Last summer, Motor Trend estimated that the Nissan GT-R made at least 507-horsepower at the crank, which is quite a bit more than the manufacturer's official 480-horse rating. Now, MT decided to put to rest the firestorm it created by strapping yet another GT-R to a new type of dynamometer that's reportedly capable of calculating exact drivetrain losses, something that had previously been nothing more than an estimation. Three runs were conducted, and Godzilla delivered figures that were consistently within just a few percentage points of each other. So, what's the scoop? According to MT, the average of those three separate dyno runs reveals that Nissan's supercar is delivering 485-horsepower @ 6050 rpm and 470 lb-ft @ 3800 rpm. That's nearly spot on for horsepower, but a good deal more torque at the crank than its official 430 lb-ft. -- we're not complaining. These tests also prove that there are indeed significant losses due to the GT-R's twin-clutch, all-wheel drive configuration, though that's also what helps launch the supercar from a dead-stop so quickly.
We just told you about Nissan's next-gen Patrol SUV and the fact that it might be coming to North America. While rumors have the engine options including a first-ever V8 for the model, the big news is the diesel engine co-developed with Renault that's slated to put out 405 ft-lbs. of torque. While that sounds enticing, apparently that won't be good enough for a certain impatient Dubai businessman. He went to tuner HKS and had them turn up the wick a bit on a current-generation Patrol while he's waiting for the new one.
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The Genesis Coupe is being launched in South Korea this week, and we've already heard from CAR regarding their testing of the 310-hp 3.8L V6 model. Hyundai released its own performance numbers for the hotly anticipated RWD coupe, and it also included information for the turbocharged 2.0L base model. While CAR achieved a fairly respectable 0-60 time of 5.9 seconds for the V6 model, Hyundai is claiming a sprint to 62 takes 6.3 seconds. In the Korean home market, the force-fed 2.0L base model will achieve 223 hp and 220 lb-ft with premium fuel, and 210 hp with regular. U.S. customers will reportedly only receive the 210-hp version, and you'll hit that magic number at 6,000 RPM while the turbocharged nature of the 2.0L helps you hit peak torque at a low 2,000 RPM. Hyundai claims the base Coupe's 0-62 time is a rather leisurely 8.3 seconds, but we're guessing that plenty of enthusiasts will get their hands underhood in an effort to greatly boost those numbers. Korean market pricing starts at 23,200,000 Korean won for the base model and 33,920,000 won for the top of the line V6 model. That's $18,728 and $27,382 in U.S. currency, but Hyundai won't announce official U.S. pricing until closer to the Genesis Coupe's spring 2009 debut.
It always happens this way. Shortly after a new performance car is released to the public, it will find its way to a dyno shortly thereafter. When that new vehicle is the new performance king of the automotive world, aka the 2009 Corvette ZR1, our collective interest is piqued. So, how does it fare on the rollers? Two separate 'Vettes were tested, and the average output was about 535 horsepower at the rear wheels. After factoring in the normal 15-percent drivetrain losses for a rear-wheel drive car, that's pretty darn close to the claimed 638. After a bit of tinkering the team got that number up near 570, saying it's running a bit rich from the factory. Click here for the full graph. Until the V-Spec GT-R is unveiled the ZR1's most natural competitor might be the normal Nissan GT-R; despite the pricing disparity between the two, they are the two most amazing performance bargains currently on the market. For what it's worth, the GT-R seems to be averaging about 420 horsepower at the wheels. Apples to oranges? Sure, but it's always fun to throw a little more fuel on the fire. If we didn't do it, you know it would come up in the comments. And so it will, have fun.
There is nothing better than finding a few stray horses that were previously unaccounted for. Honda engineers were running tests on the Accord's 3.5L V6 engine when they realized it was spinning the dyno with more horsepower and torque than originally thought. It caught the Honda team off guard, as the powerplant has received no design changes to warrant the extra power. Regardless, the marketing folks have been quick to update the power ratings of the 3.5-liter 24-Valve SOHC i-VTEC powerplant. Here are the new numbers for 2009: 271 hp replaces 268 hp on all V6 models, 254 lb-ft. replaces 248 lb-ft. on automatic transmission models and 251 lb-ft. replaces 248 lb-ft. on manual transmission models. One would have to assume that the 2008 model made the same power, it just wasn't noticed...
Back in the late sixties, automakers sometimes purposely under-reported the true horsepower that their solid-lifter, over-cammed and over-carburetor'd monster V8 engines actually delivered. More recently, some manufacturers have overestimated the real power of their vehicles, which has led some to distrust factory horsepower numbers. Owners of the uber-impressive Nissan GT-R have been wondering if they've been lied to regarding real horsepower figures too. But in this case they may actually be getting more than the 480 horses that they had bargained for. In fact, after considering that the coupe is capable of hitting 123 miles per hour in the quarter mile and the fact that it weighs roughly four-thousand pounds, the New York Times Wheels blog estimates that the GT-R really makes 550-580 horsepower at the crank.
While we are certain that the rabid horsepower wars and the debate over the GT-R's true power as compared to its rivals will rage on, NYT's estimates are actually pretty much in line with what Motor Trend got after putting the Nissan supercar on the dyno, and that's a figure that really can't be argued with.
We thought Bentley's announcement earlier today that it's adding a Speed model to the Continental Flying Spur lineup was exciting news for sedan fans. After all, a 600bhp saloon that can hit 60 mph in 4.5 seconds and reach 200 MPH is pretty exciting, no? Not really when compared to Cadillac's news that the 2009 CTS-V will officially be rated at 556 horsepower, hit 60 mph in 3.5 seconds and run the quarter mile in 12 seconds flat. No offense to Bentley, but a sub-3-second sedan is about as exciting as it can get on a Monday. For the record, the Edmunds' Straightline Blog reports that the sport sedan's 6.2L supercharged V8 will produce 556 hp at 6,100 rpm and 551 pound-feet of torque at 3,800 rpm. That engine is the LSA, derived from the new Corvette ZR1's LS9 motor and detuned for duty in the CTS-V. Fortunately, the LSA wasn't detuned too much and the '09 CTS-V should destroy its German competition, specifically the BMW M5 with its - can't believe we're saying this - relatively meager 500-hp 5.0L V10.
For car buffs it's baffling (and pretty cool, too) to see a $70,000 Nissan weighing nearly 4,000 lbs whoop up on lighter, more powerful cars. The GT-R lapped more than five seconds quicker than a Corvette Z06 and 911 Turbo at Buttonwillow Raceway during Road and Track's test, and Car and Driver pulled off some pretty incredible numbers during theirs, running 0-60 mph in 3.3 seconds and the quarter mile in just 11.5 seconds. However, some have questioned the numbers. How does the GT-R, which has a weight-to-horsepower ratio 25% higher than the Turbo and Z06, beat both around the racetrack?
Motor Trend questioned the numbers too, and decided to check for themselves when they received a GT-R to review. They took the GT-R over to K&N Engineering in San Bernardino, CA, who strapped it to their in-house chassis dyno to see just how much horsepower the car was making. Three separate runs in fourth gear netted an average of about 430 horsepower at the wheels. Assuming a conservative 15% drivetrain loss, the GT-R is actually producing more than 500 horsepower and 500 lb-ft torque at the flywheel. That helps explain the numbers, but it won't give 911 Turbo and Corvette Z06 owners any comfort.
Margo Oge, EPA director-office of transportation and air quality, has made a plea to the auto industry to end the current horsepower wars that have produced such vehicles as the 620-hp Corvette ZR1. Instead, she hopes the industry, specifically domestic automakers, will start a new war, a green war, to create the "most affordable and desirable, low carbon-vehicle each year." Such a challenge, she claims, could help spark economic growth and see the transportation sector "reclaim the mantle of the country's economic growth over the next decade."
Her arguments, which can be read in more detail at Ward's Auto, are well reasoned, and while automakers can hardly deny their part in an arms race for more horsepower, many are also on the front lines of a battle to make green vehicles that are more desirable than their competitors. One need only look at the squabbling that goes back and forth between GM and Toyota over which is better, a series hybrid like the Volt or a parallel hybrid like the Prius. The latter two automakers, being the largest full-line automakers in the world, are forced to deal with the dissonance of producing desirable, high-horsepower sports cars and full-size trucks while at the same time being on the cutting edge of new green technology. It's not hypocrisy, it's the reality of offering many different types of vehicles to the widest range of customers.
And despite Oge's plea, automakers are keenly aware of what needs to be done in order to meet new, stricter CAFE standards by 2020. GM has already cancelled plans for a new V8 and Ford has practically committed itself to replacing eight-cylinder engines with more efficient turbocharged, direct-inject V6 powerplants. The rub is that any progress made by an automaker to make its vehicles more green cannot happen at the expense of performance, reliability and comfort. We want our new cars to be as good as they were last year in every way, with better fuel economy and cleaner emissions. It's a tall order, but don't worry Margo. Both federal regulations and consumer pressure guarantee they're working hard on it.
Callaway, the Connecticut-based Corvette tuner par excellence, has just announced that its 2008 Callaway Corvette will come with a new supercharger package that bumps power in the C6 Corvette to 580 horsepower. Buyers need only hand over $18,500 for the additional 150 horsepower over a stock 430-hp 6.2L LS3 V8, but will also get a host of engine improvements, a 3-year/36,000 mile warranty and still be able to meet California's strict emissions standards.
Callaway has also announced a new, more powerful supercharger for its super-Vette, the C16. The new spool increases output of the hand-built LS3 engine from 616 to 650 hp. It's also fitted with new cylinder heads and valvetrain, a custom cold-air intake, special free-flowing exhaust system and remapped ECU, in addition to the carbon-ceramic brakes, suspension and wheels. Callaway offers the C16 with its custom bodywork and leather interior in coupe and convertible forms for about $150k, or double that for the stunning Speedster. The extra 34 harnessed horses should help the updated C16 break its already-impressive 3.3-second 0-60 time, 11-second ΒΌ mile and 210 mph top end.
