The Horsepower Wars

It has to end sometime. I imagine sooner rather than later, but that doesn't mean it will stop any time soon. It can't go on for that much longer, as the world is going green, which means clean, which means torque not hp.

Electric motors generate LOTS of torque, good for acceleration, not work (towing). Ultimately these cars that are getting the 400, 500, 600, and even 700+ horsepower treatment are all meant to go really really fast, not to do any work. Look at the Tesla Roadster, it'll beat a Ferrari, but only has 250 hp. It is probably lighter (assumption) as far as the engine(s) are concerned.

An F350 needs a lot of hp, because it does a lot of work. An electric motor is probably not practical here.

The point is that I found a fat (note that it is NOT with 'ph') Cadillac CTS, technically the '-v', that has a "de-tuned engine" producing 600 hp! What the hell are you going to do with a 600 hp Mercedes or Cadillac sedan?!? JHC people!!!

Super fast cars will have to go the route of Lotus. Small, lightweight, super-torquey, accelerator-mobiles. That is what I want. I have to admit that I am intoxicated by the massive hp numbers too, as I am a car junky, but I also have to admit that this cannot and should not go on. If a Lotus game with more luxury for the price, I would probably have to go for one of those. We are at the dawn of a new automotive age, and the only thing stopping it is the sedatives that the major *cough*American* car companies have giving the market to keep it where it is. They can't stop it though. Companies like Toyota undercutting their sales and Tesla entering the market with a plan to get to affordable extremely efficient civic-like electrics within 10 years will take them down, as they have already started to.

The hp race will burn out and be replaced with economy race. History repeats itself. This happened back in the late 70's and the 80's where recession caused Americans to want more economy. Now global warming will have the same affect. Popular cars will go small again. You will soon see a flood of ultra efficient ultra compacts like the Smart for two. I want one even, and I am a speed junky, but you can't practically do anything with 700 hp nor can one afford to drive it anymore. They oil companies are making some serious money now but have sealed their own tomb in doing so... they now have only to gasp and cry as they asphyxiate on their own ignorance.

The future is coming.

Read