1972 Competition 914 Gt Replica No Reserve on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Top horsepower-per-dollar cars in 2017

Bang for the buck. That quasi-scientific statistic is bandied about by motor heads everywhere from classrooms to barrooms, though the truth of the matter is that it's exceedingly complex to measure. A fair performance-per-dollar index would include something like cross-referencing MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price) with point-to-point times on a track or driving route, which is obviously hard to do comprehensively. But, for the sheer joy of talking about cars and playing with a big spreadsheet, there's always the horsepower-per-dollar index, which is more straightforward, albeit hilariously flawed. There are vagaries even with this simple formula, of course: MSRP for vehicles can change at a moment's notice, to say nothing of the bottom-line shifting that happens with local deals or showroom negotiation. For this list we're running with the straight MSRP wherever possible, and as recently reported as we can get it. All the vehicles on this list are 2017 models, and all trims are reported where the lowest price and differing power levels intersect. Some choices were made for personal preference and some for sanity, avoiding things like all 48 trim levels of the Ford Transit, all with the same horsepower). If this list were a simple top ten, or even a top fifty, you'd be bored to tears with all the red, white and blue that is represented. Following perfectly with conventional wisdom, American cars really do lead the world where hp/$ is concerned. So, for the sake of variety (and the sheer joy of seeing a minivan 'win' one round of this thing) I've sorted out some top five and bottom five lists for broad power categories. Let's dive in. Less Than 100 Horsepower Okay, okay, this is hardly a category we'll grant you. But we've often tried to click off all the sub-100-hp cars on sale in the US, and making this list gave us an excuse. It also illustrates that none of these smallish vehicles bring cheap horsepower to the table - for that you'll need a motorcycle. The segment-leading Chevy Spark (above) asks just over $139 for each hp, and that Smart Fortwo Electric Drive has hp on sale for about the same price as its very distant family cousin, the Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG (insert your favorite Smart joke here... we know you want to).

Paul Walker's accident due to 'speed, and speed alone'

Following an investigation into the crash that killed Fast and Furious star Paul Walker and driver Roger Rodas, an unnamed law enforcement source told the Associated Press that there were no signs of mechanical failure on the Porsche Carrera GT that was destroyed in the accident.
The report from The Huffington Post claims the officer in question blamed "speed, and speed alone" in the fatal accident. The same report ruled out the presence of debris in the road, which may have caused Rodas to lose control of the V10-powered super car.
Engineers from Porsche are traveling to California to investigate the accident with the help of the Carrera GT's on-board data recorder. Until then, investigators won't speculate on the car's speed at the time of the wreck.

Audi welcomes Porsche back to Le Mans like any sibling would

Ah, sibling rivalry. It really is a beautiful thing. It's even more beautiful when said siblings are automakers with very, very well-known racing histories. That's how you get videos like this, which is Audi's way of welcoming Porsche back to the top flight of Le Mans racing.
Yes, Audi has taken its R18 E-Tron Quattro back onto public roads, wowing schoolboys and scaring farmers (who appear to be riding classic Porsche tractors), as it travels from Ingolstadt to Zuffenhausen, just to taunt its corporate frenemy.
Take a look below for a video to see just what that teasing looks like.