Why is under rating engines not illegal??

[NetViper]

Everyone remembers the lawsuits etc ford got into when the mustang cobra did not have the stated HP... It was not a pretty picture.... Mustang owners were pissed that there cars were not making the 320HP they were supposed to. OK, i understand that.

But why is it OK to under rate an engine?? Point in case... the new neon... Everyone knows the SRT-4 is under rated. Two magazines have dynoed it and it is making closer to 225 HP at the wheels. About 240HP to the crank vs a claimed 215 HP.
Why is this ok? Is it still not false advertising? I dont understand... IMO, cars should make the HP the company states, period.

Thoughts?

 

[nsxxtreme]

Wow a neoen with 240 HP I'm impressed. My guess is so they can get there cars insured for less considering the age group that buys these cars.

 

[Ojas]

In the Neon's case, perhaps noise-levels [at the RPM at which the magazine recorded peak HP] exceeds regulations forcing the manufacturer to use the HP figure at a lower, quieter RPM. Didn't early Vipers do this, as well?

Anyway, I'm not going to complain. I know a manufacture's HP rating indicates the minimum peak HP I should expect. If someone is unhappy because they buy a car that makes more power than rated, they can alway let up on the gas.

 

[Jonathan]

The only thing that would bother me about under rating a car is if they come out with the New Supercharged Mega Power Ultimate Limited Edition model of the same car and just rated the HP at what it should be, plus a new intake.

 

[gheba_nsx]

CPUs & Overclocking comes to mind here...

 

[NetViper]

CPUs & Overclocking comes to mind here...

I disagree. You have to physcially overclock your chip... and it is not guaranteed to work.

I just think a car should have the HP advertised. If it does not, it is false advertising.. whether it has more or less power than advertised, it is still false... Am I wrong?

 

[gheba_nsx]

Physically? It is at least 5 years you can do that via software!

It is like switching on the AC on a car... and a 10% overclock always works!

 

[NetViper]

Physically? It is at least 5 years you can do that via software!

It is like switching on the AC on a car... and a 10% overclock always works!

OK OK.. so i can change it with my Abit board... but nonetheless.. it doesnt come that way....

The car does..

 

[Lud]

I do not think the US legal system generally supports the proposition that a company should be penalized for selling a product that over-delivers on their promises... What would the damages be?

 

[NetViper]

I do not think the US legal system generally supports the proposition that a company should be penalized for selling a product that over-delivers on their promises... What would the damages be?

I have no idea. I just think that intentionally lying about a cars HP and TQ figures is wrong. I guess I am alone on this one

 

[Tantheman]

The things you learn on this forum is great.

Tan

 

[RyRy210]

The best products in the world are not the ones that meet consumer's expectations, but the ones that exceeds them.

 

[NetViper]

Well, if we all think this is ok.. then the NSX ... which is limited to 280ps in japan, should state it has 280 ps... but really have 380 HP... Why didn't they do that?

 

[CokerRat]

Underrating the power will have a very limited effect on insurance. Even if they have successfully pulled the wool over the industry's eyes (they read C&D too! ), it would result in cheaper rates for all of maybe six months... until they discover the ridiculous accident claims rate of the Neon SRT-4 in the hands of young, relatively unskilled drivers with that much horsepower under their right foot.

On the topic of "is it ethical", I don't see a problem really. "Horsepower sells cars" doesn't it? If D-C's marketing dept thinks they'll sell more cars by portraying the car as less capable than it really is, be my guest... but I still don't understand the motive.

 

[JAM]

I am only 26, missed the muscle cars of the 60's and wish I could have been around for the true street racing ... but my father was very much into the era and talks a lot about how cars like the 427 Corvettes and Camaros were factory rated at 425hp and actually made at least 550 "stock", same with Hemi cars claiming one hp rating and actually putting out at least 25% more. There was a lot of playing around with power rating numbers for racing, which was becoming a bigger and bigger market until the gas issues strangled out the market and they started building Corvettes with 454 engines making HP in the high 200s... laughable.
Anyhow, we have talked about that topic of underrating HP a lot and IMO it really seems to come down to insurance, and maybe some comfort for some parent buying a "lower powered" car like a neon for JR., not realizing he isn't ready for that kind of responsibility/power. I think the Fast and the Furious nonsense has added alot to parents desires to keep performance cars out of kids hands, and for good reason ... as CokerRat said, unskilled drivers with power like that is just asking for a spike in accidents/road racing/insurance/lawsuits and I would think auto manufacturers would try to downplay those possibilities in the publics eye ... anyone really looking at a car to buy in this day and age KNOWS how much power that car makes ... and what you can do with it.