Pounds per horsepower: What's yours?

"cletus44 aka Clayton Seams" (cletus44)
12/15/2015 at 10:39 • Filed to: None

Pretty simple. My 4,189-pound 1969 Chrysler Newport makes 290 (gross) horsepower giving it 14.4 pounds/hp . Not bad for a Nimitz-class barge. What’s yours?

I usually use Carfolio or Automobile Catalog to find the curb weight of a car. (Dry weight is cheating)

DISCUSSION (58)

BmanUltima's car still hasn't been fixed yet, he'll get on it tomorrow, honest. > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 10:43

My 530i is 3605 lbs and makes 228 HP for 15.8 lb/hp.

Alright I guess.

bob and john > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 10:45

the SV make 75 HP and weight 400lbs (550 with my and gear)

5.3lbs/hp without me, and 7.3lbs/hp with me

Milky > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 10:46

Not great for a base Crossfire, 14.2. 3060lbs and 215hp.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > bob and john
12/15/2015 at 10:46

I was waiting for that haha pretty impressive ratio.

Jcarr > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 10:46

MkV Jetta 2.5: 21.9 lbs/hp

2004 Envoy 4.2: 16.1 lbs/hp

Autohaus Derp > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 10:48

3rd Gen Camaro 6 cyl, 24.4 lb/hp... Oh dear...

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 10:48

My 4610 lb S class makes 493 hp so 9.35 lb/hp.

bob and john > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 10:51

just wait for someone else with a legitimately powerful bike to show up

to give you an idea...the top SS’s make easily double the HP of mine...

Dusty Ventures > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 10:51

My Outback curbs at 3500 and makes 245 horsepower, giving me about 14.3

gin-san - shitpost specialist > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 10:52

Gross Vehicle Weight: 3638 lbs

110hp @ 6000rpm (even I didn’t realize it was this high until I looked it up, this car never gets to 6000rpm)

33.07 lbs/hp sounds about right - it's slow as fuck. Now that I think about its speed (or lack thereof) it's because this thing is never really actually making peak horsepower since the automatic shifts early for fuel economy.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > Dusty Ventures
12/15/2015 at 10:53

What about one of your race cars?

GTI Sprinks > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 10:53

Stock 2dr mk7 gti w/ DSG: 14.4 lbs/hp, 3027 lbs and 210 hp

Leon711 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 10:53

My GTI has a ratio of 14.7lb/hp, mine puts out a little more than stock because of a tune and accompanying intake for the tune but I don’t know the exact figure but the above is stock.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 10:55

My Rover is about 2800lb curb, and 72hp. 38.9lb/hp. My Benz is curb ~3800lb, and 143hp, for 26.6lb/hp, though since the turbo’s wastegate is stuck and it has a hojillion miles on it, it’s going to be closer to the non-turbo numbers: 34.8. The Ranchero should end up around 2900lb/260hp, or 11.1. The Lincoln is about 5200lb, with a 350hp (gross) engine, which gives 14.8. If I upgrade that engine to a Super Maruader intake and put headers on, it’s up to 400hp, giving 13. In a two and a half ton car.

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 10:56

About 4000lbs, 300hp for 13.3lb/hp.

Though it only puts about 242 of those to the ground. Also bear in mind this wasn't the V8 weight spec, but I'm pretty sure the V8 and I5 were pretty close.

Grindintosecond > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 10:58

The broke-ass mini in the garage has 1400/35= 40 .0, yet when working, is a total blast.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > gin-san - shitpost specialist
12/15/2015 at 10:59

Gross isn’t the right number. Gross weight is usually curb + around 900ish pounds of people and stuff, so your power numbers are a good bit better than you think.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 10:59

BMW 128i has a curb weight of 3250 lbs and 230hp, so 14.1 lbs/hp. My old WRX wagon was 3175 lbs and made 380hp at the crank, so 8.4 lbs per hp. That extra 5.5 lbs makes the car a whole lot quieter...

Master Cylinder > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 11:00

My lightened 944S (~2700lb and 188hp) is at 14.3 currently. Still have some weight to drop and power to add, though!

Edit: my V-Strom 1000 has a wet weight of 520lb and makes about 100hp, so that’s 5.2. It’s funny, though - the 944 feels quickish to me and the Vee always feels a little sluggish.

Twinpowermeansoneturbo > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 11:09

M235i (it’s tuned) - 9.1

My 911 will be 9.24

Bryan doesn't drive a 1M > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 11:17

My 135i weighs 3373 lbs and has 300 hp for 11.24 lbs/hp.

Berang > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 11:22

Something like 1/30

torques per pound is more impressive.

MasterMario - Keeper of the V8s > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 11:30

~41 lbs/hp - 1993 F150 Haha...yea it’s a glorified tractor with that straight 6 in there

Snuze: Needs another Swede > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 11:30

17.2 - Cruze is ~3100lbs (can’t find exact number for my trim level) and 180hp with the tune.

Stock it was 140hp, so it was 22.1.

uofime-2 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 11:32

WRX 3268/268=12.12

ninjette 575(loaded)/26=22.11

MoFinWiley > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 11:35

Twin Turbo GTO ~4000lbs ~800 at the engine.

So 5lb/hp

But more importantly is also the torque which is 5lb/tq!

gin-san - shitpost specialist > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht
12/15/2015 at 11:35

In that case, curb weight is 2467 lbs

Makes for a much better (on paper) 22.4 lbs/hp

I take it curb weights still include all fluids and stuff necessary to run the car, right?

Matt Nichelson > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 11:38

14.6 for an e92 328i. Not as bad as I was thinking actually.

Sneaky Pete > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 11:43

Slow turd. 2513 lbs / 109 hp =23.06 lbs/hp

Moves with some motivation. 3851 lbs / 265 hp = 14.53 lbs/hp

Hold on to your hat. 3375 lbs / 460 hp = 7.34 lbs/hp

Snuze: Needs another Swede > bob and john
12/15/2015 at 11:44

Back when I had the CBR1000RR, it was 172HP and weighed 449 wet. Add another 180lbs for me and gear (that was 20lbs ago).

3.65 lbs/hp with me. Without it’s 2.6 lbs/hp. Completely bonkers.

Benzed92 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 11:46

Mazdaspeed 6: weighs 3589lbs with 320hp. 11.21lbs/hp.

CKeffer > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 11:49

The FoST has 252hp and weighs 3,223 lbs meaning I’ve got 12.8lbs/hp. The NB1 weighs 2348lbs and has 140hp, supposedly ~150hp with the stuff done to it, putting it somewhere between 16.8 and 15.7lb/hp....which explains why a hipster on a moped could likely beat it in a drag race, though it’d definitely smoke a 2CV in a drag race, by at least half a second.

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 11:51

Kia Soul, base, manual:

138 hp

2615 lbs (per Edmunds, for a manual base model) Automatic Exclaim (heaviest one) is 2780 lbs.

18.9 lb/hp. slow.... but happy to rev.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 11:58

about 7,000 lbs and 260 hp and 560 ft/lbs torque

so 26.9

car i am building 2800 lbs and 600hp so 4.66

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 12:05

The GLI weighs in at 3300lbs, and makes 255hp. that’s about 12.9lbs/hp

Sherpaw > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 12:08

2014 Chrysler 300 C AWD - 1921 kg (4235lb), 363 hp

11.66 lb/hp - not overly awful, unlike my mileage :)

Would love to get that down to 10 lb/hp, but it’ll take more work than its worth.

472CID > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 12:14

16.7 for the Miata
17.8 for the Cherokee

Remarkably close to one another.

Noah - Now with more boost. > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 12:18

1999 Q45: 4100 lb land yacht with 270 horsepower from a 4.1 V8 - that’s 15.2 lbs/hp. And I rarely push the motor past 3k rpm so realistically I never see the full figure. It's all about dat torque (280 lb ft)

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 12:21

8.5 or so...

E90 M3

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Twinpowermeansoneturbo
12/15/2015 at 12:23

What spec 911 are you getting again? Euro delivery?

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > MoFinWiley
12/15/2015 at 12:24

Insane.

Mark - Sixpots None The Richer > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 12:24

Although my Boot has custom oxidized race sheet metal to make it lighter it’s still just about 22 pounds/hp.

Kinja'd!!!

So surprisingly she isn’t fast...

RazoE > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 12:33

-2008 Mazdaspeed 3: 3153 lbs. / 263 hp = 11.98 lb/hp

-2005 Scion xB: 2469 lbs. / 108 hp = 22.86 lb/hp

El Rivinado > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 12:35

1998 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe. 3821 lbs, 300 HP. So, 12.7 lb/hp. I'd consider that alright.

Dusty Ventures > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 12:39

The truck weighs in at 3900, but hasn't been officially dynoed yet. My butt dyno says at least 350. So about 11.1 for the truck

shop-teacher > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 12:45

According to the scales at the scrap yard, my ‘06 Sierra crew cab weighs about 5250 lbs with my fat butt in it. My 4.8 baby LS motor makes about 280 hp (give or take 5, so close enough). That gives me 18.75 lbs/hp ... so yeah, it’s pretty slow.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 13:03

The Sonoma has a curb of 3761 lbs and 190hp....

So 19.79lbs/hp........yikes.

TheRealBicycleBuck > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 13:07

‘14 WRX - 3,207lbs, 265hp = 12.1 hp/lb

Svart Smart, traded in his Smart > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 13:52

1830 / 70 = 26 lb/hp

Khalbali > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 13:58

15.5 for my NC

MoFinWiley > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
12/15/2015 at 14:04

The torque is what makes it feel so damn special. The turbos are smallish so they spool early and that makes for an enormously wide power band. Full boost by 3000 and pulls to 6500 (various limiting factors between cam and valvetrain components)

I adapted an Apexi boost controller which was one of the few at the time that could do gear-based boost. I run less boost in the lower gears to help with traction.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > MoFinWiley
12/15/2015 at 14:21

We need a full OPPO write-up of this machine.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 14:25

The 528i has 18.4 lbs/hp

A real Nimitz class has around 750 lbs/hp

911e46z06 > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 21:26

6.2 for the Z06 (C6). Boom.

9.5 for the V-sport. Also boom.

10.21 for the M3 (e46).

11.65 for the Porsche (‘87 Turbo-look Cab).

And, brand new, the VW bus was at a whopping 44.47. Now it’s around 125.0.

Many boring numbers for all my trucks.

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/15/2015 at 23:02

GTO, about 3750lb, about 420hp... 8.93
Colorado, about 4000lb, 200hp... 20
Outback, about 3300lb, 165hp... 20
Fiero, about 2750lb, 140hp... 19.64
SV650, about 400lb, about 75hp... 5.33

I need more cars.

Luc - The Acadian Oppo > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
12/16/2015 at 12:30

Kinja'd!!!

4843lbs and 159hp. 30.46 pounds/hp I’d like to see someone beat that with a car they own or have owned.

Pretty sure I’ll be #1 on the list if we go from most to less pounds per hp. (Exect if Steve Letho chimes in with his m135 deuce and a half military truck)

TheBlacktopExperiment > cletus44 aka Clayton Seams
01/16/2016 at 18:03

My Blacktop is rated at 173 hp and has a curb wgt of ~3,400 lbs.

That’s ~19.6 lbs/hp.

With me in it, and even including the items in it now, it’s ~20.5 lbs/hp.

I’ve always heard it as hp/tonne (I do it all metric). I got 112 hp/tonne.

cletus44 aka Clayton Seams > TheBlacktopExperiment
01/16/2016 at 19:32

I like the name!