Quick Clarification About Power/Torque Figures and Units

  • Thread starter TheWizard
  • 37 comments
  • 10,371 views
The power figure for the Lotus Esprit V8 in the game is listed as 349BHP. The Actual V8 Lotus engine is, and I believe has always been, rated at 350BHP. Which may not look all that similar to someone who works to the 15th decimal point (my calculator won't even take that many digits) it's close enough from a stored-in-PS-then-converted-to-BHP-and-rounded-off-to-the-nearest-integer point of view to make me happy that the power figures on all cars are based on figures officially released from the manufacturer, which is nearly always at the flywheel. So I suspect all values in the game would be flywheel, even for the tuners.

There might be differences with some of the older cars though. Alfa Romeo SA used to publish their figures to SAE standard, which I understood as power developed without counting losses due to essential engine-driven drains, like the coolant pump and alternator. Later they changed to the more universal DIN standard which measured the engine with all essential power losses taken into account. Alfa SA therefore offered their 2 litre 4 cyl engine as 112kW sometimes, and 97kW at others, and used car salesmen used to distinguish between the two, using it as a selling point: "this car has the 112kW motor sir. It's not the standard 97kW lump". When the reality was that it was exactly the same engine, whose power was 112kW (SAE) and 97kW (DIN). I have seen other large manufacturers quoting SAE figures much more recently, making the engine look more powerful than that of a rival manufacturer quoting DIN.
 
Very incredible story, I actually read the whole thing as to see why there were different power listings.

Thanks for the clarification/facts/test great job too..

I would give you a hug or something if I could, but for now you get a semi-colon and a close parentheses.

;)
 
Haven't checked this thread in a while.
Thank you all for the kind words, I am glad my work is being appreciated :D

I still need to update the first post with the latest discoveries that are spread here and there throughout the thread, I will do it as soon as possible.

The Wizard.
 
Thanks TheWizard, I just read your post, very helpful stuff.

I'm a bit disappointed in PD for not clearing this up in the game. Since they went to all the trouble to have these differing power figures based on milage and oil quality, they'd have to, at some point, think about how they're going to implement it in the game. The most straightforward way to me seems to print the car's base power and actual power on every screen where the power is listed. Would've been pretty easy to do. But no...
 
Great Job Wiz!

I do have a question though...In your research you stated that you do not think PD allowed the 'break in' of cars...I think that the break in period is still there. I don't know if it is for particular cars, engines, or what...

I started a new game not too long ago with a '94 Subraru WRX Sti. After roughly 80 miles, my power had gone up from what is was when new (actually used, bought it with 6.2 miles). Of course I did an oil change first and started racing. After some time I noticed the difference.

I can't say I've noticed it on my other cars, but I haven't been paying attention to that. I guess I or others should pay more attention and see if/when power changes.
 
I'm curious as to why you can convert power and torque measurments, but not suspension and turbo measurements? I haven't used the Nitrous Oxide upgrade (it's technically not NOS, a BRAND) which I'm sure uses further measurements.

Why I ask this--because honestly I have no idea what a kilogram-feroule (sp?) is nor have I any concept thereof. I also am confused why they would have a boost meter that doesn't show the actual amount of boost, just a relative meter--unless I just can't see it because I have a standard TV with resolution that can't quite show the characters on the gauge.

Any answers/comments as to help this one?
 
hmm . . interesting stuff . . but how much power does a car has to have to loose power??

my Volvo 240GLT has after 1'000'000km still the same numbers as the one with 0km !! it drops to 245 but after the oilchage it has 271 again. .like the new one . . :scared: . . it has not enough power to loose some? :D

edit:

katana87
What do all of the measurements stand for like: HP=Horsepower PS=?? ect.?

PS = Pferdestärke (german for horse strenght)
HP = horsepower
BHP = brake horsepower
CH = short for chevaux (french for horses)
kW = kilowatt
CV = chevaux vapeur or cheval vapeur (french for steam horses)

PF = I have no idea . . :scared:

kgf.m = kilogram-force metre
ft.lb = foot pound
NM = Newton metre
 
Back