drumsterphil

iTrader: (1)

Just got back from my first holiday to the good ol' USofA and after looking at the grade of fuel used over there I'm wondering how US WRXs are making 227bhp?

US SUL is only 93ron and I remember reading elsewhere that the exhaust has 3 cats in it, so, when we have to 'make do' with a 261bhp STI running on English SUL (or Premium, which is still 95ron), how do the yanks get a bog-standard WRX that runs on crappier fuel and still makes more than a std UK WRX and only 30 odd horses behind the UK STI (which has an 80% different engine)?!!

If that's the case, then I'd say UK buyers have definitely been short-changed over WRX and STI and it's time for Subaru to 'fess up and give us more power!!!

Just what fuel was used when the US WRX was dynoed?

DP.

clarence

How are the power figures measured? I think sometimes it's down to measurement methods.
The torque figures doesn't seem to be as good as the ECE/export WRX.

Tsbar

Well, I don't really have an answer to your question, but I can tell you that a number of gas stations (on the east coast anyway) offer 95 octane fuel as a 4th option, something like 5-10 cents more a gallon.. So its quite possible this was used in testing.

Ts

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

I believe that octane numbers are measured or quoted differently in the US, so 93 octane fuel over there isn't really as bad as it sounds.

I thought at first that low quality fuel was a cause or effect of the large capacity, detuned engines that American cars tend to have, but now I'm not so sure. Anyone have any idea on how US vs European power figures compare for other high performance cars?

A.

Harry_Boy

Are the BHP figures measured according to DIN standards? I seem to recall in the dim & distant past something about SAE figures being different to European measurements.

David Lock

AndyC is correct that you cannot directly compare US octane with European. I think USA octane is average of RON and MON rating. This means that US rating is actually slightly higher than it first seems - if you see what I mean! DL.

clarence

US fuel generally are poorer in quality than European fuel, that's why the E36 BMW M3 sold in US/CDN has only 240hp, as the EU spec M3 engine isn't compatible with US fuel. Also, US spec European cars are always a few horses short when compared to their EU versions.