Power to weight ratio or boost

[powerman_5000]

Ok I have a rather simple question, that I have trying to debate with a person who thinks he knows everything about cars. Now for the question, what would have a bigger effect on a cars performance; the power to weight ratio or the amount of boost you run in a turbo? I keep telling him that the power to weight ratio would have a bigger effect on a car rather than the amount of boost you run in a turbo, because the fact the turbo has to spool up before it can give a boost, but he keeps going on about how the turbo still will make a greater effect. Who's right?

[david103]

isn't upping the boost the same as upping the power to weight ratio?<P>dave

[powerman_5000]

Ya it is, but the guy I was talking to keeps insisting that it doesn't matter about the power to weight ratio but on how much you run on your turbo. In other words the guy thinks if you drop a turbo in any car it will make it fast even though the car weighs too much.

[David Coleman]

Both are related, assuming all other variables are constant. In the big picture, the key to a fast car is power to weight ratio, but that can be increased by increasing boost [assuming you have fuel and spark and a properly prepared engine].<P>You're forgetting traction and gear ratios as well.... [img]shrug.gif"%20border="0[/img]