[MTI]

Not sure about the 2.0, but on the 16V's they built the rev limiter into the fuel pump r...

Not sure about the 2.0, but on the 16V's they built the rev limiter into the fuel pump relay. Euro relays allowed higher rpms than the North American units. Typically what happens is that it shuts off fuel supply at a designated rpm, so the engine is fuel starved until you back off.

 

[RobinG]

But these type mechanisms can fail

I had a Saab 900 Turbo which also had the rev limiter built into fuel pump relay (I verified this by removing relay which was marked with 6000rpm limit). However I was in the car with a friend driving it cos I just got banned from driving, and due to an erm, "emergency situation" we had to make a quick getaway and I observed the needle going past the red and approx 1000rpm into the black after the red! (Redline came at abooout 6 and finished at about 8)

I am surprised the relay still worked when part of it had obviously broken.