I've just read the recent issue of Car and Driver magazine about the irregularites of horsepower testing ("Truth in Horsepower"). With a new "voluntary" testing procedure developed by SAE, the RL shows 290hp and the TL 258hp!

I've heard and read similar discrepancies with the Mazda RX-8 back when it was introduced. The RX-8 also had less horsepower then advertised and offered to buy-back the cars or issue a credit.

From the first time I drove my RL, I never really thought that it felt like 300hp, and thought it was probably due to its gearing. But now seeing that it actually doens't have 300hp kinda ticks me off!

Any input?

 

It was not lies. The method of testing was changed. Most of the Japanese cars lost HP, while some American cars gained with the new method. I think the Corvette gained 5 HP.

 

300hp is seen at 6200rpm and 260 ft-lbs. torque seen at 5000rpm.

 

No lies involved. Different manufacturers in different countries were using different testing methods and they have now been standardized to a single method. Even at 290 HP, the RL's engine is a true feat of engineering for how smooth it is and how strongly it pulls for a NA 3.5 liter.

 

 

Correct. Not only that but, Honda is the 1st company to put the 'true' SAE horsepower ratings on all their window stickers starting w/06 models.

 

I've said it before and will repeat it here. I can't even step on this baby yet and already I'm impressed by the smooth power delivery. The gearbox seems to shift down when needed and the car just goes where you point it. Minimal foot movement is required. Upshifts aren't always as smooth as they could be but I'm not bothered by it. Can't wait to see what it'll really do on a curvy onramp for example.

 

Most pre-06 hp ratings will go down. It's all about how you test them - new SAE standards will mean cars like the RL, TL, M35/45, G35, GS430, etc...will all see a small drop in actual hp numbers. It doesn't make them any less "fast", just revised numbers.

The only japanese car I know of right now that is rated on the current standard is the Lexus IS250/350. There might be others, though.

 

I dont see what the big deal to you is...the car still has the same acceleration and as has been mentioned, many companies were using a diff method for testing and now that they use the same method their numbers changed. The LS430 went from 290 to 278....doesnt make the car any less quick.

They could state the RL has 62 hp using a diff method and I wouldn't care as long as it performed the same.

 

You're kidding, right? You had the car doing ~6K RPM and, with nothing more sophisticated than your sense of touch, you "felt" a perceived lack of 10 HP? The heck with $500 dyno pulls, just rent yourself out for way less and become a human dyno if you can accurately sample and report on 3% differences in HP output.

 

Maybe we have Ayrton Senna here back from the dead.

IMO he's one of the few who could detect such a minor and trivial thing in a car.

 

I miss Senna...

 

Hahaha... No not the 10hp difference! I'm saying that this car never feels like it has 290 or 300 hp. It's been more like 240hp...ie the V6 accord. Don't get me wrong, I love my car, but with different gearing/shorter final drive i think it could be better accelerating.

 

It would then also consume more fuel. Honda is big on fuel consumption numbers so this is not likely a trade-off they would be willing to accept.

 

Well the SH-AWD will suck out most of the extra torque.. so I guess it would feel like a V6 Accord below 5000 rpms

 

The two tons of weight the RL's engine has to move also belies it's true strength. Put a couple of offensive linemen in the back seat of an Accord and the V6 will feel like an I4.

 

I agree with drhite. I've been pushing the car for a while now and the car doesn't seem to produce the push of a 300hp car. I was expecting more actually for a car with this much horsepower. But oh well, I'm still lovin' the RL.

 

Well it shouldnt feel like a "300 HP" car for two reasons.......

1) It is a luxury car

2) It is a V6, it wont have the low-end torque that most people associate with cars that have 300HP plus, only because most of those cars are V8's.


Everyone else was right, the car didnt lose horsepower, it just got remeasured using a different method. For instance, my 95 Mustang Cobra was dynoed at 525HP at the rear wheels around 2 years ago. I recently had the car retested and now it produces 574.8 RWHP, after the new SAE HP standards were changed, and the motor was not upgraded/modified what so ever.

Honestly, if you can "feel" the difference in 10HP, then you need to come work with me in race car engineering, I've been "flogging" cars for close to 5 years on a track and I still cant tell the difference between such a miniscule amount of HP.

 

What's 300 HP supposed to feel like? 300 HP in a 2000 pound car would feel a lot different that it does in the RL. Did you know the RL is only about 400 pounds lighter than the Lincoln Town Car?

My 1957 Lincoln has a 368 CI V8 and is rated at 300 HP. Needless to say, it is not near as fast as the Acura, but if weighs about 5000 lbs. The HP ratings in the 50's and early 60's were exaggerated.

 

I'll say!
300 HP then is about 225 to 240 now.

 

Agreed. Too much stock is put into the hp numbers.
If it accelerates the same as the pre-SAE measurements, I personally don't care.