4 ms·
You need more than 150HP if you're pulling a trailer. You actually need more torque than anything. That said, more than 60HP gives you acceleration when you nee
by sukuriant 14y ago
You need more than 150HP if you're pulling a trailer. You actually need more torque than anything. That said, more than 60HP gives you acceleration when you need to do that to avoid an accident (sometimes acceleration is better than deceleration). Other times include passing in difficult situations. 0-60 in 7-9 seconds is far, far less than 0-60 in 12 or 15. You can do a lot more with that.
Also, I live in a very mountainous part of the world (Washington), and I fear that a 60hp sedan that can actually hold 4 or 5 adults would have a great deal of difficulty climbing some of the hills in Seattle; and if not in Seattle, than over in the mountains where I like to snowboard.
In short, the extra power can provide you with extra options so you can be safer; and is sometimes required in the more ... aggressive hills that can be found in some parts of the world.
And yes, you can claim that you can climb the hills in Seattle, but wearing your engine at 6000rpms just so that you can have all 60 of your alleged horses (actual horses degrade over time) damages the engine; whereas for my car to have 60 horses (Saturn Ion), it's probably something like 3500 rpm.... muuuch better on the engine so it lasts longer, fewer repair costs, etc.
- adrianN 14y agoThe 60HP cars that I've driven have their maximum output at 4200rpm which is something like 100km/h in fourth gear. That worked for all the mountains that I encountered, but I admit that I haven't been in the very mountainous parts of the world. I wonder whether there are any statistics about accidents prevented by quick acceleration. Somehow I have the feeling that the average driver won't be able to make use of their cars abilities in these split-second decisions. With regard to overtaking in difficult situations, my driving instructor taught me not to do that. If you can't safely overtake you'll have to wait a bit until you can. But I see how a more powerful engines would make more situations safe for overtaking.
- yitchelle 14y agoIf I drive a car that maxed out at 100km/h, I would be avoiding the autobahn all the time. I assume that the cruising speed would be something like 80km/h. That would be way too slow as the typical speed of the autobahn is about 110km/h to 140km/h.
- sukuriant 14y agoWow. 62mph? There are many roads in the country I live in where going only that speed makes you VERY dangerous on the road, with people around you going 70+. I imagine there are even parts of Southern California (not where I live) where you'd get a ticket for pushing your car to it's max speed ... for driving too slow. Driving that much slower than the cars around me would be just horrifying. You'd be a road hazard and others around you would get very angry at you and as a result drive more aggressively, or poorly. I know you can say plenty about how that's their fault and that they should let your car drive, but really driving too slow on a highway is still a road hazard. Max speed of 62mph... ... just ... wow. What's the fuel economy at that speed? My car gets mid 30mph around 70.