Top Gear tests Mustang GT500

[Power Junkie]

Originally Posted by Rock36

Yeah I am going to go ahead and say yes.

I live over here on your side of the pond, and I have seen more than a few British car rags talk about KW in lieu of HP. I see it all the time. In Germany we also use PS instead of HP. The two measurements are pretty close 1 HP = 1.014 PS

Or go to www.ford.co.uk or www.chevrolet.co.uk (I am sure you have been there before) the cars are advertised in KW primarily then PS.


Don't mistake me for the typical American that hasn't lived or even been outside of the United States LOL

It's new to me.... i've always used BHP ... i know they've been quoting alot recently in PS (Pferdestarke or Horse Strength) another bit of EU rubbish (i expect it to be law in the next few years).. i'll be siding with the Society of Automotive Engineers and sticking with BHP... that's what i was taught when i did my C&G in motor vehicle engineering.

KW as far as i know is more common for Australia and New Zealand.

[Moose]

The Mustang GT500 is a respectable car.

That being said, my feeling have always been, it's a little too "boy racer" (with the styling/stripes) and for the money they are commanding, I'll take a C6 thank you very much.

[JWz28]

Originally Posted by JeepinMatt

They should know that a dyno will show how much rear wheel horsepower a car gets. Not horsepower at the crank, which is what's advertised. They were wrong in saying that it does not get the advertised horsepower. It does.

You're absolutely right. A good rule of thumb is approx 15% loss from the crank to the wheels. At 447 RWHP = 525.9 Crank HP.

JWz28.

[Rock36]

Originally Posted by Power Junkie

It's new to me.... i've always used BHP ... i know they've been quoting alot recently in PS (Pferdestarke or Horse Strength) another bit of EU rubbish (i expect it to be law in the next few years).. i'll be siding with the Society of Automotive Engineers and sticking with BHP... that's what i was taught when i did my C&G in motor vehicle engineering.

KW as far as i know is more common for Australia and New Zealand.

LOL...EU Rubbish...I hear that.

It is no biggie. I just know when I moved to Europe two years ago, I had to figure out quickly what the conversion between KW and HP was. Oh and the conversion of newton meters to foot pounds.

[twigg107]

Originally Posted by JeepinMatt

Yes. But they should still understand the difference between horsepower at the crank and horsepower at the rear wheels. Would be a requirement of working in that field, I would think.

oh I 100% agree with your statment.... just wanted too throw in every dyno reads differently because there is alot of people who dont know that.

[stevenm357]

the GT500 is a beast.. but is't super heavy, as they showed it doesn't handle very well at all... for the price give me a C6 vette more style more speed more handling!

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

It just makes me smile about what i suspect they will say about the new camaro. Their two biggest problems with the new GT500 is that it doesn't make the power they claim (though they compared engine power to wheel power . . . ) and that it had a solid axle. Well I've heard that GM likes to understate hp, the numbers are likely to be closer between advertised engine and dyno'd wheel. Secondly, independent rear suspension. What will they complain about then? Probably the interior, thats the last resort when finding weakness in a muscle car. Kinda like complaining that a Bentley weighs over 5000 lbs.

I was thinking exactly the same thing. When they tested the Z06, they couldn't say one bad thing about it, except that the tbt nav went wight to 'fast-food restaurants, how american is that?!?", other than that, and a few cheap shots at it's "roadability" he kept saying, "the Americans are showing us how to do it!"...I look forward to more of that reaction.

And as for the hp reading...I know it's perfectly average, I know all cars have that loss - I also know, they like to rag and make jokes about all american cars - wherever they can. I didn't really think anything of it.

Besides, even though he may not like the numbers, who exclaimed "Good God!" when it took off?

[Power Junkie]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

Besides, even though he may not like the numbers, who exclaimed "Good God!" when it took off?

Yeah that was funny.... love to see what they say about the new Camaro, i bet you they'll go on about how it has independent rear suspension alot.

I've tried to get tickets for Top Gear and i've never managed it... shame since i only live about 20 mins from the studio where it's filmed.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Wow...20 minutes, huh? :eek:

Did you see the Bugatti rolling around?

[Power Junkie]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

Wow...20 minutes, huh? :eek:

Did you see the Bugatti rolling around?

I used to work with a guy that lived at the end of the road that you have to go down to get to the Studio... he could tell us what cars were going to be on the next series.

I have only seen one briefly.. but we do get a lot of those sort of car around the local area, loads of rich gitz here.

There was a Bugatti Veyron.. smashed up close by too:
http://cars.uk.msn.com/News/car_news...mentid=3786890

[Mr. Wyndham]

I had seen that...too bad, just proves that even a small patch of water can undo what 1001hp looks like.

[TAG UR IT]

That's really not that bad of an accident....looking at the damage. I'd have to see the other car, though. At least it can be fixed.

[Mr. Wyndham]

I suppose not...but It'll cost a very pretty penny to repair. If Bugatti repairs at all...

[TAG UR IT]

Originally Posted by Dragoneye

I suppose not...but It'll cost a very pretty penny to repair. If Bugatti repairs at all...

It said in the article, the company responsible for Bugatti repairs picked it up on site and towed it back to the factory. It said that it will be very easy to fix due to the car being built on a race car platform. Just take off the panels and replace. Of course, it will cost a FEW pennies!!! But, it'll get fixed.