Car horsepower…is it just me…

or is it getting all a bit silly nowadays?

NOt so long ago a ferrari 360 had about 360 bhp. Recently bought a car mag and the same is available in the top of the range ford focus!

Seems like an arms race which is getting a bit out of hand when you can nowdays buy a street legal road car with 700 + bhp, and your average hot hatch has around 260 +.

Nowt against fast cars, i have one myself, but things appear to be getting a bit out of hand

or am i just being grumpy?

Conversely active and passive safety systems are better than ever and roads so congested you can rarely go all that fast! My problem with most current fast cars is that the limits are so high you have to be doing silly speeds to have fun on an empty back roads.

Chief – that’s why the GT86 was developed.

I would speed limit cars to whatever applys on that road, it would only bother nobheads.

Check the weights. Hatchbacks weigh more than old range rovers now.

No, what’s a bigger problem is the migration to ever bigger vehicles. Years ago cars were designed so that if they collected a pedestrian they would cosset them, or at least try not to break their hips, ankles, and smash their heads in. These days the top of the grill on a current ‘suv’ is at about the height of an 8 year old’s head. I suppose it’s easier to run them over properly if you’ve batted them down the road first… 😐

wilburt – Member
I would speed limit cars to whatever applys on that road, it would only bother nobheads.

*settles in to watch all sides get butthurt*

I would speed limit cars to whatever applys on that road, it would only bother nobheads.

Trouble with that is getting stuck behind a car at 45 or 50 on a single cariageway I’d hate to think my car would cut out of power during an overtake.

I firmly beleive fast cars are safer, you spend much less time on the ‘wrong’ side of the road. But My car has around 270 bhp, and I’ve never for one moment thought I needed anymore.

Overtaking takes observation, skill and good judgement not power. I regularly overtook cars on the Snake in my 65bhp C1.

Trouble with that is getting stuck behind a car at 45 or 50 on a single cariageway I’d hate to think my car would cut out of power during an overtake.

It’s not even that. There are times where standing on the loud pedal is an option to avoid a collision. Doing 70mph on the Motorway and someone you’ve almost overtaken changes lanes into you, you can boot it or you can drop anchor sufficiently to drop back two car-lengths to let them in front potentially causing a “phantom jam” behind you or worse. It’s a rare occasion sure, but the more options you have at any moment in time the better.

Overtaking takes observation, skill and good judgement not power. I regularly overtook cars on the Snake in my 65bhp C1.

Power makes it “easy” but safe overtaking is all about forward planning, always.

Ive got 300 and considering a map to 380. But then Im a nobhead who drives fast. Not dangerous but then I would say that.

Speed limits on thr motorway could be like on the autobahn as I genuinely believe our motorways are to a better standard. Having said that its peoples mentality that would be the problem. In Germany they expect cars to be ploughing down the outside lane. Not so much in this country and that wouldnt change over night. Even if the speeds did.

I firmly beleive fast cars are safer, you spend much less time on the ‘wrong’ side of the road. But My car has around 270 bhp, and I’ve never for one moment thought I needed anymore.

My car’s not slow and it’s half that. Playing devil’s advocate for a moment, you presumably thought you needed double the power of everyone else in the first place?

I firmly beleive fast cars are safer,

Dunno about that – it’s only true if combined with good judgement and maturity and skill… which appear to be in very short supply atm…

I saw a very near head-on yesterday when a guy in a fast Golf overtook coming off a roundabout into a single lane exit road – probably about 50m, probably less from the oncoming car – he was very very close to a high speed crash.

In a slower car I doubt he’d have even tried the move…

Overtaking takes observation, skill and good judgement not power. I regularly overtook cars on the Snake in my 65bhp C1.

Absolutely agree…but as humans we all make mistakes. I’ve seen some horrendously tight overtakes in my time.

My car’s not slow and it’s half that. Playing devil’s advocate for a moment, you presumably thought you needed double the power of everyone else in the first place?

not really..to be honest my previous car had 160 bhp and thought that was plenty. I bought my car because its fun to drive and is a convertable. I drive like an old lady, never had a crash or a speeding ticket in 23 years. Having a fast car doesn’t influence when I overtake, i’ll still wait for a clear long stretch on a country road. But it does make it easier and less stressful IMO

Fast cars

saw a very near head-on yesterday when a guy in a fast Golf overtook coming off a roundabout into a single lane exit road – probably about 50m, probably less from the oncoming car – he was very very close to a high speed crash.

Well idiots will be idiots!

In a slower car I doubt he’d have even tried the move…

You’d like to think so…but then see comment above!

i just bought a family Estate with 272bhp….Yesterday saw two people with less than half the bhp ( a small VW van and a Renault) driving like loons and but for blind luck cause crashes. It’s not ‘always’ the BHP. An idiot is an idiot whether they have 300 or just 100 BHP.

I’ve driven plenty of limited vehicles and never had a problem, possibly because I drive to get from a to b not to get some childish kicks or stroke my ego.

So far my statement is being proven correct, thanks!

I’m not making up the rules btw, you are actually supposed to stick to speed limits already.

There are times where standing on the loud pedal is an option to avoid a collision.

That may be theoretically true but in 30y of driving and not a single crash it’s not something I’ve ever encountered personally

CountZero, mate – step away from the keyboard.

As for lots of horses on the road – track only IMO. Far too many unknown and uncontrolled variables that could mean you won’t walk away intact, if at all.

Car horsepower is pretty amazing these days. However you don’t need high horsepower to drive very poorly – almost all cars will do 100mph.

There is always a right and wrong time for speed (often wrong under the limit). How often have you driven behind someone driving below the speed limit in a highly unobservant and dangerous manner, usually texting on their phone (I’m sure we see this so often). That’s far more frequent and dangerous and many other driving issues.

When I want to drive really fast I go to the track.

Overtaking takes observation, skill and good judgement not power. I regularly overtook cars on the Snake in my 65bhp C1.

As someone who drives at high speed for a living all 3 is better. You would appreciate that if you had a car not a hairdryer.

However you don’t need high horsepower to drive very poorly – almost all cars will do 100mph

Or drive fast. Something I read recently… if you can’t drive fast with 90bhp you sure won’t benefit from 900.

🙂

I hope arithmetic is not critical. 😉

Wait?
Same as you would a cyclist? 😆
there is no need to exceed the limit. Just drive with the lorries if that’s what’s needed.
I took my 110 to Scotland this summer. I seriously doubt I exceeded 60 on the motorway. I am still alive and had no “moments”.
Speed is not needed except by those who feel that their “need” to get somewhere a few minutes faster is more important than the world around them.
Acceleration is useful but I haven’t seen a justifiable reason for anything not to be limited to the national speed limit.
Moron can kill themselves at any speed and I wish a few more would but there is no logical reason to go faster than the limit. Maybe the limit is inappropriate, both ways , but that’s totally irrelevant, the law is the law and whilst one can question to ones hearts content one has no right to break it.
Re the big cars clouting pedestrians. Has anyone seen anything to contradict the document I saw a few years ago, but am buggered if I can find it now, that said that virtually all ped/vehicle incidents were the peds fault? If that’s the case then cars don’t need to be ped safe. 😉

However you don’t need high horsepower to drive very poorly – almost all cars will do 100mph

I can honestly say I’ve never driven at 100 mph in my car despite its top speed being a quoted 160

The only time I go near the top end of the revs is when I overtake. And its far safer pulling off the same manouver in a car like mine than one with 90 bhp

Speed is not needed except by those who feel that their “need” to get somewhere a few minutes faster is more important than the world around them.

its not a few minutes though is it. Coming back from fort bill the other day I was stuck behind a lorry doing 35 mph in a 60. Plus endless caravans. The same trip in the other direction took me an hour less when it was quiet, despite not breaking the speed limit.

Nowt against fast cars, i have one myself, but things appear to be getting a bit out of hand

Fast cars are generally much safer though i.e. much better brakes/tyres/handling/levels of grip etc. etc.
Drivers of fast cars are usually far more adept than your average MAMIT (Middle Aged Mum In Touran) aswell. Which is why speed limits annoy me somewhat; I can guarantee that I’m safer travelling at 40-45mph through town (30mph speed limit) than your average driver in their average car doing 30mph (ish).

I can guarantee that I’m safer travelling at 40-45mph through town (30mph speed limit) than your average driver in their average car doing 30mph (ish).

You had me reeled in until then.

🙂

You had me reeled in until then.

😀

I’m assuming that’s what goes through the minds of most of the “fast car” drivers I see on the roads anyhow.

Yep getting a bit silly, but just a last hurrah of the motor industry before we end up leasing driverless cars on demand off of Apple and Google.

Apple and Google are about 10x the size of Ford by value and are moving into the car / transport industry. Easy enough to see where it’s going.

I can guarantee that I’m safer travelling at 40-45mph through town (30mph speed limit) than your average driver in their average car doing 30mph (ish).

Good troll, a return to the form we expect from you

‘as someone who drives at high speed for a living’

Please tell me you’re a well paid racing driver/rider and not something else.

To the OP – yes, it’s a bit silly. The F360 had 400bhp though.

I’ve had cars with 60, 115, 195, 187, 225, 414 and 330, in that order. The 187 was the best car, but it was lighter than most and handled beautifully. The 414 was also great, but just too much for the road. The 330 is probably overkill too, but it’s not a light car – 250 would be fine in it though.

I’ve just had 2 weeks driving a 75bhp Clio, and that really struggled in places but was still enough to overtake ageing Italian lorries when needed – as mentioned, it just needed more planning and observation.

Please tell me you’re a well paid racing driver/rider and not something else.

Something else.

29 second reply.. you were awaiting responses I see ;O)

I think Drac has access to flashing lights and a noisy thing.

its not a few minutes though is it. Coming back from fort bill the other day I was stuck behind a lorry doing 35 mph in a 60. Plus endless caravans. The same trip in the other direction took me an hour less when it was quiet, despite not breaking the speed limit.

And?

Not like your life depended on it is it.

I’m in agreement with the speed limiter thing. People always moan about “I can’t believe I got a ticket I was only doing 37” yeah? Well the sign says 30, not really complicated is it but people are too stupid to follow it. Everyone knows the legal limit for stealing things is 0 you don’t hear “I was only £7 over the limit” and nicking a few things causes a lot less danger than driving too fast.

Bring on driverless cars…

(Too many dead friends to care what excuses people have anymore and yes I do drive)

I find it incredible how many cars get irritated when I sit at 70mph on the motorway. I’m still going faster than traffic in the nearside lane (that’s the one on the left), yet many speeding drivers think that it’s acceptable to flash lights at me as if I’m doing something wrong.