Why do European cars have less horsepower?

The reason for the low horsepower rating was rather simple: economics. Cars were taxed based on their engine size. One fact has to be stressed: one horsepower equals 746 watts. Actually one mechanical horsepower
mechanical horsepower
Two common definitions used today are the mechanical horsepower (or imperial horsepower), which is about 745.7 watts and the metric horsepower, which is approximately 735.5 watts. Horsepower. One mechanical horsepower lifts 550 pounds (250 kg) by 1 foot high in 1 second. General information. Unit of.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Horsepower
(also known as an Imperial horsepower) equals 550 foot-pounds per second, or 745.7 watts.
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Do European cars use horsepower?

It's all too common to see a slight discrepancy in horsepower figures when comparing Europe to the United States. No, they don't inflate the numbers, but they do calculate them differently. It's because we use U.S. standard units and they use the metric system.
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Why do European cars have smaller engines?

Over in Europe, the strategy to meet stringent emissions regulations has resulted in the downsizing of engines and the addition of turbochargers to make up for the power deficit. As such, the average engine size in Europe is anywhere between 1.3- and 1.9-liters.
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Why do American cars have so little horsepower?

Large displacement American V8s are typically pushrod engines, and this engine design has characteristics that make it more difficult to produce high horsepower per liter.
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Are European cars stronger?

Many Consumer Reports tests show that European vehicles tend to be a little more sturdy in their design and build strength. European vehicles tend to have shorter braking distances and are generally safer in a serious automobile accident.
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I Ranked All European Car Brands from Worst to Best



Why are German cars superior?

Well, the Germans design cars not just to look fast, but to be able to be safely driven at very high speeds. The German highway system often has no required speed limit, which allows drivers to use their horsepower. Cars there need to be able to perform at these top speeds, and German cars do. Precision Engineering.
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Why are European cars so good?

Technologically advanced European cars make driving easier and more fun. For those who like to play with new car features, European car brands definitely have the edge. Many European vehicles have built-in technology that lets drivers change seat temperature, car scent, and temperature at the push of a button.
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Why do American and European V8 sound different?

I don't know if this has much to do with it but in general the American V8s (especially older V8s) are larger displacement and lower rpm engines while European V8s tend to be smaller displacements and higher rpm engines, thus they will sound different.
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How high can a V8 rev?

Its peak power is still probably around the 9,200-9,400 RPM range with a drop-off as the engine spins faster, so tuning those higher revs for power will have to come later. We've seen other high-revving LS builds with redlines in the 9,200 RPM range, so this makes sense.
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Is it safer to have more or less horsepower?

To put it simply, vehicles with higher horsepower tend to encourage more dangerous styles of driving, while vehicles with lower horsepower tend to encourage safer driving, either directly or by not encoruaging more dangerous driving.
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Why do Americans use V8 cars?

V8 engines are much more common based on the lower costs of gas pricing. Pickup trucks in the US are practical and full of utility here whereas in Europe with gas being (2 and ... Taxes play a larger role in the types of cars that are designed and built in each country than many people realise.
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Why are European cars so much more fuel-efficient?

American cars simply are not as fuel-efficient as European vehicles. European vehicles are built with European gas prices in mind, which are substantially higher than American gas costs. As a result, European cars let drivers get more out of each gallon.
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Do smaller engines wear out faster?

So, each cylinder is working about 13 per cent harder. It's also spinning about 17 per cent faster while it's doing that. It is, however, a big jump from there to 'it'll wear out faster'. This depends on many other factors including the calibre of materials used and the underlying R&D.
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Is British horsepower the same as American?

Explanation: 1 Imperial unit of horsepower = 1.014 Metric - a small but not insignificant difference.. dchalifo: This conversion factor doesn't work. The Mazda RX8 is listed at 231 hp in UK and as 238 hp in America.
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Is horsepower measured differently in Europe?

In Europe it's the metric system—centimeter and liter. The English unit for power is horsepower, or hp. The metric equivalent to horsepower is PS (for Pferdestärke, which is German for "horsepower"). Because we define units differently, one PS does not equal one hp.
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Is American horsepower different?

US hp numbers are a bit lower because US horses are a bit bigger than euro horses... PS is abbreviation for Pfderdestarke which is the German word for horsepower. US hp numbers are a bit lower because US horses are a bit bigger than euro horses...
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Why do Ferrari engines rev so high?

Weight is a function of physical size, so in general, a higher rpm engine will produce more hp for less weight. Torque in very much a function of displacement, so larger displacement engines have more torque, regardless of the hp or rpm they make. Torque is actually what makes the car go.
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What is the highest an engine has ever revved?

Highest-revving car engines ever made
  • Lamborghini Huracan STO - 8,500rpm. ...
  • McLaren 570S - 8,500rpm. ...
  • Audi R8 V10 - 8,700rpm. ...
  • Ferrari F12tdf - 8,900rpm. ...
  • Ferrari 458 - 9,000rpm. ...
  • Lexus LFA - 9,000rpm. ...
  • Porsche 911 (991) GT3 - 9,000rpm. ...
  • Porsche 918 Spyder - 9,150rpm.
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Why do race engines rev so high?

Why Increase the Revs? The primary way to achieve a large power output with a smaller engine is to increase the engine's speed; this is easily demonstrated by driving in your family car. Moving off with the engine revving at higher speeds will produce more wheelspin and, ultimately, a faster acceleration.
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What country makes the best V8s?

Germany's history with V8s began with aircraft engines of the late 1920s and was primarily used in utilitarian applications initially. Germany may have been late to the performance V8 party, but being German, of course, nowadays they're arguably the best in the world.
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Why do American V8s sound so good?

The rich roars of the V8 are music to many people's ears. A V8 engine has two rows of four cylinders arranged in a V shape, and – in the cross-plane crankshaft type, rather than a flat-plane – these cylinders fire in an irregular pattern across the two rows.
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Did Americans invent the V8?

The first known working V8 engine was produced by the French company Antoinette in 1904, while the American 1914–1935 Cadillac L-Head engine is considered the first automotive V8 engine to be produced in significant quantities.
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Are European cars faster than American cars?

When it comes to American cars vs European, most car enthusiasts can agree that European cars handle better at higher speeds. Some people even say that the US builds cheaper versions of European auto that can go fast but can't turn a corner.
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Are Japanese cars better than European?

It is no doubt that Japanese cars rank higher when it comes to reliability. Although many European and American cars makers have improved their quality, the Japanese are still ahead. Many car brands from Japan are still the top brands when it comes to reliability.
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Are European cars better than American?

Fuel costs, on the whole, are higher in Europe, leading to manufacturers prioritising it during manufacturing; for American manufacturers, power and speed is a bigger priority for the market. As a result, European cars are built with a stronger focus on fuel efficiency.
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