[Shotimes] 06 IMPALA....Replacement for SHO?

Ron Porter ronporter@prodigy.net
Tue, 11 Oct 2005 10:07:37 -0700 (PDT)


Define "performance sedan", it's more than just 0-60.
 
Also 220 HP from 1989 is not the same as 220 HP today. Yeah, sounds stupid, but more recent engines may have the same peak HP as 15-year-old engines, but what is more important is that the torque curves throughout the rpm range are much better. Many car with 220-250 HP today are solid mid-low 14-second cars, and some 250 HP turbo cars are good for high 13s....
 
One really obvious example was the difference between the pre-'99 Mustang GTs with the 2225 HP 4.6, and the '99-newer 260 HP 4.6. It was "only" a 35 (peak) HP upgrade, but the big change was a much fatter torque curve. The result was that the 1/4-mile times dropped from 15.0-15.1 to 13.9-14.0. The less intelligent car mag readers thought that the HP increase "had" to be more than 35, but peak HP ain't where it's at.
 
I would bet that, if the V6 SHO engine was produced today, it wouldn't have a lot more peak HP, but I bet the peak torque would be 230-240 lbs/ft, rather than 200.
 
Ron Porter

Peter Maggiacomo <gtsrider@yahoo.com> wrote:
"Probably a decent car, although it's 2005, and I'm
not sure I would call a current 215 hp 4 door 
"performance" sedan."
Mark

Good point, Mark. I feel that my 95 MTX is just
average
hp these days. Can't even impress women with 220 hp.
-Pete
Tampa, Fl.
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