Log in / Register
- GT-R @ Sachsenring
- Astra OPC @ Rockingham
- Focus ST @ Rockingham
- Megane RS @ Rockingham
- M6 @ Cadwell Park
- 911 Carrera S @ Cadwell Park
- GranTurismo @ Hockenheim
- GT-86 @ Top Gear Track
- Cayman R @ Bedford
- Boxster S @ Bedford
- SLS AMG GT @ Willow Springs
- 911 Carrera @ Hockenheim
- Boxster S @ Ring Knutstrop
- MP4-12C @ Ring Knutstrop
- 911 Carrera S @ Ring Knutstrop
Classics Dreamin: And yes, its 3.42 rear axle will be adjusted to a 3.12 for an improved top speed! (:...
Classics Dreamin: Don't delete this. It is not fake!!! Please keep it because I went to a Stockton Chevy dealership ye...
monkeypop: @viking I know exactly what you mean by a "momentum" car and them sometimes being more fun to dr...
Iggz: 1 to 1 and we have a draw. I didnt get any further :) any arguments to back it up ?...
FastestLaps: According to site it was artificial ly limited to 21 horsepower . And I totally believe that because i...
Classics Dreamin: I didn't know the NISMO Skyline is faster than 575 Maranello!...
Horsepower Wars
650hp for 54 thousand dollars. Just let that soak in for a minute. We live in a time where a consumer can walk into your nearby Ford dealership, sign some papers, and leave in a car with 650 SAE horsepower. The horsepower war is in full motion, and it just keeps getting better and better.
It got really interesting in the 80’s. In a time where everything was hum drum and slow, Porsche released a car that shocked the world… The 959, a 444hp all-wheel drive behemoth. It reset the rules and crushed everything in its path. But in doing so, it rustled the stall of the prancing stallion. Ferrari answered back with their unapologetically, absurdly powerful, 471hp F40. Ferrari continued to push their F hypercars, bumping their power up and up over time.
It seems that with every great car match-up, a horsepower war ensues. In 1990, Chevrolet’s ZR1 and Porsche’s 964 911 turbo were simultaneously released, and the General had the Porsche outgunned. With 375hp on tap, the ‘vette could outrun the 911’s 320hp air cooled flat 6. But Porsche wasn’t ready to leave things at that. Two years later, they released their Turbo S, with a ‘vette crushing 376hp. Yes, fantastic plastic, I see your power… and raise you one! Not to be outdone by one pony, Chevrolet bumped the power of the ZR1 the next year up to 405hp! It was a huge thing at the time. Over 400hp at a “reasonable” price! But that wasn’t the end of it for these two legends.
The early 2000’s were all Porsche. Their Turbo, Turbo S, and GT2 easily outmatched the Z06’s 405hp. When the 997 turbo rolled onto showroom floors, it packed 470hp. Chevrolet wasn’t impressed though, they pushed their LS engines to a new production limit and squeezed 505hp out of their 427ci LS7 “small block.” But it wasn’t enough for what Porsche had in mind; they released a new GT2, with 523hp. It was around this time that 500hp from a higher-end sports car was becoming the norm. Every big name had one – Ferrari, Ford, GM, Chrysler, BMW, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Porsche… Lamborghini had two! 500hp was really becoming commonplace.
The same can even be said of sedans. If you had a family sedan with not quite 300hp in the early 90’s, it was either as big as a land yacht, or more than I could afford at the time. But now offering over 300hp in a small car luxury car is basically a requirement to be truly competitive.
The examples are everywhere. BMW vs. Audi, Mustang vs. Camaro, Corvette vs. Porsche vs. Viper, Ferrari vs. Lamborghini. And with hyper cars, we were seeing competition in the 1000hp range for the super elite that wipe their bums with 100 dollar bills.
And it is far from over my friends. There are great things on the horizon. Lamborghini touched lucky number 7, and that pushed Ferrari over the same edge. The new corvette and 911 turbo are still in the works… Pony cars have north of 300, 400, 500, or 600hp, depending on how brave you are… and there’s a chance that 700hp (or at least 600hp) will be the new 400hp of the early 2000’s.
For those who are overly passionate about their favorite cars: The next time a car is updated and puts your favorite car to shame, don’t get angry… Get excited! It’s only going to lead to bigger and better things.
But will it ever end? As a tire burning, gear banging, car loving enthusiast… I pray the answer is no.
I don't think power outputs have gone crazy since 2009 it's losing momemtum. Engines will get smaller and cars will get lighter. In a few years or so they will not beat the cars of today in terms of power output. We are at the end game. No mainstream manufacturer will release a car with 700hp and RWD or 400hp and FWD.
Yeah progress is great. My dad remembers the days when many cars in the UK weren't even offered with diesel as an option and all cars had carbs, 8 valves and distributors. The only way you used to be able to get more power was to stick a huge engine under the bonnet (hood to US friends). The only cars in the 70s that were quick by modern standards were top of the range german saloons and exotic supercars. Now you just slap a little turbo and valve control onto a 2.0l and everyones a winner!
@Apathy, Im glad they did do that to the name of the ZL1, ZR1 should be for the Top Vette, and ZL1 should be for the Top Camaro, and other Z Monikers for the other Top car models.
Unfortunately, the ZL1 name was actually bastardized away from the corvette and onto the camaro.
The original ZL1 was a name designated for the 1969 Corvette ZL1 which had a special 427. This hotter engine was code named the ZL1, which is what led to the corvette submodel being called the ZL1.
There was actually never an official Camaro ZL1 (debatable), though some purchased ZL1 crate engines through COPO and had them installed by dealers.
I doubt Chevrolet will use the ZL1 name in there Corvettes, not with the ZR1 name bought back, but who knows, i hope they keep the ZR1 for the To Corvette, and ZL1 for there To Camaro.
Im Hoping the New Corvette C7 will use a N/A 6.0L V8 for the base model engine, none of that 5.0L Crap, lighter engine and more Mpg is fine, but keep with the bigger motors(Tradition) Some of cars today are loosing there traditions because of this Bhp Wars stuff, I dont like that.
But i would like too see Chevrolet bring back more of there Traditional Oldies.
Chevrolet Nova SS (ZN1)
Chevrolet Chevelle SS (ZC1)
Chevrolet Impala SS (ZI1)
Chevrolet Corvair Monza (ZM1)
I would like to see these Chevrolet Models make a comeback with Top Z monikers as there Best. IMO American Cars are by far the best looking when it comes to "Retro" design.
But still, im sure they would over power the cars if they ever came to fruition...Back To a GentleMens AgreeMent?... -_-
Corvette's have sporadically had aluminum heads since 1968...
They've been on every corvette engine since 1992.
Given the current state, cars might drive them selves in 2025 with all electric engines and what not. i hear.
I think a Bhp war is stupid, next we will see in 2 years a 900bhp car you can get for 50k...but what gets me, is all the Electronics there putting in the cars, there less driver and more car, i certainly dont want that.
Less manuals, more 4wd cars, more expensive, more electronic niggles, I can see why Japan had that Agreement for so long, im not one for restricting Top Speed, but i thinkl alot of cars are getting too powerfull too soon, for instance.
Good examples:
638Bhp 2012 ZR1
505Bhp 2006 ZO6
405Bhp 2004 ZO6
405Bhp 1995 ZR1
570Bhp 2012 458
490Bhp 2008 430
400Bhp 2004 360
375Bhp 1997 355
300Bhp 1993 348
Like E, i would like to see cars get lighter rather then getting more Powerful, Powers fine, but i think a slower pace would be better in getting there, how long will it be till a Fully produced 1000Bhp AUto will be available to everyone?.....
If I remember correctly, it was designed with Mitsubishi and uses the same block as the EVO X.
The same engine is used in the Kia Optima turbo.
It is a very cool engine but there are a couple of problems with it that I see.
1) They only mated it to an auto in the sedans (not the engine's fault)
2) Quite a few shops are still having trouble cracking the ECU on the older 2.0l's in the Genesis coupe.
@Fastestlaps
Well, it's almost as powerful as a two decade old 6.0l.
Even the weakest 6.0l GM put in their early trucks made 300hp.
Lots of makes have powerful 4 cylinders now. It's getting very interesting as numbers go up.
The new ATS turbo is going ot have over 270hp.
Hopefully manufacturers keep the weight down.
Supposedly the camaro is going to shed pounds with the next generation.
Honestly, there is no reason for a Wrangler to have more than 100 hp other than to please the crazy horsepower-loving buyer....
I don't think so, people some times claim that sporty cars are useless for driving on the road, but acceleration, braking, and cornering are only going to make the car safer when used correctly. I'd rather have 280 hp in a Jeep than 100 if I'm going to have to merge on to a highway.
I do wish that the obsession with horsepower could be moved to something else though, especially weight. I'd much prefer for cars to be lighter rather than more powerful.
http://www.fastestlaps.com/comparisons/chevrolet_corvette_coupe_62_c6-vs-chevrolet_corvette_stingray_l71.html
It happened not so, the difference is so little, although one of them is 40 years older than other!
Now we have V6 Wrangler with 280 hp!!!
How much HP did the original Jeep have? 50 perhaps?
Honestly, there is no reason for a Wrangler to have more than 100 hp other than to please the crazy horsepower-loving buyer....
Maybe we deserve global warning and subsequent apocalypse - it's interstellar natural selection that will kill us - irrational horsepower junkies....
Back in 2002 I bought a nissan pickup with their "premium" V6 engine. It was slow as spit with a 5 speed manual and had a 3.3L V6 that only produced 170 horsepower. 0-60 was around 10 seconds.
Just 2 years later the same model truck was given a 4.0L V6 and 6 speed manual. The engine has VVt & variable intake and produces 270 horses. In spite of the truck being heavier it will run 0-60 in 6.5 seconds and gets better MPG than the previous less powerful engine option.
That is one hell of a jump in power/performance from one generation to the next. The difference between the two trucks is like night and day.
I usually drive my vehicles until they are completely dead but after driving the new model pickup I had to make a trade.
High boost, small displacement, cost cutting in manufacturing - that all suggests classic Hyundai - works well until the warranty runs out :D
Let's hope it's not the case. Remember - engineering has hone a long way. These are better designs made from better materials and we can't always judge today's engines by past experience.