Merc1

I was just looking through the various threads here and thinking about where are engine types and hp ratings going to go or end?

Take BMW for instance: the M3 that a drooled over as a kid had a 4-cylinder, now we await a V8 powered M3 later this year, with like twice the hp of the original.

Look at Mercedes-Benz: Once upon a time you had to buy the S/CL/SL to get the top of the line V8, but now the "big" V8 (5L or more) can be had in all their model lines. During the production run of my CLK430, the 5L V8 was reserved for the S/CL/SL, but no more.

Audi just went from turbo V6s to V8s to V10 for the S/RS cars in less than a decade also.

What is really startling is how hp doubles and how previous performance benchmarks are passed so easily. Just a few years ago a E55 (W210) had 354hp and that was considered a powerful as hell, but now the regular production E550 has more hp at 382hp. This new 5.5L V8 makes nearly as much hp and torque as the V12 in the W140 600SEL! The BMW M5 went from a I6 with around 310hp to a V10 with 500hp. The CLK63 has more hp than last year's supercharged E55!

Where do you think this will end? I mean is the entry level hi-po class going to have V10s in 7-8 years and the middle classes have V12s?

Chevy is talking about getting 700hp, naturally aspirated out of the next Corvette?

We already have one 1000hp car for sale, are there going to be others?

Mercedes makes so many 500hp cars its almost hard to keep track of them all!

We routinely call Jaguars, Maseratis and Aston-Martins "weak" because none of them meet the German-set 500hp standard! Is that jaded or what!!! Will Audi raise the bar with their upcoming RS6? Will it be that 600hp is now required for the M5/E63/RS6 class?

Your thoughts on this please, where is all of this going?

M

Choleric

I think it will level off here soon, I think the S5 "only" getting 354 hp, 10 more hp than the 5 year old S4 engine, and the R8 "only" getting 420hp is a good sign that it could be leveling off, or maybe just a one time thing who knows.

It is definately scary to think what will happen as everyone wants the best, fastest car on the block.

bmer

In addition to Choleric's post I would say that BMW for example slowed down with the horse power race after the E39 M5 and concentrated more on weight and other performance related things. But I believe Eni and Scott can give you more info on this...

My prediction is that the power increase speed will slow down and that AWD will be more common as it has showed to be useful in sports cars like in 911 and Lamborgini models (+ even Ferrari testing it).

DaSilva

We are soon at the end for the petorl engines.. that's why Audi are giving "maybe" the last generation RS6 with petrol 550 to sett the last RS6 as high as you can! Next gen. will maybe run on something like water.. you guys know what I mean..

So what I'm trying to say is that we are at the top.
new fuel types, new HP, -- ect.

They are going down! to Battery Size!

No.. aah. I don't know for sure

Let's wait or see - or ask the Car brands ?

Habitual Speeder

Slightly off topic, but Ferrari looked at AWD about 20 years ago...

Check here: http://www.germancarzone.com/showthr...099#post158099

Choleric

I would like to add, that it will become necessary to tone down engine performance simply because of a decreasing supply of oil and gas. True high performance machines' prices continue to rise and will balloon even more as the scarcity of oil increases. New fuel alternatives will soon take the forefront and replace this horsepower war in the minds of the consumer.

Habitual Speeder

I don't know if it'll replace it, per se. I think alternative fuels will play a factor, but folks are still going to want high-performance variants (regardless of what's fueling the motor).

But, I believe you're right about things getting toned down...we can't possibly maintain the current consumption. Maybe not as drastic, but start thinking of the vehicles that were available before & after the fuel crisis in the 70's.

Mr. M

Horsepower and torque would be increased through further improvements in efficiency; however, once the maximum power is extracted from a petrol engine, there would be a gradual shift from petrol engines to diesel and hybrids IMO.

I can't say for sure how big engine displacements would be in the future... I'd love to see something new replacing the internal combustion engine, if possible.

Just_me

it will end sometime, a M5 or a M3 will never get 1000 horsepowers