What's all this about then?

[zebraman]

I just noticed (first time on the motorway in this car) that the calibration on the speedometer changes at 80mph on our Polo 1.2 60hp
It changes from each segment corresponding to 10mph, to 20.

This make no sense to me. It means that once you get to 80mph (where legal, on the Autobahn for instance) you have to be very careful not to find yourself nearer 90.
And this is surprisingly easy even in the 1.2 60hp version.

Fortunately it's not accurate and at an indicated 80 the car is actually doing 74. But even so, changing the calibration at 80 seems absurd.

I imagine it's so every version can have the same instrument dials, without the lower powered versions not being able to push the needle more than half way round.

[vc-10]

The Golf 6 has this, as does the Skoda Superb, and I'm sure most other VW Group cars. My mum has a Superb, and was quite surprised when she thought she was at 85 and was actually at 90 when she looked closer. Not a clever idea IMO.