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What $1,000 Buys: 25 Horsepower Below $8,000, 7 Horsepower Above $25,000

Below $8,000, $1,000 corresponds to a median 25 horsepower; above $25,000, 7 horsepower — Ford leads the volume-make comparison.

AutoBridge Data6 min read
Horsepower per $1,000, under $8,000
25.0
Median of per-listing ratios; falls to 7.0 above $25,000
Highest hp per $1,000 among shown makes
Ford — 26.0
Median 217 hp in the stated-horsepower subset
Highest median horsepower among shown makes
BMW — 340 hp
8.4 hp per $1,000 in the stated-horsepower subset
Listings with catalog horsepower
3,388
Advertised listings with catalog horsepower used in the comparison

Per-listing ratios, medianed within band; advertised stock 23 August 2026, catalog-hp subset.

The horsepower ladder

Pairing each listing's catalog horsepower with its asking price gives a per-dollar

power reading — a shopping measure for comparing advertised cars. By price band, among listings

that state horsepower:

The price-band comparison places the highest hp-per-thousand rate in the under-$8,000

group and the lowest above $25,000; the median rates differ by more than threefold.

Volume makes shown in the stated-horsepower comparison.

The makes

Ford leads the volume-make comparison at 26.0 hp per $1,000, while BMW has the

highest median horsepower at 340 and a rate of 8.4. These are observed listing

comparisons within the stated-horsepower subset.

Toyota's median is 99 hp within the listings that state catalog horsepower. The table

uses listings with a stated catalog figure.

Using the metric

Per-dollar horsepower is a comparative shopping measure: it highlights the price

bands and makes with the highest observed horsepower rate. Catalog figures describe

engine ratings, while each car's condition and driving experience require a separate

inspection.

Catalog horsepower sample: 3,388 advertised listings; the chart compares per-listing horsepower rates.

Methodology

Data Source

AutoBridge proprietary database.

Sample Size

Over 128,000 unique listings published since January 1, 2026.

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