Estimate 0-60, quarter-mile ET, and trap speed from power and weight - or settle the dyno argument by working backwards from a trap speed.
Uses the power, weight, and drivetrain from the estimator above. Enter how much weight you'd remove (seats, exhaust, battery, spare tire...) and see what it buys you.
Straight-line performance is overwhelmingly a function of power-to-weight ratio. These formulas are empirical fits validated against decades of magazine and drag-strip data:
The 0-60 estimate assumes a competent launch on warm street tires. AWD cars get a ~8% credit (they hook off the line), FWD cars a ~8% penalty (traction-limited). Real-world spread is roughly ±0.5 s - gearing, tire compound, launch control, and shift speed all move the number.
ET depends heavily on the launch - a poor 60-foot time ruins it. Trap speed reflects sustained accelerating power across the whole quarter mile and is hard to fake, which is why "what did it trap?" is the standard reply to any dyno-queen horsepower claim. The reverse calculator above is the math behind that skepticism.
These formulas are calibrated for crank (flywheel) horsepower. If you enter a dyno wheel figure, the calculator converts using a typical 15% drivetrain loss. AWD cars lose a few percent more; manual RWD cars a few less.
Use real curb weight plus driver and fuel - not the optimistic brochure figure. A "3,500 lb" car is usually 3,700+ lb as it rolls through the traps.
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