where do the hp's come from?
 

I bought a 98 boxster about a month ago and despite its modest 2.5l, old engineered engine (or at least that is what I perceive it) I raced a 350Z and was able to beat it. My question is, how does Porsche manage to get a reasonable amount of HP out of it?

There's far more involved with speed than merely horsepower and the size of the engine. Weight, aerodynamics, handling, transmission, and most importantly the driver play into it all (assuming you aren't referring to drag racing). The third fastest car Top Gear has ever tested has a honda civic engine in it, but it also weighs only a 1000lbs. :cheers:

(And a 986 engine is hardly old tech)

I attribute all of the German auto manufacturers success to one thing....the Nordschliefe. What a great incentive to make Fahrvergnügen.

Very True! :cheers:

If you've ever seen one of these apart (even the "older," non VarioCam Plus stuff), you'd see how there is absolutely nothing "old engineered" about it.

That said, unless the 350z driver just wasn't pushing it or didn't know how to drive, you didn't beat him in a stock 2.5 Boxster.

Agreed... Sorry, slim to none chance of a 2.5 boxster beating a 350Z...

I dunno, how much does a 350z weigh? Never mind that I will agree on the power. I recently replaced the MAF and can believe how much better the car is. She pulls hard all the way to redline and it feels like I put a new engine in it. Guess I should have done that a long time ago instead of just cleaning it!

For comparison now I have a 2010 Mazdaspeed3 as a semi-daily driver. Before I replaced the MAF there was a huge difference but now not so much.

In the end I get a big 'ol smile from both cars now! :D

Chris

I agree on the race.. It's funny, I'm sure when one of us yields the right of way or moves over for a Miata, many of them experience the thrill of victory as well.

For sure, a win is a win. Who knows, that 350Z might have engine problem. Good going, that's 1 for Boxster , 0 for 350Z! Keep the numbers comming...

Hmmm... Even if that were the case, I don't think beating a car with an engine problem would be anything to be proud of... Just sayin...

I presume this "race" was on the track and not on the street? :)

boxsters are not slow, but nor are they fast..at least not ours.

my 2000 is about as fast as yours...maybe a smidgen faster as my engine is a tad bigger. the S cars are noticeably faster than mine...

if you read the specs in the car mags, a 350Z should be faster.they have more power, but then again, they also weigh more.

"race" is a vague term. did you race from a dead stop and if so, to what speed? did you race from a roll? did you get the jump on him? a slower car can "beat" a faster car if the slower car gets going first... if two cars are racing and one takes off first....the othe rcar will have a very hard time catching up unless it is a LOT faster than the other one.

the last thing I'll mention - I got a chance to drive a buddy's 350Z once. I remember being kind of excited to drive it - as I had never been in one, I got a change to really drive it - not just wuss it around, but push it. and there has been so much hype about the Z. After I finished my time behind the wheel - I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO unimpressed. it was NOT that fast and was not much fun to drive. I have driven other cars and reallly enjoyed them - the Z...just sucked.

i wouldn't really care if it beat you like crazy. you wouldn't want it over your boxster.

oh yeah - i forgot to add - don't race on the street.

believe it or not - people do get killed b/c of impromtu drag races on the roadways. if you race someone, and cause a crash, or contribute to a crash, and someone were to die, you *could* be charged with 2nd degree murder. there are people doing life in prison, at least in my state - CA - , who learned that the hard way...

drive the car the way it was meant to be driven - but be safe!!