Asians oversell horsepower . . .
Lexus Test Driver
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 954
Likes: 0
From: Texas
Nissan and their VQ motors 
240hp 3.0L Maximas
Next the 245hp 3.5L Altima
Then came the 240hp V6 Accords
Nissan deliberately waited for Toyota to rate the new 4.0L V6 Tacoma before rating their own Frontier.
funny business, I blame mostly Nissan.
240hp 3.0L Maximas
Next the 245hp 3.5L Altima
Then came the 240hp V6 Accords
Nissan deliberately waited for Toyota to rate the new 4.0L V6 Tacoma before rating their own Frontier.
funny business, I blame mostly Nissan.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 94,226
Likes: 222
From: Virginia/D.C. suburbs
Originally Posted by Lexmex
Marshall,
Read again, 2005 RX330 in Consumer Reports showed 17.0, 99 RX300 (not RX330) showed 16.8 according to Lexus
This is a big difference for two cars with two different engines, with the RX330 being more powerful.
Read again, 2005 RX330 in Consumer Reports showed 17.0, 99 RX300 (not RX330) showed 16.8 according to Lexus
This is a big difference for two cars with two different engines, with the RX330 being more powerful.
Hovever, as you point out, in THIS case, the 3.3L lost out to the 3.0L. That would not be out of the question if a few factors were taken into account....like the time of year the test was done ( summer heat and humidity saps a LOT of power ), the RX330 perhaps being a little heavier than the RX300, differences in transmission and final-grive gearing ( particularly if they were AWD versions ) and the testing driver's style. Many CR auto testers, for example, don't slam their vehicles around like the enthusiast magazines do. The guy testing the 2005 may have been slightly more conservative than the guy in the 1999.
This is why I think too much emphasis is put on 0-60 times and acceleration figures in general.
Lead Lap
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 567
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio, Texas
Originally Posted by LexusLuver
Nissan and their VQ motors
240hp 3.0L Maximas
Next the 245hp 3.5L Altima
Then came the 240hp V6 Accords
Nissan deliberately waited for Toyota to rate the new 4.0L V6 Tacoma before rating their own Frontier.
funny business, I blame mostly Nissan.
240hp 3.0L Maximas
Next the 245hp 3.5L Altima
Then came the 240hp V6 Accords
Nissan deliberately waited for Toyota to rate the new 4.0L V6 Tacoma before rating their own Frontier.
funny business, I blame mostly Nissan.
I didn't read all the posts before replying so I hope this point wasn't already made. The Americans commonly lied about the power of cars when I was a kid. Most of the time it was for the better. After the muscle car wars, there was a gas crises (yes, we're in another, always happens when republicans are in control), horsepower was drastically cut on most brands. GM would conservatively list the power as being lower than it really was to keep uncle sam off their backs. We knew the cars had more power by the way they ran. It was a good lie but still a lie. It sems to me the germans started this latest horsepower war. Benzes can be bought off the showroom floor with 500 hp and run smooth as a baby's bottom. The Asians have to keep up to sell cars. That's probably why there is a discrepancy. But a lie is a lie.
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