How much is too much? (HP)
too much is still never enough...
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Joined: Feb 2005
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One word, Balance.
The 600hp benz's have 10 fold the R&D into making the car driveable than they do creating the horsepower; that's the easy part.
Every stock car has a limit of horsepower that is useable, depending on the driver. Most people, regardless of circumstances and probably even tires, don't need more horsepower in a c6 z06.
Where that is for an s2k for example, is impossible to pinpoint. It's probably safe to assume that 500hp is more than what the average s2k driver would want 'all' the time.
Specifically on the mr2 example, that car is mid-engined and fairly lightweight. The steering on the pre 93 cars is agressive and well balanced [as per a marginal amount of power above stock]. On a supra, 300zx, even s2k to a certain extent, excess power just causes the rear wheels to spin and it's not too big of a deal. On a mr2, almost all power results in traction due to the MR setup. That means in mid turn the car doesn't just slide and you can 'easily' countersteer and be ok. Instead, you go flying where ever the nose is pointing in a hurry.
I agree with your friend, a 400hp mr2 must be well balanced [brakes, suspension, tires, wheels, rigidity, etc.] in order to be driven at its limit besides highway runs.
The 600hp benz's have 10 fold the R&D into making the car driveable than they do creating the horsepower; that's the easy part.
Every stock car has a limit of horsepower that is useable, depending on the driver. Most people, regardless of circumstances and probably even tires, don't need more horsepower in a c6 z06.
Where that is for an s2k for example, is impossible to pinpoint. It's probably safe to assume that 500hp is more than what the average s2k driver would want 'all' the time.
Specifically on the mr2 example, that car is mid-engined and fairly lightweight. The steering on the pre 93 cars is agressive and well balanced [as per a marginal amount of power above stock]. On a supra, 300zx, even s2k to a certain extent, excess power just causes the rear wheels to spin and it's not too big of a deal. On a mr2, almost all power results in traction due to the MR setup. That means in mid turn the car doesn't just slide and you can 'easily' countersteer and be ok. Instead, you go flying where ever the nose is pointing in a hurry.
I agree with your friend, a 400hp mr2 must be well balanced [brakes, suspension, tires, wheels, rigidity, etc.] in order to be driven at its limit besides highway runs.
Joined: Mar 2003
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When talking in terms of horsepower, we talk of peak horsepower. I can spin my tires in 4th gear with 450 whp, but if I short shift at 3-4krpm I dont have more than 200 whp. It is always controllable, it's just how you drive it. If I floor it into a turn, I'm gonna lose control. You just have to be sensible when driving with big power. Too much is never enough.
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 11,244
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From: Raleigh, NC
Well, I just got back from taking a ride in my friend's 996 911 turbo with 505whp/515wtq and now I think that 500whp+ may be too much hp. 
This thing was SCARY FAST!! 
It felt like I was getting punched in the stomach as the RPM's would climb and the g-force of the acceleration was relentless. It was just crazy... it may be too much HP for a road coarse if you don't know how to use it (he seems to know how to around turns with his RWD conversion 
), but for straight line blasts every now and then it is just insane.
This thing was SCARY FAST!! It felt like I was getting punched in the stomach as the RPM's would climb and the g-force of the acceleration was relentless. It was just crazy... it may be too much HP for a road coarse if you don't know how to use it (he seems to know how to around turns with his RWD conversion ), but for straight line blasts every now and then it is just insane.
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