Why do American cars have no power?

[R300will]

Just read a thread on a massive american truck with a 6.7 litre engine and only rated at 350bhp. So this lead me to wonder, why do all american cars have huge engines and no power? plenty of torque i'm sure but why the lack of bhp?

[poing]

Because they don't need it.

[soad]

Unstressed engine, unlike four cylinder japanese turbo?

[AdeTuono]

[busta]

Since when is 350hp no power?

[matthias73]

does it develop a lot of talk?

(amongst other truck owners about how much it can tow)

[R300will]

busta said:

Since when is 350hp no power?

for a 6 odd litre engine?
to quote yourself 'seriously?!' :P
i suppose i should say i mean power relative to engine size.

[GingerWizard]

R300will said:

massive american truck with a 6.7 litre engine and only rated at 350bhp. why the lack of bhp?

bhp/ton is where its at.


France has x5 the amount of farm land compared to the UK and we produce x3 more product.


fuel is cheaper.

Brains are not.

[kambites]

Turn the question on its head - why is a high specific output a good thing?

[David87]

With a big truck it'd be due to a larger capacity engine being less stressed for any given output. They might have to work hard for long periods, you see.

[Nick3point2]

R300will said:

for a 6 odd litre engine?
to quote yourself 'seriously?!' :P
i suppose i should say i mean power relative to engine size.

Maybe because most people don't want to scream along in a 100+bhp/litre NA jap 4 cylinder. I'd much rather have 350 BHP worth of 6+ litre american V8 muscle than a jap crap VTEC civic turd R with 200 BHP, only available about 7000rpm in a 2 litre 4 cylinder.

[R300will]

kambites said:

Turn the question on its head - why is a high specific output a good thing?

you are aware that you're asking that on pistonheads right?

I just like the idea of extracting every last bit of power from smaller more effiecient engines and to me america doesn't seem so keen on that idea.

[R300will]

David87 said:

With a big truck it'd be due to a larger capacity engine being less stressed for any given output. They might have to work hard for long periods, you see.

fair point on the truck front.

[Mr2Mike]

R300will said:

you are aware that you're asking that on pistonheads right?

I just like the idea of extracting every last bit of power from smaller more effiecient engines and to me america doesn't seem so keen on that idea.

Do you like the idea of your highly stressed engine wearing out rather more quickly? When you do the kind of mileages that are commonplace in the states, a large, relaxed, long lived engine is far more sensible than something you have to scream the tits off.

[DanGPR]

kambites said:

Turn the question on its head - why is a high specific output a good thing?

Fuel efficiency.
A smaller engine is generally lighter. Packaging.
Road tax brackets (before it changed to emissions)
To keep greenpeace off of your front lawn.

[Nick3point2]

R300will said:

you are aware that you're asking that on pistonheads right?

I just like the idea of extracting every last bit of power from smaller more effiecient engines and to me america doesn't seem so keen on that idea.

You are aware you're on pistonheads? Home of some fairly niche petrolheads.


300? Your thread is here waiting for you!!


In all seriousness, technical excellence is only as good as the market leader, and so smaller more efficient engines need to improve before they will beat traditional performance engines. And I'd hate to see V engines replaced by super effcient 4 cylinder engines: regardless of the engineering that goes into them they have no character. Might as well have a diesel if you are comparing 4 cyl high output engines with low revving super torquey V8s.

[VR6 Turbo]

I thought it was partly down to there emissions reg's. alot of US spec cars have lower outputs to European spec versions.

Also might be to do with the fact most us drivers want auto's.

VR

[R300will]

Mr2Mike said:

Do you like the idea of your highly stressed engine wearing out rather more quickly? When you do the kind of mileages that are commonplace in the states, a large, relaxed, long lived engine is far more sensible than something you have to scream the tits off.

Modern engines are much more reliable so high milage shouldn't worry anyone anymore.

[kambites]

DanGPR said:

kambites said:

Turn the question on its head - why is a high specific output a good thing?

Fuel efficiency.
A smaller engine is generally lighter. Packaging.
Road tax brackets (before it changed to emissions)
To keep greenpeace off of your front lawn.

None of which makes the blindest bit of difference in the US.

[motorizer]

My american car with "no power" runs low 12 second quarter miles despite having the aerodynamics of a small building and weighing as much as a blue whale...

Fair enough it does sod all to the gallon but I think the fuel economy argument goes out of the window when you start comparing with high powered highly stressed small engines, a lot of them aren't much better

What does it matter what the displacement is? ...theres more than one way to make good power

edited to add: do you think a small 4 cylinder with no torque would even move the huge truck mentioned in your original post, best way to make a big vehicle perform is with a big engine

Edited by motorizer on Sunday 23 October 22:52