HP per Weight
08-16-2004, 01:36 AM
#16
Race Director
The thing is, you can't use the peak-HP figure, unless you have a CVT. You'd have to integrate the HP-curve with respect to RPM, then plug that into the HP-to-weight ratio. I'm not a fan of HP:wt ratios anyway because I don't think they're realistic.
Take this for example:
'87 Ferrari Testarossa: 3800lbs / 380bhp = 10 lbs per HP
'88 Ferrari 288GTO: 2700lbs / 375bhp = 7.2 lbs per HP
Dramatic 20% difference, eh? Then how come they both do 0-60 and 1/4-mile runs within a tenth or so apart from each other and hit about the same 181-185mph top-speed???? What would happen if we removed 1064lbs from the Testarossa so that it had the same power-to-weight ratio as the 288GTO? What would happen then? Would they have identical performance?
Take this for example:
'87 Ferrari Testarossa: 3800lbs / 380bhp = 10 lbs per HP
'88 Ferrari 288GTO: 2700lbs / 375bhp = 7.2 lbs per HP
Dramatic 20% difference, eh? Then how come they both do 0-60 and 1/4-mile runs within a tenth or so apart from each other and hit about the same 181-185mph top-speed???? What would happen if we removed 1064lbs from the Testarossa so that it had the same power-to-weight ratio as the 288GTO? What would happen then? Would they have identical performance?
