550 hp in the quarter mile at 2,200–4,600 lb
How Fast Is 550 Horsepower?
With 550 hp a 3,500 lb car should run roughly 10.79 seconds at 126.3 mph through the quarter mile. Change the weight below to see how your own car stacks up.
- 1/8-mile ET
- 6.92 sec
- 1/8-mile speed
- 101.0 mph
- Trap speed
- 203.2 km/h
- Weight per hp
- 6.36 lb/hp
- Conservative ET (Huntington)
- 11.66 sec
- Conservative trap (Huntington)
- 120.9 mph
550 hp quarter-mile times by weight
| Race weight | 1/4 mile ET | Trap speed | 0–60 (RWD) | lb per hp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,200 lb | 9.25 s | 147.4 mph | 2.30 s | 4.00 |
| 2,600 lb | 9.78 s | 139.4 mph | 2.63 s | 4.73 |
| 3,000 lb | 10.25 s | 132.9 mph | 2.95 s | 5.45 |
| 3,400 lb | 10.69 s | 127.5 mph | 3.26 s | 6.18 |
| 3,800 lb | 11.09 s | 122.9 mph | 3.57 s | 6.91 |
| 4,200 lb | 11.47 s | 118.8 mph | 3.86 s | 7.64 |
| 4,600 lb | 11.82 s | 115.3 mph | 4.16 s | 8.36 |
550 hp is high-performance and supercar territory: power that overwhelms street tires in a heavy car and demands good traction. These numbers come from the ideal-traction formula, so treat the quicker end of each range as a best case.
The estimate uses the widely published Patrick Hale equations: ET = 5.825 × (weight ÷ hp)1/3 and MPH = 234 × (hp ÷ weight)1/3, with weight in pounds and hp measured at the crank. They are documented, along with the more conservative Huntington (6.290 / 224) and Fox constants, in Stealth316’s horsepower / ET / MPH calculator notes. See the full formulas and sources page.
What weight does 550 hp need to run a certain ET?
| Target ET | Max weight at 550 hp | Trap speed |
|---|---|---|
| 14.00 s | 7,636 lb | 97.4 mph |
| 13.00 s | 6,114 lb | 104.9 mph |
| 12.00 s | 4,809 lb | 113.6 mph |
| 11.00 s | 3,704 lb | 123.9 mph |
| 10.00 s | 2,783 lb | 136.3 mph |
| 9.00 s | 2,029 lb | 151.5 mph |
For example, 550 hp is enough to run a 12.00 second quarter in a car up to 4,809 lb, and a 10.00 second pass at 2,783 lb or lighter.
550 hp compared with 500 and 600 hp
At 3,500 lb, going from 500 to 550 hp saves 0.35 s, and going on to 600 hp saves a further 0.31 s. Gains shrink as power rises because ET follows a cube root, so the same 50 hp is worth less each time. At 550 hp, the 1/8-mile ET for 3,500 lb is about 6.92 s at 101.0 mph.
The power-to-weight of a 3,500 lb car with 550 hp is 6.36 lb per hp, or 346 hp per tonne. See all horsepower comparisons.
Frequently asked questions
How fast is 550 hp in the quarter mile?
A 3,500 lb car with 550 crank hp is estimated at 10.79 s at 126.3 mph. Lighter cars are quicker, heavier ones slower.
How fast is 550 hp from 0 to 60?
At 3,500 lb a rear-wheel-drive car estimates about 3.34 s, all-wheel drive about 3.08 s.
Is 550 wheel hp the same as 550 hp?
No. If 550 is wheel horsepower, the crank figure is higher, about 647 hp on a rear-wheel-drive car. Use the WHP to HP converter.
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