Since when did we get HP crazy……

[NOHOME]

Nobody really needs all of the power that comes in today's vehicles, and I suspect that only a very small minority of drivers ever explore the gas pedal past the halfway point in their entire lives. People on car forums forget they are a small minority of the buyer cross-section.

However, without a doubt, we are living in the golden age of automotive power availability. Muscle cars of the 60's were weaklings compared to today's offerings.

Due to electronics, materials and manufacturing technology, power is cheap to produce and offer a cost effective marketing edge. So much like the portions that American restaurants serve, nobody needs all that food, but damned if I am going to the one that serves a reasonable portion!

That's why a minivan full of kids can smoke our cars in a drag race. And with a really good driver, probably beat most of us
around most tracks. IN case you doubt it, here is a video of a socker Mom that is doing just that.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KiC03_wVjc"]Sabine Schmitz's Nurburgring Van Challenge Part 2 - Top Gear - BBC - YouTube[/ame]

Its a good time to be a car enthusiast.

[chaoskaze]

Hey Sabine isn't soccer mom

[02.ACCORD.DUDE]

I think the main reasons have been hit on, so let's recap:

1. It's a **** measuring contest for most / easy ego boost ("sure your car looks nice bro, but I've got more HP!!1!", "bro I have sooo much more HP then you, I'd murder you in a race (that we'll never have - because I'd rather speak in hypotheticals and don't want to risk losing in my HP Beast)"

2. Its marketing / the average driver feels as if they're getting more. For 90% of domestic drivers, 0-60, top speed, HP - after a certain point it's all irrelevant since it'll never be used - but that's not going to stop people from convincing themselves that they're getting more bang fire their buck by buying a 300 HP+ car as opposed to a 200 HP car.

===

[Mr.Impreza]

Oh the HP game. I had 2 cars with 300hp, my subaru and my bmw.
Now this car with 200hp.

With all 3 cars i still drive the exact same.

I drive 95% city, and it's always between 60-70km/h haha...on the highway...I'll go 120km/h tops.

200hp is more than enough for the street and honestly is much faster already than many cars on the road.

However, i do believe this car needs that magic 220-230hp to get rid of that tq/dip. Cause the car is almost perfect, just Tq dip needs to be gone!

Anyways, yeah i love when people start the "my car is faster"...on a empty straight...sure....on a track...maybe.....but in everyday life...no.
I always see this, especially in high powered german cars, when the driver will gun it on a green light to only get a few cars length ahead of me and be caught by more traffic or another light....>__<

But anyways it's like that in life....many people are very materialistic and believe only in numbers and stats. My house is bigger, my phone is more powerful, my jeans are more expenisve etc....

[NOHOME]

Originally Posted by chaoskaze

Hey Sabine isn't soccer mom

She can be my soccer Moma any time!

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by autobrz

The problem with the 86 is it *has* to be reved out in order to accelerate even moderately quickly.

That's like saying the problem with a Corvette is that you have to be careful not to use too much throttle or you'll spin the tires.

[NOHOME]

After 3 years of driving this car, I cant fault it for much. Its marketing challenge is that is much like a nice young lady with a healthy sex drive living in a dorm full of sluts.

[Tcoat]

To answer the original question as per the thread title I would guess someplace back in the 1930s.
All you guys that think the HP wars are new can guess again. The only thing that has ever changed is the numbers just keep getting higher every decade or so.

[VTEC]

Originally Posted by NOHOME

That's why a minivan full of kids can smoke our cars in a drag race. And with a really good driver, probably beat most of us
around most tracks. IN case you doubt it, here is a video of a socker Mom that is doing just that.
.

I know we joke about this a lot on the forum but has this actually happened to anyone? lol

I've had a soccer mom or dad try to race me in a luxury SUV, but I was still able to overtake him and comfortably complete my lane change. And that was before I found out I was supposed to fill up on 93 octane.

If you have a manual and running on 93 octane, once you rev out 1st gear and chirp the tires into 2nd, I don't think a minivan will keep up with you. But I duno about automatics running on 91 octane. I would think you would at least be able to keep up with them?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by VTEC

I know we joke about this a lot on the forum but has this actually happened to anyone? lol

I've had a soccer mom or dad try to race me in a luxury SUV, but I was still able to overtake him and comfortably complete my lane change. And that was before I found out I was supposed to fill up on 93 octane.

If you have a manual and running on 93 octane, once you rev out 1st gear and chirp the tires into 2nd, I don't think a minivan will keep up with you. But I duno about automatics running on 91 octane. I would think you would at least be able to keep up with them?

A quick down shift and I have never had an issue.

[Higher Being]

I attribute it to the corruption of spiral power! ( aka: turbos)


(aka pt 2:ive been waiting to drop this reference in an appropriate thread for so long!)


But seriously I agree with most on this list: People are spoiled these days. I think since V6's and turbo cars are so common now people are flat out bored with the driving experience when you dont have instant tq and off the line acceleration. I also tend to think its an american thing more so than a Asian/Euro thing. We have long highways with comparatively few winding roads to really appreciate cars like ours the way they should be.

[MokSpeed]

Since............always?

[MisterSheep]

We got HP crazy because everyone wants to brag about numbers. They want their car to have greater horsepower than anyone else because "horsepower wins races" right? Well with technological advances and new engineering discoveries we are finding easier ways to increase horsepower out of these engines. I mean even new altimas and average-joe sedans are starting to get 300hp nowadays. People say the frs is "underpowered" is because they compare it to what is out lately because it seems that anything and everything seems to be at least 300hp.

I like my frs the way it is.

[MokSpeed]

Originally Posted by MisterSheep

I like my frs the way it is.

A more correct statement would be:


"I like my FRS, but not the way it is. I'll make the necessary modifications to get it to that point over time. It'll be a complete car eventually. I think. Hopefully. We'll see...."


The whole point of modifying a car summarized into one statement.