300hp from the factory is not such a big deal these days.
I grew up in the 1980s and 1990s when Mustangs and Porsches barely had 200-250hp.
Now the A4 has about 255hp and just a few years ago the S4 had 255hp!
There are several sedans and SUVs that have 450+hp.
The Vette and M5 have 500+hp!
These numbers were exotic just a few years ago!
Obviously we all love to see high hp numbers but my question is…
We all know that dyno numbers vary considereably so,
is there an industry or ISO standard for auto maker hp?
I am not doubting the hp numbers on new cars because they have 1/4 mile numbers to match.
I am just curious if a standard exists for auto makers.
ya im pretty sure there is. Not that long ago they redid how cars hp was rated and like all the import cars lost like 5-10hp and the domestic cars gained a few hp. Like the same car same engine, just different way of rating it.
There was a big crunch on this and the SAE standards used over the last year or so, it’s the reason last years TL was rated at 270HP, and this years is 254HP or so. Same exact car.
Manufacturers are typically allowed a 5% window in their “claimed numbers”.
actualy there was a standard in japan for not bulding cars with over 275 HP … it was an unwritten rule that all the (jap) automakers kept so they didn’t compete with each other in HP wars. well with the EVO that was changed it was underrated at 275 not trying to break it but that was the last straw … we’ll see more and more power coming out of the JDM in the future
the weight of the cars i am sure has a little something to do with this.
250 may have been great in a 2200 lb car, but toss that into to a 3300 lb pig, and you’re fast like rubicant (thats really slow for those of you that arent in the know)
I thoght I read somewhere that in times past, crank HP was measured with the least amount of load possible on the engine. I.E. no accessories or any extra components on the engine that would hurt the power. Now for better real world measurements, they accessories are put on the motor while it is being dyno’d so those losses are now being reflected in the crank HP.
There were alot of tricks previously allowed as well. Running a motor with less oil for less windage losses, etc left room for some to fudge their numbers
They did the reverse with the SRT4 when it was first released. I argued with a friend of mine as to why it was rated lower than the WHP numbers on a dynojet. Most of the reason or opinions that I got was for insurance purposes. It may have bled into a certain HP/weight/class of car bracket that jacked up base insurance at the original claimed numbers which is why it was toned down as far as the spec sheet went.
I had no idea there was a revised standard as each company I would think would rate thier cars different than the other. Sort of like tire manufacturers where a 235 is a 225 when you compare section widths, etc… :gotme:
Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Horsepower Change
The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) revised Standard J1349, which sets forth the protocol for testing horsepower and torque as of the first of this year. One purpose of the change was to try to achieve more consistent ratings throughout the industry. California requires that advertised horsepower claims be determined using the SAE Standard. The revision specifies that certain equipment be installed on the engine and operating at the time of testing, as well as the use of the manufacturer-required grade of fuel during the test. Presumably, all manufacturers will be using the revised Standard for future tests.