Chances are very high that at some point we have all heard the term "horsepower", usually right after a number. The higher the number the better, right? Chances are that you don't know what a unit of horsepower is, the term is used quite a bit but the meaning seems to have been lost over time.
To answer this question we have to look back to the late 18th century, during the rise of the steam engine. This revolutionary new engine was able to produce an extremely high level of work but expressing that to people was proving challenging.
Scottish inventor, chemist and mechanical engineer, James Watt, devised a way to explain to everyday people just how powerful steam engines were. One unit of horsepower is equivalent to one horse pulling 330lbs at a rate of 100ft in one minute.
When you want to learn more about horsepower and what it means for your vehicle, head on in to BMW of Fairfax today.