Why 197bhp?

Stonedofmoo · 11 Jan 2006 at 15:19

Something else I thought of the other day, so many performance cars clock in at 197bhp. Why is that, why not 200bhp?

Is there some sort of agreement in place, or is it to do with taxes or something weird, or perhaps because car manufactuers normally quote in ps?

Examples off the top of my head include

Civic Type-R
VW Golf GTI (New one)
Rover Coupe Turbo and probably the other 2 litre turbo's too
Vauxhall VX220
Vauxhall Astra SRI

Probably a lot of others too but they spring too mind.

Mad old tory · 11 Jan 2006 at 15:23

I'd have thought it might have something to do with the ps measurement, isn't 197bhp about 200ps?

Dr Who · 11 Jan 2006 at 15:24

I think you will find they are 197ps which is 200bhp

merlin · 11 Jan 2006 at 15:25

Dr Who said:
I think you will find they are 197ps which is 200bhp

No, 200ps which is 197 bhp.

Stonedofmoo · 11 Jan 2006 at 15:27

lol, but isnt that really annoying for UK customers

I'd be annoyed knowing I Was 3bhp short of the magic 200bhp figure. Why dont they extract the extra 3bhp for the book figure

I mean to get into the 200bhp club you all have to get a rolling road print out with a slight tune lol

Dr Who · 11 Jan 2006 at 15:37

merlin said:
No, 200ps which is 197 bhp.

Fair do's thought it was the other way around

ZXSpectrum · 11 Jan 2006 at 16:06

My S14a is 197Bhp as standard... Not any more though...

[TW]Fox · 11 Jan 2006 at 16:11

In Japan isn't it for insurance reasons? The FTO is 197bhp as well.

merlin · 11 Jan 2006 at 16:14

[TW]Fox said:
In Japan isn't it for insurance reasons? The FTO is 197bhp as well.

The JDM Civic puts out more bhp than the UK one, so not in the case of that car at least.

Hate · 11 Jan 2006 at 16:20

same as the prelude VTEC, 197 bhp

Meridian · 11 Jan 2006 at 16:22

I'm sure it's 200bhp (if not 220) by the time the owner talks to his mates at the pub anyway...

M

gambitt · 11 Jan 2006 at 16:27

Integra Type-R DC5 is around 220bhp as well

kaiowas · 11 Jan 2006 at 16:46

Stonedofmoo said:
lol, but isnt that really annoying for UK customers

I'd be annoyed knowing I Was 3bhp short of the magic 200bhp figure. Why dont they extract the extra 3bhp for the book figure
I mean to get into the 200bhp club you all have to get a rolling road print out with a slight tune lol

I'm not sure how to break this to you but:

1) Nothing magical happens when you get to 200bhp. An extra 3bhp isn't going to make supermodels want to sleep with you.

2) There's no 200bhp club with a secret handshake or 50% discount at halfords.

Honestly it makes no odds whether the book says 197 or 200bhp.

L0rdMike · 11 Jan 2006 at 16:52

You mean my thing doesnt get bigger?

Bear · 11 Jan 2006 at 18:03

kaiowas said:
2) There's no 200bhp club with a secret handshake or 50% discount at halfords.

I think hes talking about the 200+ club http://www.200plusclub.co.uk/

ShakenNstirred · 11 Jan 2006 at 18:06

[TW]Fox said:
In Japan isn't it for insurance reasons? The FTO is 197bhp as well.

that sounds like a good reason to me

Stonedofmoo · 11 Jan 2006 at 18:09

2) There's no 200bhp club

Could have fooled me, I wonder what I pay £20 to be in each year then?

http://www.200plusclub.co.uk/

Whats that word?
'owned'? lol

atpbx · 11 Jan 2006 at 18:34

My legacy used to make 197 bhp.

Kappa · 11 Jan 2006 at 18:49

something like how some cars were limited to 276bhp? or something. In japan of course.

Hate · 11 Jan 2006 at 18:52

that 200plus club website is terrible, it runs in the size of a postage stamp lol

280ps was the "gentleman's agreement"