Would a car with 200bhp weighing 500kg be as quick as a car with 400bhp and weighing twice as much? Presuming the Torque would be doubled in the heavier car.

Would the 0-60/0-100/qtr mile be simular?



Discuss

 

If all other variables were the same (suspension, aerodynamics, drivetrain etc), the cars would be very similar imo

 

If everything else was equal also, like grip, gearing etc etc, then I'd think they would have equal performance........

 

i would have thought that acceleration would be on par but the top end being higher with more HP

 

Yeah, I'm with that totally.

 

Yeah same here.

What about lap times? I would say the lighter car would have the edge?

 

littleknocks, too many other factors to conider. just coz a car's heavy doesnt make it bad on corners.

as above, low down theyd be pretty similar, at higher speeds the car with more power will pull harder as wind resistance plays a much more important role

 

Never said it would be?

Assuming the two cars were identical (as above) in terms of gearing blah blah then what about braking distances, speed at braking point etc? Im not saying the heavier, more powerful car would be bad (look at M5's) im just theorising that a lighter car would have the edge. Again, that depends on the track too. For instance the maser quattroporte is 1.6 seconds faster than an E60 M5 around the bedford autodrome, yet has a peak speed 4.7mph lower than the M5. How that would differ on a circuit with longer straights is anyone guess.

Apples and oranges (certainly in this context, when I am assuming both cars are identical apart from weight/power/torque) but you see where my reasoning lies.

 

See what your saying their, as in terms of a kit car based 200bhp Vs a 2wd sapphire 400bhp on just a 0-60/0-100/qtr mile/0-100-0

Tyres factor of both running equal size aswell. same ratio's on gearbox and diff.

Has anyone done a simular test in the car mags? be it PF, FF, Total Vauxhall etc

 

Something thats always over looked with power to weight ratios is the driver. Fire a 100kg driver into a 500kg car and it knocks a good bit off its power to weight over the car that starts out at 1000kg!