What power is sensible for the road?
Discussion
It's more about what power to weight is sensible. I find 360/ton a bit mental on the roads, but in a good way. It's only as fast as you want it to be, aint half tempting though 
Theres plenty of cars with 300+ hp but weigh a lot and thus are not very fast. I do think 1000hp is overkill and probably appears to be more fun than it is... UNLESS.. it is delivered in a calm useable way. If you have an engine designed to give massive full throttle power but useable lower down, it's not a bad thing. Ideally if at normal speeds it runs on say 4 cylinders, then 8, then 16 depending on how hard you push it. Is that how the Veyron works? So the power and torque curve will be a constant surge.
Difference with say, a 1000bhp supra is that at given rpm when the turbo(s) spool you'll just get an almighty kick when all the power rushes in at once, making it a bit unuseable on the road.
Theres plenty of cars with 300+ hp but weigh a lot and thus are not very fast. I do think 1000hp is overkill and probably appears to be more fun than it is... UNLESS.. it is delivered in a calm useable way. If you have an engine designed to give massive full throttle power but useable lower down, it's not a bad thing. Ideally if at normal speeds it runs on say 4 cylinders, then 8, then 16 depending on how hard you push it. Is that how the Veyron works? So the power and torque curve will be a constant surge.
Difference with say, a 1000bhp supra is that at given rpm when the turbo(s) spool you'll just get an almighty kick when all the power rushes in at once, making it a bit unuseable on the road.
Max_Torque said:
I think at about 150bhp/ton, you have a car which is brisk enough to be fun and can overtake other slower cars ok. Any less than that and a lot of oportunities to overtake become too risky. Any more is not neccessary/useable really in modern road conditions in the UK ;-(
Completely Agree, any more is nice but its a good place imo.Mattt said:
I think realistically 200bhp/tonne is all that is needed - anything more is indulgence
I feel thats about right for an all year round daily driver, much more and that 5am rainy cold November morning when you've not slept well you need to do get somewhere you can find yourself cocking up a bit to easily.Edited by Mattt on Monday 3rd January 12:12
I'd agree with that.. if 200 bhp / tonne feels too slow, you might want to think about asking questions about your driving on the road.. nothing wrong with more power, but 200/ tonne should always feel more than ample. my car has 190 bhp, and weighs 1500kg, and its more than quick enough in the real world.
TheArchitect said:
Max_Torque said:
I think at about 150bhp/ton, you have a car which is brisk enough to be fun and can overtake other slower cars ok. Any less than that and a lot of oportunities to overtake become too risky. Any more is not neccessary/useable really in modern road conditions in the UK ;-(
Completely Agree, any more is nice but its a good place imo.J4CKO said:
I think we have lost our way a bit, the German power battle where we have 500/600 bhp monsters, that make all that power only to have it show as a flashing light on the dash until silly speeds (Unless 4wd), these kind of cars are epic but too competent and like a Eurofighter, that without the computers is unflyable for the pilot, for most, a 600 bhp Merc without the electronics would be a recipe for exiting the road very quickly, like my dads old boss that binned 2 of the original XJR's when 300 odd bhp didnt mix with a wet road.
How can they be too competent, but have the DSC light on all the time? I only see the DSC light when I make a mistake or I know that what I am doing will provoke it.Edit to fix quoting issue and bizarre unintentional swearing!
Edited by Zod on Monday 3rd January 17:48
I've got just under 200bhp in my 1500kg ish 328 and I think that's not far off. I like being able to actually use all the engines power occasionally without going liscence loosingly fast, but it's still powerfull enough to get the chassis moving about when you want it to. I do trackdays in it too and then it does sometimes feel a bit underpowered.
I had a 370bhp XJR for a year and to experience maximum power for more then a couple of seconds meant taking it out at night on fast, quiet roads. You just couldn't use it in normal everyday driving.
I had a 370bhp XJR for a year and to experience maximum power for more then a couple of seconds meant taking it out at night on fast, quiet roads. You just couldn't use it in normal everyday driving.
doogz said:
Yazza54 said:
doogz said:
Ferg said:
2.8 litre Four-cam V6 on top of the rear axle.....
Vauxhall? Audi?Pics?
Cheers
doogz said:
So are the 2.5 and 2.8's de-stroked versions of the 3.0?
They are indeed which leads, of course, to the higher revs that the nutters are getting out of them now.A dropped valve seat lunched one engine and the replacement at £23K (which was much quicker than the dead one had been) meant it really had to go.
Edited by Ferg on Monday 3rd January 17:00
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