How much power is enough? 200bhp per tonne?
Discussion
mollytherocker said:
So how much do you NEED to have some fun?
My 993 has 272bhp and weighs 1370kg. This equates to just under 200bhp per tonne. I have driven much more powerful cars but I reckon I have enough.
Thoughts?
MTR
My old elise had about 160bhp, and weighed just under 800Kg with me in it. That's over 200bhp/tonne, but I recon the car could have done with quite a bit more...My 993 has 272bhp and weighs 1370kg. This equates to just under 200bhp per tonne. I have driven much more powerful cars but I reckon I have enough.
Thoughts?
MTR
C
GravelBen said:
Its not particularly relevant IMO - for example a Mk1 MX5 has 120 bhp/ton and is more fun than a heavier, duller car with 200 bhp/ton.
This. Besides which you have to have something over 300 bhp per tonne before acceleration in itself is even remotely exciting IMO.Also, BHP / Tonne really doesn't tell the full story. My E36 328 is as fast with 140 bhp / tonne as my DC2 was with 180 bhp / tonne TBH.
GravelBen said:
Its not particularly relevant IMO - for example a Mk1 MX5 has 120 bhp/ton and is more fun than a heavier, duller car with 200 bhp/ton.
Agreed. Think of all the old hot hatches: Clio Willams, 205 GTI, Mk2 Golf GTI etc. Great fun and less than 200bhp per tonne.
Plenty of big German barges have 200bhp per tonne. They can be impressive in certain ways, but not what I would call 'fun'.
Has to be said, it's not what you have, it's how you use it.
Witness the many threads complaining about drivers who don't appear to be able to use whatever ratio they have but try to impede others who want to make legal progress.
However, assuming the power can be reasonably utilised, you can never have too much.
Might need winter tyres on occasion of course.
Witness the many threads complaining about drivers who don't appear to be able to use whatever ratio they have but try to impede others who want to make legal progress.
However, assuming the power can be reasonably utilised, you can never have too much.
Might need winter tyres on occasion of course.
Being sensible here for a bit. My bike is way to much for the road and ditto for the car, I've downgraded gradually over the past few years, as I was getting a bit too carried away.
In fact the most fun I've had was messing about for 3 months waiting on my new car in an 11 year old Vito 110. It was nice having to work the nuts off it to get a move on, great for vision and also no chance of losing my licence.
In fact the most fun I've had was messing about for 3 months waiting on my new car in an 11 year old Vito 110. It was nice having to work the nuts off it to get a move on, great for vision and also no chance of losing my licence.
R1 Loon said:
Being sensible here for a bit. My bike is way to much for the road and ditto for the car, I've downgraded gradually over the past few years, as I was getting a bit too carried away.
In fact the most fun I've had was messing about for 3 months waiting on my new car in an 11 year old Vito 110. It was nice having to work the nuts off it to get a move on, great for vision and also no chance of losing my licence.
I'll take that bet In fact the most fun I've had was messing about for 3 months waiting on my new car in an 11 year old Vito 110. It was nice having to work the nuts off it to get a move on, great for vision and also no chance of losing my licence.
Horses for courses. A 200bhp per ton 4 cylinder that needs it's nuts ringing off in every gear to make max hp compared to a 200bhp per ton yank with a lazy v8 would feel totally different even if they level up on paper, so even the power delivery would be up for debate. Given that some sort of lotus 7 kit car is going to be a completely different beast to a mustang, I'd personally still take the heavier car with more hp from a larger capacity engine as I prefer to waft along rather than dart everywhere like an angry wasp.
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