How much slower is a car with a passenger?

The middle car of 2,929 is 2.8% slower to 60 mph, simulated with an 80 kg passenger aboard — for that car, the BMW M3 Competition Package E92, 3.83 s becomes 3.94 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 Toyota Aygo 1.0 VVT-i (Mk2) loses 1.10 s while the Lola T296 BMW loses -0.01 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 Toyota Aygo 1.0 VVT-i (Mk2) (2014): 12.52 s to 60 mph normally, 13.62 s with an 80 kg passenger aboard — 1.10 s worse, or 8.8%.

Is any car quicker with an 80 kg passenger aboard?

Yes — 2 of them. The biggest gain is the Lola T296 BMW, 0.01 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 with an 80 kg passenger aboard, forced-induction cars lose 2.5% on average against 3.5% for naturally aspirated ones and 2.5% 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 passenger 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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What does a passenger cost you?

Run with an 80 kg passenger aboard, the middle car of 2,929 is 2.8% slower to 60 mph — for that car, the BMW M3 Competition Package E92, 3.83 s becomes 3.94 s. The worst affected is the Toyota Aygo 1.0 VVT-i (Mk2), which loses 1.10 s (8.8%). 2 cars are actually quicker, led by the Lola T296 BMW at 0.01 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 with an 80 kg passenger aboard — and the difference is what is reported here.

Why it happens

Eighty kilograms is a bigger fraction of a light car than of a heavy one, so the penalty is not the same for everybody. It also does something a spec sheet cannot show: extra weight adds grip as well as mass, so a car that was spinning its wheels can occasionally lose almost nothing.

Worst affected

#	Car	Year	Normal	Passenger	Lost	Worse by
1	Toyota Aygo 1.0 VVT-i (Mk2)	2014	12.52 s	13.62 s	+1.10 s	8.8%
2	Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ Coda Tronca	1961	11.31 s	12.29 s	+0.97 s	8.6%
3	MG Metro Turbo	1982	10.69 s	11.60 s	+0.92 s	8.6%
4	Opel Corsa GSI A	1988	9.34 s	10.14 s	+0.80 s	8.5%
5	Fiat 500 1.2	2007	11.70 s	12.69 s	+0.99 s	8.5%
6	Daihatsu Charade GTti UK spec	1987	8.74 s	9.49 s	+0.74 s	8.5%
7	Porsche 356 B 2000 GS Carrera 2 Coupe	1962	8.57 s	9.29 s	+0.72 s	8.4%
8	Peugeot 205 GTI 1.6l	1984	9.36 s	10.13 s	+0.78 s	8.3%
9	VW Polo G40 2F	1991	8.32 s	9.00 s	+0.68 s	8.2%
10	Lotus Elise S2	2006	5.71 s	6.17 s	+0.47 s	8.2%
11	Suzuki Swift 1.2 Dualjet	2017	10.85 s	11.73 s	+0.88 s	8.1%
12	VW Golf GTI 1.8 Mk I	1982	8.65 s	9.35 s	+0.70 s	8.1%
13	Volkswagen up! 1.0	2012	13.07 s	14.12 s	+1.05 s	8.0%
14	Kia Picanto 1.0 (Mk3)	2017	12.99 s	14.03 s	+1.04 s	8.0%
15	Lotus Esprit S1	1975	7.26 s	7.84 s	+0.58 s	8.0%
16	Opel Speedster Turbo	2015	4.69 s	5.05 s	+0.36 s	7.7%
17	Lotus Elise S1	1996	5.53 s	5.96 s	+0.42 s	7.7%
18	Rover Metro GTI	1990	8.43 s	9.08 s	+0.65 s	7.7%
19	Ford Escort RS2000 Mk II	1975	9.04 s	9.73 s	+0.69 s	7.7%
20	Porsche 912	1965	11.85 s	12.76 s	+0.90 s	7.6%
21	Caterham Seven 485 R	2014	3.94 s	4.23 s	+0.30 s	7.6%
22	Honda Civic 1.5 ISI	1992	10.12 s	10.88 s	+0.77 s	7.6%
23	Citroen C3 PureTech 83 (Mk3)	2018	12.11 s	13.02 s	+0.92 s	7.6%
24	Ford Escort XR3i Mk IV	1986	10.17 s	10.94 s	+0.76 s	7.5%
25	Lotus Elise Club Racer	2015	7.05 s	7.57 s	+0.53 s	7.5%
26	Porsche Carrera RS 3.0	1974	5.14 s	5.52 s	+0.38 s	7.5%
27	VW Scirocco II GTI 16V Mk II	1986	8.26 s	8.87 s	+0.62 s	7.5%
28	MG MGA Twin-Cam Roadster Mk I	1960	11.99 s	12.89 s	+0.89 s	7.5%
29	Mazda MX-5 1.6 Mk I	1990	8.81 s	9.47 s	+0.66 s	7.5%
30	Caterham 7 HPC	1990	5.05 s	5.42 s	+0.37 s	7.4%
31	Alfa Romeo Spider 1600 Duetto	1966	10.81 s	11.60 s	+0.80 s	7.4%
32	TVR S2	1986	6.35 s	6.82 s	+0.46 s	7.3%
33	Ford Fiesta	1990	7.58 s	8.13 s	+0.55 s	7.2%
34	Porsche Carrera RS 2.7	1972	5.38 s	5.76 s	+0.39 s	7.2%
35	Lotus Elise S2 111S	2002	5.74 s	6.16 s	+0.41 s	7.2%
36	Fiat Strada 130TC Abarth	1983	7.77 s	8.33 s	+0.55 s	7.1%
37	Fiat Uno Turbo Mk II	1991	8.44 s	9.04 s	+0.60 s	7.1%
38	Peugeot 309 GTI	1987	8.64 s	9.25 s	+0.61 s	7.1%
39	Ford Escort RS1700 T	1982	5.53 s	5.93 s	+0.39 s	7.1%
40	Shelby Cobra 260 S/C CSX2000	1962	4.23 s	4.53 s	+0.30 s	7.1%
41	Renault 5 GT Turbo 2	1986	7.87 s	8.42 s	+0.55 s	7.0%
42	Ford Escort RS Turbo S2	1986	8.17 s	8.74 s	+0.57 s	7.0%
43	Abarth 124 Spider	2016	6.18 s	6.61 s	+0.43 s	7.0%
44	Lotus Elise 111R	2004	5.60 s	5.99 s	+0.39 s	7.0%
45	Lotus Exige	2004	5.32 s	5.69 s	+0.37 s	7.0%
46	Toyota Mr2 aw11 1.6	1985	8.20 s	8.77 s	+0.57 s	6.9%
47	Porsche 911 2L	1964	7.96 s	8.51 s	+0.55 s	6.9%
48	Lancia Delta HF Turbo	1983	8.68 s	9.28 s	+0.60 s	6.9%
49	Lotus Elise 135R	2001	5.46 s	5.83 s	+0.37 s	6.8%
50	Renault 5 Turbo Phase I	1980	5.82 s	6.22 s	+0.40 s	6.8%
51	VW Golf GTI 16V Mk II 139 PS	1986	8.08 s	8.63 s	+0.55 s	6.8%
52	Lotus Eclat S2 Type 84	1982	6.49 s	6.93 s	+0.44 s	6.8%
53	Mazda RX-7	1979	9.34 s	9.97 s	+0.63 s	6.8%
54	Honda CRX 1.6 i AF/AS	1984	7.28 s	7.77 s	+0.49 s	6.8%
55	MINI Cooper	2006	8.49 s	9.06 s	+0.57 s	6.8%
56	Caterham R300 Superlight	2002	4.16 s	4.44 s	+0.28 s	6.7%
57	Citroen Saxo VTR 1.6i	1997	8.62 s	9.20 s	+0.58 s	6.7%
58	Honda Civic Shuttle 1.6i 4WD Mk IV	1990	9.41 s	10.04 s	+0.63 s	6.7%
59	Datsun 240Z	1970	9.02 s	9.62 s	+0.60 s	6.7%
60	Alfa Romeo 33 S 16 V - Permanent 4	1990	8.22 s	8.76 s	+0.55 s	6.6%

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	Passenger	Lost	Worse by
1	Lola T296 BMW	1976	3.76 s	3.75 s	+-0.01 s	-0.3%
2	Aston Martin DB4 Zagato	1960	8.49 s	8.47 s	+-0.02 s	-0.2%
3	Caterham Super Seven RST V8-Levante Supercharged	2004	2.93 s	2.92 s	+-0.00 s	-0.2%
4	Porsche 935 J	1979	3.72 s	3.72 s	+-0.00 s	-0.1%
5	Stealth B6	2000	3.26 s	3.25 s	+-0.00 s	-0.1%
6	Porsche 911 GT1-98 Straßenversion 996	1998	3.52 s	3.51 s	+-0.00 s	-0.1%
7	Mercedes-Benz W17	2026	2.41 s	2.41 s	+-0.00 s	-0.1%
8	Porsche 911 GT1 993	1996	3.65 s	3.65 s	+-0.00 s	-0.1%
9	9ff GTurbo R	2011	3.24 s	3.23 s	+-0.00 s	-0.1%
10	Mclaren MCL39	2025	2.22 s	2.22 s	+-0.00 s	-0.1%
11	Ad Tramontana Tramontana R	2009	3.30 s	3.30 s	+-0.00 s	-0.1%
12	Lotec C1000	1991	3.43 s	3.42 s	+-0.00 s	-0.1%
13	9ff V400 996	2004	4.01 s	4.01 s	+-0.00 s	-0.1%
14	Toyota GT-One TS020	1999	3.37 s	3.37 s	+-0.00 s	-0.1%
15	Isotta Fraschini Tipo 6 LMH Strada	2024	2.49 s	2.49 s	+-0.00 s	-0.1%
16	Praga Bohema	2023	3.06 s	3.06 s	+-0.00 s	-0.1%
17	Gumpert Apollo Sport	2007	3.24 s	3.24 s	+-0.00 s	-0.1%
18	Audi R10 TDI	2006	2.32 s	2.32 s	+-0.00 s	-0.1%
19	Porsche 917/10 Spyder	1971	1.82 s	1.82 s	+-0.00 s	-0.1%
20	Pagani Huayra BC Roadster	2019	3.32 s	3.32 s	+-0.00 s	-0.1%

A negative figure is a car that is quicker with an 80 kg passenger aboard. Those cars are traction-limited: less power reaching the road means less wheelspin, and they leave the line more cleanly for it.

Toyota Aygo 1.0 VVT-i (Mk2) Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ Coda Tronca

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 with a passenger?: The middle car of 2,929 is 2.8% slower to 60 mph, simulated with an 80 kg passenger aboard — for that car, the BMW M3 Competition Package E92, 3.83 s becomes 3.94 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 Toyota Aygo 1.0 VVT-i (Mk2) loses 1.10 s while the Lola T296 BMW loses -0.01 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 Toyota Aygo 1.0 VVT-i (Mk2) (2014): 12.52 s to 60 mph normally, 13.62 s with an 80 kg passenger aboard — 1.10 s worse, or 8.8%.
Is any car quicker with an 80 kg passenger aboard?: Yes — 2 of them. The biggest gain is the Lola T296 BMW, 0.01 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 with an 80 kg passenger aboard, forced-induction cars lose 2.5% on average against 3.5% for naturally aspirated ones and 2.5% 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 passenger 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.