Horse power, why do we need so much?

A remap is probably all you’ll need....you may need to tell your insurers though!
You’ll certainly feel the difference with extra horses, and if its the engine I’m thinking of it goes up to 170 bhp without any issues.
John

Think the Jaguar XE my wife and son both have is 168 for wife's, and 190 for son's same engine in both, but his is mapped different by Jaguar from new, and wife pays £30 road tax, and he pays over £100. So not sure if you can legally remap or not? As may change tax class.

However we did tow with a Kia Carens and it towed the caravan a treat, with 2 litre engine, but we realised the year we had could only tow up to 1325 and caravan 1325 so officially could not leave anything in the caravan, so moved to a Kia Sorento which can tow up to 3000 and yes the 2.6 litre does have more power, nearly same as Jag at 164 PS what ever PS means. The Jag good for up to 1800, but the Jag is an 8 speed auto box, the Sorento is a 5 speed plus low ratio in 4 wheel drive box, and it does not get any real power until at over 2000 revs.

So the Carens actually towed on the road if anything better, it would not pull 5th, but would do most inclines in 4th so would in the main tow in 4th gear dropping to 3rd for steeper bits. But Sorento will pull in 5th up most duel carriageway raises at 60 MPH, but at 50 MPH engine revs are too low, so end up playing a tune on the gear box. I am sure it will pull the van up nearly any hill, even Sutton Bank, however since it has a low box, it does not have a very low first gear, so with something like Sutton Bank would have to use low ratio.

Think your not allowed to pull up Sutton Bank any more, but I towed up it back in the 70's with a 68 HP engine in 3rd low with Austin Gypsy and Sprite Musketeer, and went back for some one stuck on the hill, that one standing start so 2nd low. Petrol engine, 2.2 litre. So nothing wrong with engine size, it has ample, but the Sorento is clearly faster than the Gypsy, and costs less to run. But can't select front wheel drive, put at full lock with hand brake on and pivot on rear wheels, not even the Land Rover had ability to select front or rear wheel drive.

PS=Pferdestärke Jerry term. One PS is approx' 1.4% short of one BHP. kW is probably the current favourite.
(P-fer-de-stär-ke)
-0-

I remember BHP = 2xπxNxT/33,000 we had to do the calculation so often in collage, not even calculators then, it is ingrained into my brain,

I have an A4 with 220hp and an Almera with 90hp,

The A4 is much easier to drive and nicer because of the additional torque and power available.

The Almera takes a lot of work to get upto speed.

I think that's part of the reason for ever increasing power, it does make things nicer and smoother, and more effortless which is what car manufacturers aim for, also why now automatics are now being sold by the truck load.

I think automatics are the future, back in the 70's automatics had just 3 speeds and a torque converter, would over heat if used for towing, and used more fuel to the manual. The Mini automatic and the Daf automatic with 4 speeds and infinitely variable started the change, not sure I likely the idea of a free wheel on first gear, or rubber belts, but as it progressed I had the infinitely variable box in a Ford with stainless steel belt, and the box did in the end fail and was swapped for a manual, but that made me realise the auto was doing more miles to the gallon to manual, and engine revs dropped.

The Toyota Yaris with 4 speed and overdrive so really 6 speed got far better MPG to my Vauxhall Agila both approx same age and used alternately by me when wife in USA, so really good comparison, although how much down to VVT engine and how much automatic box I don't know.

Jaguar XE with manual box can tow 1500, with the 8 speed auto box 1800.

However I have three cars I drive, old Honda Jazz, old Kia Sorento and Jaguar XE, best to my mind is Honda Jazz, easy to drive, easy to park, and running costs low, having a petrol engine means I can hang onto gears, the Kia Sorento is diesel and to drive economical your playing a tune with the gear box, but we need it to tow with, the Jaguar I bang my head getting in it, and find it hard getting out too low down, and although it has parking aides not that easy to park, but drives a dream, but only because it is an automatic, yes can drive as manual, it has the paddles, never even tried to drive in manual mode.

Electric drive means automatic anyway, but power wise I know to get power from the Sorento I need between 3000 and 4000 revs, but most of the time I drive at 2000 revs, so clearly the engine has far more power to what I need. 164 BHP to the 64 BHP of the old Austin Gypsy and they do the same job.

A mere 41BHP and still one of the best off roaders built.

I liked the Irish Mule, with a motorbike engine, that also 4 people low power, but independent suspension. As of course was the Austin Gypsy, at least the original one, but 12 hardy splicer joints!

ericmark said:

I liked the Irish Mule, with a motorbike engine, that also 4 people low power, but independent suspension. As of course was the Austin Gypsy, at least the original one, but 12 hardy splicer joints!

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They should have dropped the Land Rover body shell on the Gypsy chassis and running gear when they part of BMC. Far better diesel engine than that pathetic thing Land Rover used.