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Time to Polish Your
"AUTO-Knowledge"
Whenever you check an automobile’s ratings, you will quiet frequently encounter Words like P.S, B.H.P, TORQUE, Ground Clearance n bla bla bla…….I know everyone out there knows a different meaning of these terms and are often confused about their exact function in car’s working. Another thing that I have noticed is that, the sales personnel at the authorized company outlets keep on describing the car on some technical grounds and due to an inferiority complex (or something else) people hesitate to ask about these technical measures for determining the performance levels of a Car.
Though the dictionary definitions of these measures are hard to Grasp (was even difficult for me to digest them, had to open my old physics book :-X arrghhhh), so from my experience and learning I have prepared some easy to understand definitions in Layman’s language with practical examples so that you can get a clearer image of these terms in your mind. Here is a list of commonly encountered terms in automobiles:-
Both P.S.[Pferde Stärke = Horse Strength(german)] and Torque are units of power. 1 power P.S. = 0.986 Bhp. Torque is the twisting force that engine applies to the crankshaft. Practically speaking a high torque engine will have a faster response to the accelerator pedal from a lower RPM. A lower torque engine may require the driver to shift into a lower gear to attain higher RPM's before maximum accelerations can occur. So in real world driving two engines of the same power, the high torque engine will respond more quickly to the accelerator. The manufacturer's ratings gived only the peak power and torque ratings at well defined RPM level.
- SAFETY : ABS/EBD/TCS/ESC(ESP)
(a)
Anti Lock Braking System (ABS) : ABS is a safety feature which prevents the wheels of a motor vehicle from locking while braking. It prevents skidding of the vehicle under heavy braking by allowing the wheel to continue interacting tractively with road surfaces improving the vehicle control and decreasing the stopping distances.
(b)
Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) : EBD always coupled with the ABS is a braking technology that varies the amount of force apllied to each of the vehicle's brake. Practically the front end carries the most weight and EBD distributes less braking pressure to the rear brakes so that they do not lock up.
(c)
Traction Control System (TCS) : TCS is designed to prevent loss of traction between the road and the tires when excessive throttle is applied. Practically it is used to prevent spinning of tires while accelerating.
(d)
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) : ESC is a computerized system that improves the vehicles stability by detecting and minimizing skids. When ESC detects loss of steering control, it automatically applies brakes to help steer the vehicle in the intended direction.Braking is automatically applied to counter understeer and oversteer.
- Ground Clearance : Ground clearance is defined as the distance between the lowest point on the vehicle and the road. Typically, the lowest point on the vehicle varies from vehicle to vehicle, but usually it is differential casing on the gearbox. When manufacturers report ground clearance figures, it is usually the maximum ground clearance - when the car is completely unladen (devoid of passengers and fuel).
- Wheelbase : it is the distance measuerd from the centres of the front wheel and the rear wheel.
These were some of the most generally used terms in automobiles,if you have doubts regarding any other technicalities you can clear them by querying through the comments section.
Most of the reviews on car designs are given in terms of PILLARS and many other factors. To understand basic car design you need not be a professional AUTO-DESIGNER or a qualified architect :-p Here is a quick guide for you to understand the concept of PILLARS in car design. 
