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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ OT- Horsepower Guage ??

Posted by: BGman Dec 11 2005, 02:10 PM

Reading the latest issue of Motor Trend - they write about Bugatti's Veyron (hell, I don't even know how to pronounce it much less will ever see one)...1001 horsepower ultra-exotic.

It has a HP guage. SO here is my question, how does a guage like this work? I thought HP could only be measured using an external (calibrated) load applied to the engine (AKA dynomometer) as a function of rpm corrected for temp, humidity, etc...

So explain how this is probably working?

Or is it just a gimmick...a guage pre-programmed to read "HP" based on gear and rpms...so that they can put "1001" on it somewhere?

I guess for $1.25 mil - it better be the real deal.

Posted by: i love porsche Dec 11 2005, 03:29 PM

well...if you think about it, they can probably just measure torque and have the computer instantaneously turn it into HP, and then send it to the electronically controlled analogue gauge

Posted by: Jacco Dec 11 2005, 03:30 PM

I dunno how they do it, but I just saw Top Gear where Jeremy drove the Veyron from somewhere in Italy back to London in one of their "the car is always faster" races.
And boy is this car a beast! there are just no words to describe this car. I really dig it big time.
They also told it costs VW some 6 million euros to build one car, they're taking a huge loss on every single one of them.
Oh and what about this, driving at full throttle your 100 liter tank will be empty in 12 minutes... auch

Would be interesting to know how they measure BHP output though
Doesn't that new Rolls also have a gauge similar to this, but then it gives you a "power reserve" reading, pretty much the same thing I guess.

good fun that's for sure

greets
Jacco

Posted by: bd1308 Dec 11 2005, 03:33 PM

QUOTE (BGman @ Dec 11 2005, 02:10 PM)
Reading the latest issue of Motor Trend - they write about Bugatti's Veyron (hell, I don't even know how to pronounce it much less will ever see one)...1001 horsepower ultra-exotic.

It has a HP guage. SO here is my question, how does a guage like this work? I thought HP could only be measured using an external (calibrated) load applied to the engine (AKA dynomometer) as a function of rpm corrected for temp, humidity, etc...

So explain how this is probably working?

Or is it just a gimmick...a guage pre-programmed to read "HP" based on gear and rpms...so that they can put "1001" on it somewhere?

I guess for $1.25 mil - it better be the real deal.

howdy...good to see you again.

do you like basketball as much as football...?

b

Posted by: Brett W Dec 11 2005, 04:23 PM

torque can be calculated using mass air flow and VE. Many bosch engine management systems use a similar calculation to help powerful front drive cars keep traction under accelration.

Posted by: olav Dec 11 2005, 04:28 PM

The Veyron is a really nice car in person. I saw one at the 2003 Concorso Italiano. I have some pics of it too.

It's beautiful and the interior is stunning.

I'd rather have a Gallardo though...

Posted by: Cap'n Krusty Dec 11 2005, 06:07 PM

See Dan Neil's article in today's LA Times. The Cap'n

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/la-et-bugatti10dec10,0,7593231.story?track=hpmostemailedlink

Posted by: jasons Dec 11 2005, 07:02 PM

QUOTE (olav @ Dec 11 2005, 02:28 PM)

I'd rather have a Gallardo though...

C'mon a Gallardo over a Veyron?

Posted by: McMark Dec 11 2005, 07:12 PM

Kind of reminds me of the computer industry. I've got a 2.5 Ghz web browser...zoooom.

Posted by: BGman Dec 12 2005, 06:16 PM

Interesting- did not know it was that easy. Kinda makes you wonder why they don't have it in the gt, corvette, or other 500 hp cars. It would be a good gee-whiz guage.

Hey Britt- yeah I come to a few games. When is the semester over?

Posted by: bryanc Dec 12 2005, 06:31 PM

Actually, real-time HP is easy to do. If you know the weight of the car and the accelleration, you can calculate it. The V-Tech pro does this using an precision accelerometer(sp?). I've even seen rough estimators based on your car's weight and 1/4 mile time.

I'd guess the Bugatti could use the vehicle speed sensor and an approximate passenger weight to calculate the instanteneous HP output.

Posted by: bd1308 Dec 12 2005, 06:41 PM

QUOTE (BGman @ Dec 12 2005, 06:16 PM)
Interesting- did not know it was that easy. Kinda makes you wonder why they don't have it in the gt, corvette, or other 500 hp cars. It would be a good gee-whiz guage.

Hey Britt- yeah I come to a few games. When is the semester over?

this week, lol. I go back to louisville on friday. I need a break from finals real bad....so if you're bored, give me a call.

b

Posted by: lapuwali Dec 12 2005, 06:54 PM

You can get an excellent approximation by just using fuel flow and mixture, both of which are known by the car's ECU already, since AFR is measured in any closed loop fuel control system, and fuel flow is simply injector ON time multiplied by the known injector flow rate. A bit of extra math, and real time HP actually being expended is readily available. This would be "wheel" HP, and would also automatically account for aerodynamic losses.

Posted by: fiid Dec 12 2005, 07:05 PM

You could couple this with the drag coefficient, weather and acceleration to give a readout as to the mass of the passengers on board.

Posted by: bernbomb914 Dec 12 2005, 09:09 PM

There is a add in autoweek that sell a guage that measures hp, tq, acell,times corning Gs. the ultimate christmas gift . look under gtechpro.com/aw only $199.00

Bernie