How much HP is the optimum for a daily car ?

[S3000]

I have to go with 150 Bhp on a four door Sedan.. everything else is too much or underpowered.

Edited by S3000 on Monday 18th April 20:36

[Jonathan Legard]

987.

[insanojackson]

whats a salon sedan?

I dont do HP prefer to pay cash.

[DuncanM]

I think 200bhp is spot on as it makes overtaking on single carriageway that much easier .

For example, IS200 = Difficult to overtake, 200sx = quite easy.

Duncan

[MondeoMan1981]

I dont have any HP on my daily, more of a ketchup man

[S3000]

insanojackson said:

whats a salon sedan?

I dont do HP prefer to pay cash.

ok fixed... next !

[Deluded]

I manage fine with 70hp. Helps that the car weighs around 750kg though.

[v8will]

More about power to weight ratio shirley?

My last Volvo had around 170BHP/Tonne which was more than enough for everyday use.

[thinfourth2]

DuncanM said:

I think 200bhp is spot on as it makes overtaking on single carriageway that much easier .

For example, IS200 = Difficult to overtake, 200sx = quite easy.

Duncan

As a driver of a 70bhp ford slocus I think you need look at your method of overtaking if you have difficultl with a IS200

[McSam]

v8will said:

More about power to weight ratio shirley?

My last Volvo had around 170BHP/Tonne which was more than enough for everyday use.

This, power-to-weight is how you're going to feel your performance on the road.

Now I have 150bhp and 1280kg and it's fine for most things, but I would love more. The plan says I'll have 265bhp and 1500kg soon, and then after a year or so I shall probably want more than that.

What you're used to will play a massive part in what you're prepared to live with on a daily basis, as well as how and where you tend to drive on the road. I do a lot of country road stuff at fairly quiet times, so much power would be nice. If I lived in a city and drove at peak times, I wouldn't really be arsed.

[Jam Spavlin]

anything less than 500 is just risking your life, make it a round 1000 just to be safe.

[pilchardthecat]

I find 343bhp is about right, 235bhp/tonne.

[mrmr96]

In and average saloon or coupe I reckon 150 to 200 bhp is a good level for me. (I can't stand driving slow cars but I don't think 200bhp is excessive for a daily.)

[anonymous-user]

300bhp/ton?..................I'm sure he'll be along in a minute.......

[ambuletz]

depends on your driving style. In some cases torque might be more important then overral HP.
110-1230hp turbo diesel?

[stewjohnst]

I make do with 180 but my drove to work is four straight Roman roads with clear vis for half a mile at a time if I want to overtake and then some twist country lanes that are always clear.

There are times where if I still had a car with 280bhp I'd overtake stuff but now I just look at the gap and leave it, I can't enjoy driving if my head is in the windscreen of an oncoming car...

Eta, my commute at the minute is 10-15 minutes so overtaking is rarely a massive timesaver

[Zoki]

250.

[Mastodon2]

225bhp (at the least) in a hatchback seems to do for me

[Muncher]

Interesting one, in my fleet Mk3 Golf has 63bhp and feels plenty enough to be honest, 320ED has 163bhp which is far more than most people could reasonably want and my VX220SC which has 265bhp which I would say is about right for that sort of car.

[Willy Nilly]

My car has power only in 2 figures. Overtakes need planning, but I can still only go as fast as the traffic and it has enough to get me into ban territory.