I wasn't talking about overpriced status symbols. I meant real cars that
normal people drive.

If you want to play that game, there's the Corvette Z06, Dodge Viper,
Ford GT and the various Vector models.
For the price of that ridiculous rapper's bling-mobile I could buy a
Corvette Z06 and a new home and still take my wife out for a fine dinner.

The average daily driver in europe is smaller, lighter, with a smaller,
higher revving engine and a higher percentage of manual transmissions or
electronically controlled automatics.

My statement wasn't any sort of attack on any country's automotive
abilities, rather a response to one. The statement was made that North
American manufacturers can't make horsepower. I was pointing out that
it's because the market demands torque instead. So while the original
statement about HP might on average might be true, it's also not a
complete representation of the facts.


Alan B. Pearce wrote:
>> Plus there are North American engines that make over
>> 500lb/ft of torque, find me a euro vehicle with those numbers.
>>     
>
> Perhaps you need to watch the UK TV program Fifth Gear, where they took a 
> stock brand new Bentley car down to a drag strip. It blasted whatever Yank 
> Tank it was pitted against into the weeds - and not just by a car length or 
> two, it was a significant portion of the 1/4 mile.
>   
I do watch it. I loved the Hi-lux episode.
> However to be fair, while the car it ran against was of US origin, no claims 
> were made for what motor was fitted, but I would have thought that anyone 
> doing normal drag racing would have had some form of large V8 with super 
> charger. 
>
>   
Bentley GT
- $172,000
- 0-60 4.7 seconds
- Drive-train  W12 engine, 6sp auto, All Wheel Drive, 552HP @6100,
479lb-ft Torque @1600

Cadillac CTS-V
- $50,675
- 0-60 4.6 seconds
- Drive Train V8 engine, 6sp manual, Rear Wheel Drive, 400HP @6000,
295lb-ft Torque @4400

Corvette Z06
- $65,640
- 0-62 3.7 seconds
- Drive Train V8 engine, 6sp manual, Rear Wheel Drive, 505HP @6300,
470lb-ft torque @4800

>From those numbers, it seems to me that Bently couldn't make a sports
car if Porsche helped them.
For nearly 200 grand, a W12 engine and all wheel drive, it gets spanked
by both those much cheaper, 2 wheel drive, American cars.

If I was going to waste nearly 200 grand on a car, it might be more
something like

Mercedes S65 AMG
- $182,275
- 0-60 4.2 seconds
- Drive Train, V12 Engine, Rear Wheel Drive, 604HP @4800, 738lb-ft
Torque @2000-4000
Plus it gets 13/20 MPG
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