What car model range had the biggest power differential?

[272BHP]

This weeks Autocar back pages listed a few cars that had hefty differentials between the least powered and highest powered models in a models official production run.

A few obvious contenders were the Vauxhall Carlton and the Renault Megane and the Audi 80.

But from what I read the winner was the W124 Mercedes produced between 1984-1997 that had a 2.0 diesel with 71 BHP and also an AMG E60 with 376 BHP.

Can this be beaten?

[p1stonhead]

Maybe 518d (148bhp) to M5CS (626bhp) ?

Numbers according to Wikipedia

[Leon R]

W140?

3.0 Diesel 174 hp vs 7.3 AMG 524 hp.

[Muddle238]

I don't know what the numbers were but surely Aston Martin is in for a shout when they were selling the Cygnet alongside whatever the "normal" contemporary models were at the time.

[Leon R]

Dodge challenger?

3.5 V6 250 hp vs SRT Demon 170 with 1025 hp.

[scorcher]

Muddle238 said:

I don't know what the numbers were but surely Aston Martin is in for a shout when they were selling the Cygnet alongside whatever the "normal" contemporary models were at the time.

Not the same model though is it

[CoreyDog]

scorcher said:

Not the same model though is it

A 6.0 V12 Cygnet would have been a laugh for about 10 seconds before putting you in a hedge!

[PBCD]

CoreyDog said:

A 6.0 V12 Cygnet would have been a laugh...

Not quite a V12, but there was a one off V8 conversion:

[272BHP]

To be fair it must be a proper production model from the manufacturer and from the same model generation.

The W124 still wins from what I can see with a differential of 530%

The Vauxhall Carlton (1986 - 1994) comes closest with a differential of 524% - 2.3 diesel with 71 BHP and the Lotus Carlton with 372 BHP

Must be some other contenders?

[Scrump]

Metro went from 34bhp up to around 400bhp (only 250bhp in clubman trim!).

[Leon R]

Is the rule the total HP difference?

376 - 71 = 305

1025 - 250 = 775.

[p1stonhead]

Leon R said:

Is the rule the total HP difference?

376 - 71 = 305

1025 - 250 = 775.

Dodge Demon?

[Tam_Mullen]

G-Wagen? Wiki suggests a spread from a 117hp 4 banger to the 621hp V12, which I’ll admit I didn’t know they did.

[s p a c e m a n]

W463 G Wagon?

Diesel was 93bhp
V12 was 621bhp

[Cold]

272BHP said:

To be fair it must be a proper production model from the manufacturer and from the same model generation.

The W124 still wins from what I can see with a differential of 530%

The Vauxhall Carlton (1986 - 1994) comes closest with a differential of 524% - 2.3 diesel with 71 BHP and the Lotus Carlton with 372 BHP

Must be some other contenders?

Pedants Corner will tell you that the Lotus Carlton had 377bhp.

[DodgyGeezer]

I'd have been looking at Dodge for the largest power differential

[272BHP]

s p a c e m a n said:

W463 G Wagon?

Diesel was 93bhp
V12 was 621bhp

Good shout.

668%

Can't see that being beaten.

[Teddy Lop]

What's the difference between the entry level Brazilian beetle and the hottest 911?

[E63eeeeee...]

Tam_Mullen said:

G-Wagen? Wiki suggests a spread from a 117hp 4 banger to the 621hp V12, which I’ll admit I didn’t know they did.

That's got to be a good shout. If you go from the 70bhp diesel to the Brabus 800 that's 1100%

[gotoPzero]

I think the lowest output C6 A6 was 168bhp?
Top was RS6 at 571.
Delta of 403.