Us/uk Lexus Gs430 Power Differences - Upgrading

Silver_Bullet · February 18, 2009

I have noticed that the US Gs 430 cars are listed as being 300bhp, and the UK ones at 280bhp.

Is there is any real difference ?

At a guess it is the OBD2 emissions controls that cause a problem...........

If there are different parts, can I put them on my UK Spec car and gain an extra 20bhp ?

Mike_B · February 18, 2009

I think you'll find the US ones are listed as having 300hp, not 300bhp. i.e. they are being measured in subtly different units...

Parthiban · February 18, 2009

I thought the US hp measurement is actually stricter than the measurement of bhp so produces a figure closer to that at the wheels than the ones we quote.

When you add that to the lower grade fuel they use, it makes their GS430 a lot more powerful than ours (in theory).

Silver_Bullet · February 18, 2009

Hmmm it seems we are "alledgedy" down on torque as well - 308 ft pounds compared to 325 foot pounds.

We have been robbed !

Mike_B · February 18, 2009

Dunno. But dynomometers measure torque, and then apply conversion factors that 'take account' of drivetrain losses to approximate horsepower and torque at the flywheel. Thus, depending on the conversion factors used, you can get different figures from identical cars when they are measured on different dynos.

Not saying the engines/exhausts really are identical in this case, just that unless you know for a fact that the measuring equipment and procedures are identical, you can't read too much into the figures as quoted - especially as one set of figures is expressed in different units.

garethr · February 18, 2009

Toyota would use an engine dyno, though, not a rolling road (and they'd probably remove the alternator, power steering pump, water pump ...).

Possibly DIN vs SAE measurements, or EU standards vs USA standards?

ColinBarber · February 19, 2009

I thought the US hp measurement is actually stricter than the measurement of bhp so produces a figure closer to that at the wheels than the ones we quote.
When you add that to the lower grade fuel they use, it makes their GS430 a lot more powerful than ours (in theory).

They don't use lower grade fuel in the US.

Parthiban · February 19, 2009

They don't use lower grade fuel in the US.

Yep my mistake, didn't realise they have a different measurement of octane rating to us, so the 91 octane they use in their tests will be the same as the 95 in our tests.