BHP... how much is too much?
Discussion
Not in super/sport/race/hyper cars, I mean in your bog standard everyday hatch/estate/saloon/MPV type car.
How much power do you actually need day to day?.. I reckon 150bhp should be enough in a 2 ton car (75bhp per ton)
I'm thinking here of why they make cars that can't handle it... like the Vectra VXR
How much power do you actually need day to day?.. I reckon 150bhp should be enough in a 2 ton car (75bhp per ton)
I'm thinking here of why they make cars that can't handle it... like the Vectra VXR
Sorry what I mean is... if you want a sports car buy one.
Don't by an overpowered rep-mobile and then complain when the kids are sick, your spine has shattered and the torque steer fired you into a tree.
So at what point in the power range should you stop looking at the mundane and start looking at purpose built faster models?
Anything over 150hp stop thinking Astra and start looking at M series BMW's
Don't by an overpowered rep-mobile and then complain when the kids are sick, your spine has shattered and the torque steer fired you into a tree.
So at what point in the power range should you stop looking at the mundane and start looking at purpose built faster models?
Anything over 150hp stop thinking Astra and start looking at M series BMW's
leafspring said:
I'm thinking here of why they make cars that can't handle it... like the Vectra VXR
Like the Vectra VXR they rated as pretty good in EVO mag?http://www.evo.co.uk/carreviews/cargrouptests/6518...
Perhaps they wanted to make sure that they got future Vauxhall press demos ......
kambites said:
I think 60 or 70bhp/tonne is enough for people who are only going to view a car as transport.
I tend to find that anything over about 300bhp/tonne starts to detract from the driving experience on the road, but most will probably disagree.
I would go with this, I think that the sweet spot for fast road use lies somewhere between 200 and 300bhp/ton. Probably nearer the lower end of that range to be honest.I tend to find that anything over about 300bhp/tonne starts to detract from the driving experience on the road, but most will probably disagree.
I have ~155bhp in <1200kg, (129bhp/ton) and I'd say it was quick enough day to day. But it's not in any way "fast", although with no traction control whatsoever you still have to be careful in the wet. I think it would be best with around 200bhp but wouldn't want any more with no TC and FWD.
From time to time I borrow the same car but with 90bhp (although it's a povvo spec saloon so around 1100kg) and it's actually ok with 81bhp/ton, just runs out of puff on motorways a bit earlier, but it's geared slightly shorter so real-world it's perfectly driveable.
When I drive the pool cars at work, mk6 golf 1.6 103bhp, and they are tediously slow.
From time to time I borrow the same car but with 90bhp (although it's a povvo spec saloon so around 1100kg) and it's actually ok with 81bhp/ton, just runs out of puff on motorways a bit earlier, but it's geared slightly shorter so real-world it's perfectly driveable.
When I drive the pool cars at work, mk6 golf 1.6 103bhp, and they are tediously slow.
aarondbs said:
Your right foot does not sit on an on off switch....there is fun to be had regulating the power and speed of a car to within its, yours, the cars or the situations safe and practical limits.
Indeed, but equally there's fun to be had from compensating for a car's lack of straight-line speed, and for me that's the greater of the two past a certain point. I'd rather have moderate power and low grip levels than high power and high grip levels or high power and moderate grip levels, if that makes sense.
leafspring said:
Not in super/sport/race/hyper cars, I mean in your bog standard everyday hatch/estate/saloon/MPV type car.
How much power do you actually need day to day?.. I reckon 150bhp should be enough in a 2 ton car (75bhp per ton)
I'm thinking here of why they make cars that can't handle it... like the Vectra VXR
Get out!How much power do you actually need day to day?.. I reckon 150bhp should be enough in a 2 ton car (75bhp per ton)
I'm thinking here of why they make cars that can't handle it... like the Vectra VXR
It's never enough!
I've got a '96 Golf VR6, it's about 170 odd Bhp, no idea how much it weighs though. They weren't the best handling Golfs but power wise it's great, easy to make good progress, and still plenty fast enough four up with luggage. Not great on mpg but I don't think you need more power than this in a family hatch. I'd say the power is well matched to the size and weight of the car (and its handling/road holding qualities)
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