Actually, it is not the power, it is the torque that causes traction problems. Like in your example, if the car is 1000lbs lighter, has 450hp BUT revvs to like 12krpm (ie, lower torque) traction will be less of a problem. Of course having 12krpm engine in a production car is just a dream.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ateam
The point is people are touting weight loss as the key to better traction and no need for awd because it can keep the power down.
However a 4000 pound car with 600 hp has a weight to power ratio of 6.67
Drop 1000 pounds off the car and drop the hp to 450 (as an example of what people are in general wanting to do in order to avoid AWD-than the weight to power is still 6.6.
Both of these will have the exact same traction problems getting off the line therefore a lighter car with the same power to weight which needs to happen in order to keep the cars progressing and being faster than the last, will be no better off the line at putting the power down than a fat car with much more hp.
Handling is a whole different story and I am not saying it would not be great to have less weight with less hp but simply from a need for AWD arguement, that is not something you can address with weight loss. The more power to weight, the need for awd becomes pretty real with engines that put out that much torque and power so low in the revs.
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