He could ask $100,000.00, he has about as much of a chance of getting that as he does getting $18,000.00.

This is what I found on Wikipedia (and did some calculations based on numbers provided).

McLaren 675LT

• Top Gear time: 01:13.7
• 666 HP
• 2712 lbs
• has a power to weight ratio of 1.97 kg (4.34 lb) per horsepower.

Bugatti Veyron

• Top Gear time: 01:18.3
• 523 bhp
• 4162 lbs
• 3.82 lb per horsepower

Porsche Boxster Spyder

• Top Gear time: 01:24.9
• 2811 lbs
• 320 horsepower
• 8.784 lbs/HP

Ford Focus ST

• Top Gear time: 01:29.6
• 252 bhp
• 3,223 lbs
• 12.79 lbs/HP

Mazda RX-8

• Top Gear time: 01:31.8
• 231 bhp
• 2,886–3,027 lb
• 12.49-13.1 lbs/HP

Granted, all of this is Top Gear and Wikipedia. But it does give some room for thought and debate.

I would argue that the RX-8 has a lower power to weight ratio than a new Toyota Sienna.

I think losing weight is always a better idea than adding more power. Typically if your car weighs less you can be just as fast with less HP, less HP means less weight and typically a more reliable car.


I wish they made a low 2000lbs vehicle with a good 220-240HP I4 or rotary engine which has roll up and down windows, no A/C, just heat, stripped out stuff with race seats but have the room to fit a taller person.


I had a lot of fun driving Integra's and what not back in the day, just need something RWD, an s2000 is too small for a larger person, not much fits this description out there. The rx8 is about as close as it gets.


My rx7 I run at 350WHP or so for reliability of engine and drivetrain and its also really tough to drive a mid 2000lbs vehicle with 480-500WHP fast. So I run the boost at much lower levels than I need to so I don't kill myself.


I probably would be just as happy with 200-250WHP in a low 2000lbs car.

Well you'd be wrong.

No I wouldn't because most RX-8's make 160-180WHP.

And you think a minivan is getting 300whp?

Well let's say the average RX-8 in todays world is at 14.5 - 15.5lb per HP at the crank. The lightest 2018 Sienna is about 14.9lb per HP.

I don't disagree actual results from a dyno might say they're close. Let's say just for the sake of argument that an RX-8 straight from the factory is making 190whp. And the Sienna straight from the factory is making 265whp.

Sienna = .06148 hp/wt ratio
RX-8 = .06277 hp/wt ratio

Granted, if anyone ever does a dyno on a Sienna and the dyno number is actually close to what the reported numbers are, then yeah, 9k might be onto something. It's certainly in the realm of possibility that the Sienna's numbers of hp are closer to whp than the RX-8's. But as we have no pure data, we can only speculate (at least in the Sienna's case) with the reported numbers.

Speaking of which, is there a dyno of a brand new factory RX-8 out there? I couldn't find one that didn't have over 40k miles.

Ah I was going off of the heaviest weights of both cars.

3027lbs for RX-8
4310lbs for Sienna

The most I have ever seen a stock RX-8 dyno at was 190WHP on a then new S2 R3. But I have also seen a low mileage two year old R3 dyno at 175WHP while the rest of us with 7+ year old (at the time) RX-8's made more, :lol:

It's sad really, especially when you see one with full bolt ons and a tune only make 10WHP more than a stock one. But dyno numbers shoudl be taken with a grain of salt.

And I only brought up the Sienna because I have one at work and it is rated at 296HP and could be underrated as I am certain it would take a stock 8 in the 1/4, from a roll, whatever.

Lol been doing burnouts in the minivan? I know back when I was getting my license, mom's Dodge Caravan was capable of skidding here and there.

Not burn outs, :lol: But I use it when I do any work traveling. Our last one had north of 340k on it when we traded it in, never had had a problem with it other than worn out suspension parts and tires.

Toyota makes some good engines. The new Camry with the 305HP V6 made a lot of people drool.

The problem is, Toyota also happens to have the most boring cars. Putting a V6 in a Camry where 99% of their drivers won't even rev past 3k is just a waste of a good engine. Put that in a MT RWD sports car.

It's a bit silly comparing the power-to-weight of a minivan and a sports car. Yeah, let's see how well a minivan handle.

Well most people never (can't) drive their 8's to the limit any way so it doesn't really matter. Sabine Schmitz was passing 991's on the nurburgring in a Cargo Van on the top gear challenge.

I've seen a few, even on this forum. Granted they're pretty much instantly told how stupid an idea such a thing is.

That is true.

Completely agree with this article. It's not the best articulation of this point that I've read, but the author is right.