Stupid Americans
New engine specs require Toyota et al to respecify engines with less horsepower
This never ceases to annoy me. Horsepower is just a number, and a pretty useless one at that. A car with 210 hp is not necessarily faster than one with 200, and even in the case that it is, this absolutely does not mean it is "better". But Americans like to wear their cocks on their sleeves, so horsepower ratings sell.
And don't give me that 'I need to accelerate into traffic' bullshit. My Brat could accelerate onto the highway just fine with a couple of appliances wedged in the bed, and it has 73 hp.
Notice at the beginning of the article, how these are the same engines, but are now rated at less hp. I'd like to see a poll of car shoppers who could look at that data and think the new model is actually slower. I have an '86 BMW 3-series, the original of what they called 'The Ultimate Driving Machine'. Chassy borrowed it, and should be able to attest that it's no slouch, even with 170k miles. It's rated at 121 hp, less than today's baseline Honda Civic.
I don't really give two shits about all this. But the fact remains that, as companies have developed new engine technology, they've used it to ramp up horsepower instead of increasing efficiency. Of course, to an extent they have to do this, as every time they redo a car it's expected that it'll get bigger, to accommodate our ever-widening asses.
And while we're bitching, I'm tired of seeing people driving pretty trucks, with pristine beds. Why did you buy a truck?!? My Mom has carried more sheets of plywood in her minivan than you have in your 'work vehicle'. Also, a riding lawnmower.
This never ceases to annoy me. Horsepower is just a number, and a pretty useless one at that. A car with 210 hp is not necessarily faster than one with 200, and even in the case that it is, this absolutely does not mean it is "better". But Americans like to wear their cocks on their sleeves, so horsepower ratings sell.
And don't give me that 'I need to accelerate into traffic' bullshit. My Brat could accelerate onto the highway just fine with a couple of appliances wedged in the bed, and it has 73 hp.
Notice at the beginning of the article, how these are the same engines, but are now rated at less hp. I'd like to see a poll of car shoppers who could look at that data and think the new model is actually slower. I have an '86 BMW 3-series, the original of what they called 'The Ultimate Driving Machine'. Chassy borrowed it, and should be able to attest that it's no slouch, even with 170k miles. It's rated at 121 hp, less than today's baseline Honda Civic.
I don't really give two shits about all this. But the fact remains that, as companies have developed new engine technology, they've used it to ramp up horsepower instead of increasing efficiency. Of course, to an extent they have to do this, as every time they redo a car it's expected that it'll get bigger, to accommodate our ever-widening asses.
And while we're bitching, I'm tired of seeing people driving pretty trucks, with pristine beds. Why did you buy a truck?!? My Mom has carried more sheets of plywood in her minivan than you have in your 'work vehicle'. Also, a riding lawnmower.