Weight Wars.(Column)

Byline: William Agnew

I hope it's not too long before the auto giants start to fight an all-out weight war. There's a conflict I can wholeheartedly endorse, and it is not a red state/blue state issue. After all, who could complain about a battle that everybody wins?

Until now, the testosterone set has focused on horsepower as the ultimate measure of automotive endowment. A Lexus LS 600h L has 438 hp, a BMW M5 has 500, and a Mercedes-Benz S600 can be had with 510. You'd think that would be enough. Yet it's a sure bet that they'll all be adding at least 25 hp to their specifications in the next couple of years. More power is always a seller.

But what if each of those big boys dropped 50 pounds a year for a few years and left the power ratings alone for a while? This would give all those cars better power-to-weight ratios for better acceleration, better braking, better handling, better fuel mileage and less carbon emissions, creating a clear performance advantage over porkier competitors. All it would take is a small attack on weight to get it started-first a thermoplastic hood, then some lighter seats, then a carbon-fiber roof. You get the picture.

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