Velocidade Máxima por HP

Top speed vs horsepower: the cube-root law

Once you pass roughly 80 km/h, aerodynamic drag takes over and the relation settles into V_max³ ≈ HP · k. Because it's a cube root, doubling the power buys you only about ∛2 ≈ 26% more top speed. The Bugatti Chiron makes 1,500 HP with a very low Cd·A and reaches around 490 km/h, while a 700 HP Lamborghini Aventador tops out closer to 350 km/h. There are other ceilings too: aerodynamic lift, tire slip at the redline of the highest gear, and whatever electronic limiter the manufacturer fits. Shaving Cd·A is much cheaper than hunting for extra horsepower, which is why hypercars tuck away their mirrors, sit low, and shape every panel like a wing.

Applications

Reading supercar and hypercar spec sheets, chasing motorbike top-speed records, Formula 1 work (where DRS and FIA regulations cap things), aerodynamic tuning, planning a build for the autobahn, and time-attack simulators.

FAQ

Why does extra HP buy so little top speed? Drag climbs with the square of speed, and the power you need to overcome it climbs with the cube. So every additional km/h demands a wildly larger amount of horsepower than the last one did.

What is Cd·A? It's the drag coefficient (Cd) times the frontal area (A). A typical sedan lands around 0.6-0.8 m², and a hypercar can get down near 0.5 m².

Is the calculator's value the real number? Not quite. It leaves out rolling resistance, gearbox losses and gear-ratio mismatch, so the real top speed usually comes in 5-10% lower.