3.4 at 0.26 s better — a car that was traction-limited gains more from spinning its wheels less than it loses elsewhere.

Simulated, not measured. Every car is run twice under identical rules — once at 20 °C on dry asphalt at sea level, once at 1,600 m above sea level — and the difference is what is reported here.

Why it happens

Thinner air means less oxygen for the engine and less drag for the body. A naturally aspirated engine simply makes less power. A turbocharged one can raise boost to compensate and gives away far less — which is why the two kinds of engine separate on this page rather than moving together.

Worst affected

#	Car	Year	Normal	Altitude	Lost	Worse by
1	VW Touareg V6 Mk I	2005	10.42 s	12.74 s	+2.32 s	22.2%
2	Lamborghini Diablo SE30	1993	3.54 s	4.32 s	+0.79 s	22.2%
3	Mercedes-Benz C 200 CDI	2007	9.83 s	12.00 s	+2.17 s	22.1%
4	Honda Insight	2009	11.88 s	14.49 s	+2.61 s	22.0%
5	Porsche Cayenne Mk I	2005	9.24 s	11.27 s	+2.03 s	22.0%
6	De Lorean DMC-12 USA spec	1978	9.84 s	11.99 s	+2.15 s	21.9%
7	Mercedes-Benz 600 W100	1964	9.28 s	11.29 s	+2.02 s	21.8%
8	Bitter CD Coupe Diplomat	1973	9.32 s	11.35 s	+2.03 s	21.7%
9	Audi V8 Quattro 3.6	1988	9.12 s	11.10 s	+1.98 s	21.7%
10	Volkswagen up! 1.0	2012	13.07 s	15.91 s	+2.83 s	21.7%
11	Kia Picanto 1.0 (Mk3)	2017	12.99 s	15.80 s	+2.81 s	21.6%
12	Rolls-Royce Corniche	2015	7.62 s	9.27 s	+1.65 s	21.6%
13	BMW 525Xi	2007	7.50 s	9.12 s	+1.62 s	21.6%
14	Toyota Aygo 1.0 VVT-i (Mk2)	2014	12.52 s	15.22 s	+2.70 s	21.5%
15	Mercedes-Benz ML 350	2005	7.34 s	8.92 s	+1.58 s	21.5%
16	Mitsubishi Outlander GT	2010	7.24 s	8.80 s	+1.56 s	21.5%
17	BMW X3 3.0i	2015	7.19 s	8.73 s	+1.55 s	21.5%
18	Jaguar XJ6 4.0	1990	8.42 s	10.23 s	+1.81 s	21.5%
19	Audi A6 2.8 FSI quattro	2008	7.22 s	8.78 s	+1.55 s	21.5%
20	Audi 90 2.3 E 20v Quattro B3	1988	8.04 s	9.76 s	+1.73 s	21.5%
21	Porsche 911 2L	1964	7.96 s	9.67 s	+1.71 s	21.5%
22	Toyota Supra 3.0i (Euro Spec) A70	1986	8.10 s	9.83 s	+1.74 s	21.5%
23	Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.6	1986	7.96 s	9.67 s	+1.71 s	21.5%
24	Citroen C3 PureTech 83 (Mk3)	2018	12.11 s	14.70 s	+2.59 s	21.4%
25	GMC Envoy Denali	2009	6.85 s	8.32 s	+1.47 s	21.4%
26	Audi Q7 4.2 FSI Mk I	2007	6.88 s	8.35 s	+1.47 s	21.4%
27	Renault Laguna Coupe GT 3.5 V6	2008	6.84 s	8.31 s	+1.46 s	21.4%
28	Lexus IS 250	2006	7.06 s	8.57 s	+1.51 s	21.4%
29	Audi Q5 3.2 FSI quattro 8R	2009	6.58 s	7.99 s	+1.41 s	21.4%
30	Cadillac Escalade	2009	6.50 s	7.89 s	+1.39 s	21.4%
31	Mercedes-Benz GLK 350 X204 272 PS	2008	6.60 s	8.01 s	+1.41 s	21.4%
32	Fiat 500 1.2	2007	11.70 s	14.20 s	+2.50 s	21.4%
33	Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165	1986	7.58 s	9.20 s	+1.62 s	21.4%
34	Mazda MX-5 2.0 Mk III	2005	6.56 s	7.96 s	+1.40 s	21.4%
35	Nissan Versa 1.6 N17	2011	10.56 s	12.82 s	+2.26 s	21.4%
36	Alfa Romeo Spider 3.2 JTS V6 Q4	2007	6.65 s	8.08 s	+1.42 s	21.4%
37	Alfa Romeo 159 Sportwagon 3.2 V6 JTS Q4	2006	6.45 s	7.83 s	+1.38 s	21.3%
38	Acura ZDX	2010	6.40 s	7.76 s	+1.36 s	21.3%
39	MG MGA Twin-Cam Roadster Mk I	1960	11.99 s	14.55 s	+2.56 s	21.3%
40	Porsche 912	1965	11.85 s	14.38 s	+2.52 s	21.3%
41	Infiniti FX45	2005	6.32 s	7.66 s	+1.35 s	21.3%
42	Subaru SVX LSL	1991	7.32 s	8.88 s	+1.56 s	21.3%
43	Skoda Superb Combi 3.6 V6 4x4 Mk II	2009	6.42 s	7.78 s	+1.37 s	21.3%
44	BMW X5 4.8i E70	2007	6.25 s	7.58 s	+1.33 s	21.3%
45	Infiniti FX 37	2009	6.22 s	7.55 s	+1.32 s	21.3%
46	Alfa Romeo Brera 3.2 JTS V6 Q4	2006	6.19 s	7.51 s	+1.32 s	21.3%
47	Alfa Romeo 164 Q4 3.0 V6 24v	1993	7.24 s	8.78 s	+1.54 s	21.3%
48	VW Golf VR6 2.9 Syncro Mk III	1994	7.18 s	8.70 s	+1.53 s	21.3%
49	MG ZT 260	2005	6.33 s	7.67 s	+1.34 s	21.2%
50	Lamborghini Diablo VT	1993	4.30 s	5.22 s	+0.91 s	21.2%
51	Isuzu Impuse RS	1991	7.01 s	8.49 s	+1.49 s	21.2%
52	Porsche Cayenne S Mk I facelift	2007	6.16 s	7.47 s	+1.31 s	21.2%
53	Porsche Panamera 4 V6	2010	6.16 s	7.46 s	+1.31 s	21.2%
54	Audi A5 Cabriolet 3.2 8F7	2009	6.11 s	7.41 s	+1.30 s	21.2%
55	MINI Cooper	2006	8.49 s	10.28 s	+1.80 s	21.2%
56	Audi A4 3.2 Quattro Avant B8	2008	6.04 s	7.32 s	+1.28 s	21.2%
57	Volvo S 80 V8 AWD	2006	6.05 s	7.33 s	+1.28 s	21.2%
58	Jensen Interceptor III V8 7.2 Cabriolet	1975	7.37 s	8.93 s	+1.56 s	21.2%
59	BMW 330xi	2005	6.00 s	7.27 s	+1.27 s	21.2%
60	Infiniti QX56	2008	7.57 s	9.17 s	+1.60 s	21.2%

Ranked by how much of its own 0-60 each car gives away, not by seconds — otherwise the list would simply be the slowest cars in the set.

Least affected — and the ones that gain

#	Car	Year	Normal	Altitude	Lost	Worse by
1	Ruf BTR 3.4	1983	4.16 s	3.90 s	+-0.26 s	-6.3%
2	Renault Zoe R135	2019	8.52 s	8.46 s	+-0.06 s	-0.7%
3	Aston Martin DB4 Zagato	1960	8.49 s	8.43 s	+-0.05 s	-0.6%
4	Renault 11 Turbo	2015	7.93 s	7.88 s	+-0.05 s	-0.6%
5	MG MG4 EV Long Range	2022	7.07 s	7.03 s	+-0.04 s	-0.5%
6	Toyota Mirai	2015	8.61 s	8.57 s	+-0.04 s	-0.5%
7	Kia e-Niro 64 kWh	2018	6.99 s	6.95 s	+-0.03 s	-0.5%
8	Hyundai Kona Electric 64 kWh	2018	6.81 s	6.78 s	+-0.03 s	-0.5%
9	Volkswagen ID.3 Pro Performance	2020	6.52 s	6.49 s	+-0.03 s	-0.5%
10	Lola T296 BMW	1976	3.76 s	3.75 s	+-0.02 s	-0.4%
11	MINI Cooper S Convertible	2009	7.08 s	7.05 s	+-0.03 s	-0.4%
12	Pontiac G6 GXP Street Edition Sedan	2008	5.63 s	5.61 s	+-0.02 s	-0.4%
13	De Tomaso Mangusta	1966	4.98 s	4.96 s	+-0.02 s	-0.4%
14	Skoda Enyaq iV 60/80 204 PS	2021	7.83 s	7.80 s	+-0.03 s	-0.3%
15	Nissan Leaf e+ 62kWh	2019	6.57 s	6.54 s	+-0.02 s	-0.3%
16	Mercedes-Benz ML 430	1999	7.86 s	7.83 s	+-0.03 s	-0.3%
17	Porsche 935 J	1979	3.72 s	3.71 s	+-0.01 s	-0.3%
18	Toyota bZ4X	2023	6.50 s	6.48 s	+-0.02 s	-0.3%
19	Polestar 2 Long Range Single Motor	2021	6.64 s	6.62 s	+-0.02 s	-0.3%
20	VW ID.4 GTX 340 PS	2024	5.31 s	5.30 s	+-0.01 s	-0.3%

A negative figure is a car that is quicker at 1,600 m above sea level. Those cars are traction-limited: less power reaching the road means less wheelspin, and they leave the line more cleanly for it.

VW Touareg V6 Mk I Lamborghini Diablo SE30

The two that suffer most, on the line together. Set the surface and the weather yourself and watch what it does.

Questions

How much slower is a car at altitude?: The middle car of 2,929 is 5.9% slower to 60 mph, simulated at 1,600 m above sea level — for that car, the Nissan 180SX, 6.06 s becomes 6.41 s. That is the middle of the losses, not the middle of the field: the spread is very wide and the median is the honest number here: the VW Touareg V6 Mk I loses 2.32 s while the Ruf BTR 3.4 loses -0.26 s, so an average would be pulled a long way from anything a reader is likely to be driving.
Which car is worst affected?: The VW Touareg V6 Mk I (2005): 10.42 s to 60 mph normally, 12.74 s at 1,600 m above sea level — 2.32 s worse, or 22.2%.
Is any car quicker at 1,600 m above sea level?: Yes — 34 of them. The biggest gain is the Ruf BTR 3.4, 0.26 s BETTER. It is not a mistake: those cars are traction-limited, so anything that reduces the power reaching the road also reduces wheelspin, and they leave the line more cleanly than they do at full power.
Does it hit turbocharged and naturally aspirated cars differently?: Yes. Simulated at 1,600 m above sea level, forced-induction cars lose 3.4% on average against 15.1% for naturally aspirated ones and -0.2% for electric cars. That gap is the point: a spec sheet quotes one number per car and cannot show it.
Are these real measured times?: No. Both the normal and the altitude figure are produced by the same physics simulation, each car modelled from its published mass, power, drivetrain and gearing and trimmed to its own published acceleration figures. What is meaningful here is the difference between two runs of the same car under rules that differ in exactly one respect.

Figures regenerated 2026-09-01. Every number on this page is computed by the simulator at build time, so the page and the app can never disagree.