What are Engine Power Measurements?

Engine power measurements refer to the power that an engine can put out. It can be expressed in power units, most commonly kilowatt (kW), Pferdestärke (PS), or Horsepower (HP).

What is Horsepower (HP)?
Horsepower or HP describes the total amount of power an engine can produce 

What is Brake Horsepower (bhp)?
Brake Horsepower or bhp is often used as a more realistic power measurement. This is because bhp considers the power left after other car parts are working, such as the gearbox, alternator, water pump, and any loss of power due to friction. 

What is Pferdestärke (PS)?
Another common engine measurement to see is PS. This stands for the German word Pferdestärke which, when translated, means horse strength. It is used to convert horsepower into the metric system and is very similar to HP.

What are Kilowatts (kW)?
Even though bhp is the most widely recognised measurement of engine power, in 1992 the European Union selected kilowatts (kW) as the official measure.

What is Torque?
Another force that is often quoted alongside BHP, or whichever measurement is used is torque. Torque is measured in either pound feet (lb-f)t or the metric Newton Metres (Nm). It measures the amount of force that is required to twist an object. In terms of vehicles, it is the amount of twisting force available at the crankshaft. The more torque you have, the more pulling power the engine has; this is the force you feel when accelerating 

For more information, see our Vehicle Brochures or Owners Manual.

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