Power/Weight Ratios

[bluebabybronc]

I always felt like manufacturers should spec vehicles using torque and power ratios instead of absolute torque and power.

For example, a 350 hp 3 ton truck is going to feel slow. I was always surprised that most people don’t speak in these terms. Well, I found this site this morning.

https://www.powertoweight.com/make/ford-power-to-weight-ratio-stats/

As to the best power-weight ratios among ALL the “new” broncos., the badlands comes second to only the 4-door raptor. I am impressed, but not surprised.

Highest bB:

Highest 2 door:

Highest 4 door:

Now give me my dang Bronco Sport Raptor, Ford. You build a BS with these specs and don’t let me put 35”s on it???

 

[jofer]

I think the focus RS would have beat us there, but hey, that don't make it anymore, and it's just a lighter BS badlands, right?

Nevermind, it's the 2.3, isn't it? Either way, the BS is surprisingly peppy.

 

[sajohnson]

The BS BL is in the same ball park as my 2002 WRX was when stock.

 

[bluebabybronc]

The BS BL is in the same ball park as my 2002 WRX was when stock.

My brother had a WRX. The same year, I think. That thing RIPPED. While I once drove a variety of vehicles regularly, I haven't in a while. The BS BL feels quite fast, comparable to the 2004 SC430 I got to drive for a bit. Do you think that's just new cars in general, or is it notably fast even among them?

 

[sajohnson]

My brother had a WRX. The same year, I think. That thing RIPPED. While I once drove a variety of vehicles regularly, I haven't in a while. The BS BL feels quite fast, comparable to the 2004 SC430 I got to drive for a bit. Do you think that's just new cars in general, or is it notably fast even among them?

There are plenty of vehicles that are in the same ballpark as the BS BL.

Cars and trucks have become progressively more powerful since the 'bad old days' of the mid to late 1970s thru the '80s:
https://www.zeroto60times.com/0-60-specs-by-decade/

For a quick comparison, I opened tabs for the '80s thru the 2020s and scrolled down to Corvette.

The 1980 'Vette did 0>60 in 7.3 sec. The "Duntov" version was 7.5 -- both well over 15 sec. 1/4 mile.
1990 was 6.0/14.5 sec. (BS BL is 6.2/14.9 sec).
2000 was 4.3/12.6
2010 was 3.6/11.8 sec.
2020 was 2.8/11.1

The first "ordinary" vehicle that jumped out to me as being pretty fast was the V6 Toyota RAV4. The 2009 model ran 6.3/14.6 sec. Not exactly "Fast & Furious" but pretty quick for a SUV -- sort of a sleeper.

When the muscle cars died off in the early '70s, and year after year there was nothing exciting on the market it seemed like we'd seen the end of fast production cars. Now here we are in 2024 and 400-500 hp cars are fairly common, and at least one is ovre 700 hp. Not to mention crazy fast EVs.

An ordinary F-150 does 5.3/13.9 sec!

The WRX was considered fast when I bought it (5.5/14.2 sec) but the BS BL -- a SUV (not a performance sedan) is just 0.7 sec slower (6.2/14.9 sec). Also, to get those times for the WRX it had to be abused -- high rpm clutch dumps. If it is driven normally (clutch engaged with rpm at (say) 1,500 it is dog slow until the turbo spools up. With the BS BL you just tromp the gas.

 

[bluebabybronc]

I think the focus RS would have beat us there, but hey, that don't make it anymore, and it's just a lighter BS badlands, right?

Nevermind, it's the 2.3, isn't it? Either way, the BS is surprisingly peppy.

Imagine a 2.3 in a badlands… oh man. If I had the money to ruin a nice car, I’d be the first to try to make it work.

 

[rocks]

Imagine a 2.3 in a badlands… oh man. If I had the money to ruin a nice car, I’d be the first to try to make it work.

Maybe in a BS Raptor version.

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