Does anyone know what bhp stands for? Every site I check for my car says 148 bhp. Is it the same as hp or diffrent?

It's basically the horsepower at the crank.
Here's the full definition:
The measure of an engine's horsepower without the loss in power caused by the gearbox, alternator, differential, water pump and other auxiliaries. The actual horsepower delivered to the driving wheels is less.

TOC Admin
Brando

BHP = Base Horse Power

Actually it's Brake Horsepower, or Crank Horsepower

TOC Admin
Brando

who coined the term "horsepower"? I have this feeling that we are degrading the status that horses used to hold "back in the day"... A full-grown horse could exert much more than one measly horsepower.

The power of a horse is also dependant upon the physical status, nutrients, and motivation of the animal. Much like an engine in many ways I suppose...

Excuse my ramble, I havent done so in a while...

The term was invented by James Watt in the 1700’s.
He wanted to be able to talk about the power developed by horses used in coal mines.
He determined that the average horse could complete 33,000 ft-lbs.. Of work in one minute.

TOC Admin
Brando

ops:

Hi All
Brando is correct re. James Watt and the HP standard.
HP and BHP are the same.
BHP stands for brake horsepower, and it is measured at the flywheel.
The term comes from the type of machine used to measure horsepower.
A dynomometer applies a braking force against the flywheel while the engine is under full acceleration and measures the amount of "brake" needed to contain the torque of the engine at given RPM.
The torque figures are then used in a math formula to calcuate the HP figures.
Prior to 1972, the manufactures ran these tests with only a water pump (it was needed for cooling). At that time the US government required that all future testing be done with all accessories attached.
BTW a chassis dyno works exactly the same, except the power is measured at the rear tires instead of at the flywheel.
Regards, Norm