A Few Thoughts on Horsepower, McLaren's Product Pipeline, & Hypercar Manufacturers

[SSO]

Just posted a new blog: A Few Thoughts on Horsepower, McLaren's Product Pipeline, & Hypercar Manufacturers covering De Tomaso, Czinger, Gordon Murray Automotive, & SCG:

https://karenable.com/a-few-thoughts-ho ... facturers/

Comments?

[DaveE]

The abbreviation of 'brake horsepower' is 'bhp' not 'bph'

[RobYob]

Good read, I look forward to your future Czinger factory tour blog

On the F40

bigger and better brakes have would have been nice in a few instances

That right there is the start of the "unvirtuous circle" of mass gain. It's not just the heavier components in the brakes themselves that would plump up the forty but the knock on to multiple other parts that distribute those loads. Every suspension arm and chassis loading point they're attached to would need to get just that little bit heavier to maintain the same durability. Unless of course you're happy to eat into the manufacturer's engineered factor of safety (which is what everyone modifying a car generally does!).

While composite this and that is now reasonably common for the chassis the take up of lightweight components in other systems does not seem to be that popular. That is likely because of both the expense and failure modes of titanium and composites and the market for ultimate lightweight is a niche of a niche of a niche. That paragon of weight saving GMA T50 still uses aluminium suspension AFAIK so clearly even a "money no object" project has its limits.

There's an astounding database of vehicle specifications compiled by the A2mac1 company, sadly they don't do many sportscars let alone supercars to get all anoraky about material selection and what "might be" should you want your suspension entirely rebuilt in titanium.

[SSO]

The abbreviation of 'brake horsepower' is 'bhp' not 'bph'

Thanks

[mik]

I fucking love @RobYob ’s proper knowledgable insights.

Edit: that was a response to Rob’s post as opposed to some sarky comment in relation to bhp/bph.

[RobYob]

Thanks @mik , if Lotus taught me anything it's all you can eat factors of safety

I'm still bitter I could never get my composite exhaust idea off the ground.

[Sundayjumper]

I'm still bitter I could never get my composite exhaust idea off the ground.

Despite the fancy composites it was still too heavy to lift up ?

[IanF]

Think it was just too hot to handle..

[RobYob]

[SSO]

I fucking love @RobYob ’s proper knowledgable insights.

Edit: that was a response to Rob’s post as opposed to some sarky comment in relation to bhp/bph.

He does know his stuff

[DaveE]

It's not some amazing insight, we all know this, but people (who are buying these super/hyper cars) don't want "The Thrill of Driving"

They want the latest, most expensive, most exclusive toy - and then they want to make it hyper-personalised and unique

Then they stick it under a nice cover in their garage and wait for the value to rise

I guess that people who bought 288GTOs drove them, they probably didn't see them as investments (because they weren't really) - that's a relatively recent thing (when you look back not all that far, cars that are off the scale now, were actually pretty cheap)

And yes, power and weight have both gone up (leading as you say, to a relatively similar power to weight ratio), a 288GTO wouldn't see which way a modern Ferrari went

And again, it's no special insight, but where once these companies existed to make cars, now they exist to make money - and they do that very well, by servicing the whims of their customers' (who are wealthy "collectors" rather than "drivers")

As a person who loves both watches and cars, I've basically picked the two most hyped, and over-priced products you could choose - meaning I'll likely never own special "pieces" that I probably could have done 10-15 years ago

[DaveE]

PS: I still remember glancing over at a 288GTO on the A27 as I left the Goodwood Festival of Speed years ago, to see Eddie Irvine driving it (I've always loved that car)

[mik]

people (who are buying these super/hyper cars) don't want "The Thrill of Driving"

I’m going to suggest that some of them do. <cough> post originator.

I do agree however that the Venn diagram displaying “people who genuinely want the thrill of driving” and “people wealthy enough to buy hypercars” has a pretty small overlap.

[SSO]

people (who are buying these super/hyper cars) don't want "The Thrill of Driving"

I’m going to suggest that some of them do. <cough> post originator.

I do agree however that the Venn diagram displaying “people who genuinely want the thrill of driving” and “people wealthy enough to buy hypercars” has a pretty small overlap.

Thank you