Many people in Dubai, when buying a used car, get confused about what car ‘specs’ really means. Well the word is a short form for specifications – a list of terminology related to car engine and performance. Read what these terms mean so you are better informed the next time you pick a car to buy.
Horsepower: It’s the power output of the car’s engine that can be defined in mathematical terms as the power needed to move 550 pounds one foot in one second. Horsepower is measured using a dynamometer. As a frame of reference, a Toyota Corolla delivers approximately a 140 horsepower while the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon has an astonishing 808 horsepower, a force to be reckoned with!
Torque: Torque tells you at what rate the power of an engine is being delivered. Meaning it is the rate at which work is completed in a given amount of time. So greater torque would mean a greater ability to perform work. A Hyundai Elantra has approximately 150 lb-ft of torque while the Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Super Sport has a whacking 1,016 lb-ft!
Transmission: The primary job of transmission is to make sure that the right amount of power is delivered to your wheels at any given speed. The two basic types of transmissions are manual and automatic with the former being similar to a bicycle’s gear shifters where gear has to be adjusted for varying speeds, this job is done automatically in an automatic vehicle.
Fuel Types: Fuel is for your car what food is for you. It is basically the energy source which the car uses to run. Gasoline is the most common one in Dubai, though you may find a couple of Diesel cars here and there. Liquefied Petroleum, Compressed Natural Gas, Ethanol, and Biodiesel are some of the other sources, but they are not as popular.
Drivetrain: The drivetrain basically conveys power from the engine, through the transmission and into the wheels of the car. The driveshaft and axles also form a part of the drivetrain. The four drivetrain systems include all-wheel drive, four-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, and rear- wheel drive.
Fuel tank capacity: The total amount of fuel your car can store is its fuel tank capacity. Most compact cars have a capacity of about 45–65 litres. SUVs and trucks tend to have an even larger capacity. The Chevrolet Spark has a 38 liter fuel tank capacity while the Ford Expedition EL offers a massive 105 liters fuel tank capacity.
Wheelbase: The distance between the front and rear axles which can determine the size of the main cabin is called wheelbase. The Figo has a wheelbase of 250 cm while the Rolls-Royce Phantom Extended offers an extensive 610 cm wheelbase.
Feel like a pro at car specs yet? Check out a variety of used and new cars at CarSwitch.com and put your knowledge to use when buying your next car in Dubai, UAE. It has everything you need to know about cars and if you’re super excited to take advantage but first need to sell car in Dubai, CarSwitch.com can do it for you!
