"George Orwell" <nobody@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:a95d3f365514243cde33bb5c4336a1f9@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Horsepower requirements should be sufficient for safety.
>
> A rational answer to the question of what is sufficient is:
>
> 75 mph on steepest allowable superhighway grade at 7500 foot above sea
> level elevation at "standard temperature and pressure" with the vehicle
> loaded to maximum gross weight.
>
> No more and no less horsepower is indicated for perfectly adequate
> performance. More is wasteful, less is unsafe.
>
Having more power available is never wasted. The cost of manufacturing an
engine capable of 200 or 250 hp is very much the same. A cam is a cam no
matter where you place the lobes. The fuel consumption on today's cars at
highway cruising speed is even pretty close on engines of that HP range.
I don't want "adequate", I want fast when I want fast. My 234 hp car out
performs my former 185 hp car and gets better mileage. I have not,
however,
had the op****tunity to see if the rated top speed of 137 is attainable
easily. I've not been past 110 yet.
