More Power vs. Lighter Weight ...

[bleh]

Originally Posted by reggid Light weight is no good in the rain unless you like aqua planing. Lightweight cars are not just as safe in a crash especially if there are still large heavy cars, trucks and buses driving around. Unless we design very large cars with small cabins and use very large amounts of energy absorbing materials to protect the occupants all cars will be difficult to keep safe.

everybody should drive an suv all the time! especially for daily commuting to the office!

[Thunf]

Originally Posted by LateNightCable I've never heard about the race truck beating a Porsche. I have heard of Volvo semi-truck racing though, was that what the truck was like?

Look at this link: http://www.mbtr.de/

Exactly those is what I meant! I remember that my dad told me about the truck beating a Porche, it must have been almost 10 years ago... At 160 the porche past by as those trucks are limited to that speed.

I guess allot of the extra weight from luxury performance cars come from the engine and the gearbox. I compared the E55 with 1835 kg (4045 lb) own weight and the E240 with 1570 kg (3461 lb). The difference is 265 kg (584 lb). That is allot I think.

I also compared the E60 525i and the M5. 525i was 1545 kg (3406 lb) and the M5 1830 kg (4034 lb). The difference there is 285 kg (628 lb). That's also allot.

Where does the weight come from? because we all know lightweight is the way to perform! My guess is that strengthening the chassis and a bigger engine does allot to the weight. An Audi A2 with sportschassis beats the M3 in a slalom because of the weight.

[LateNightCable]

Originally Posted by Thunf I guess allot of the extra weight from luxury performance cars come from the engine and the gearbox. I compared the E60 525i and the M5. 525i was 1545 kg (3406 lb) and the M5 1830 kg (4034 lb). The difference there is 285 kg (628 lb). That's also allot.

This is true, the E46 M3 for example is equipped with the same differential as the larger E39 M5. Although, on the subject of the 525i and M5, one is a six-cylinder, the other a V10. So that would change the equation a bit.

[thepolarfoxqx]

the 540 and e55 have lots more odds and ends and random shit in them than their base level counterparts, heavier motors, trannies, chasis bolsters, it adds up. Cars are getting lighter. The 5 got lighter, the XJ, the E didn't get any heavier. The automakers recognize that weight is huge.