I wouldn't know, but im sure somewhere else on the interwebs there are fq400 owners that have modded.

 

Peak horsepower numbers are not a good way to gauge engine technology progress. It's not hard to attach a big turbo to a 2.0L and produce an impressive peak horsepower number. The 4G63 was an impressive motor, but it's nowhere near as advanced as the high specific output 4-cylinder motors we have today.

Take a look at the 2.0L in the Mercedes CLA45 AMG for a great example of what modern technology can do in a 2L, 4-cylinder engine. It produces 375HP in stock trim, gets 30MPG on the freeway, spools before 3K RPM, and even has headroom left for additional tuning. It makes the laggy FQ400 setup look ancient by comparison.

4G63 is fun, and I love mine, but it's far behind modern engine technology.

 

That's blasphemy. Every true fanboi knows that technology stopped progressing when the 4G63 came around. Everything before it was slow and everything after wasn't a real enthusiast's engine.

 

I didn't mean to put the fq400 up as some kind of monolith, just a counter example. It's kind of a straw man to go after the fq400 or the 4g63, that wasn't my point. My point was progress has been underwhelming.

 

I don't think progress is at all underwhelming. Modern engine get better fuel economy and make broader torque curves with lower emissions. And like I said earlier that no one seemed to read, is that OEM's have to meet stringent emissions standards on new vehicles, and they have reliability metrics to meet. It's not as easy an turning it up and seeing how long it lasts in the hands of the consumer. Also, an OEM engine can be taken out and flogged on, held at WOT for miles, and not blow up. Evo's have a certain failure rate when they're turned up to 400hp with the stock turbo.

 

i guess maybe i just have some specific technologies i have been waiting for that just haven't materialized yet.

 

I think a lot of its relative. The larger displacement engines (e.g. muscle cars) stopped underachieving and had more of their potential extracted in recent years.

 

I think your observation is right on point. We have had a muscle car renaissance. It seemed to really kick off with the terminator cobra, but as a blue oval guy i would say that.

 

Back in 2003, what other production 4 cylinder engines other than the 4G63 were putting out 270 hp or anywhere near that number. I think the Evo engine was an eye opener for the industry and the forebearer of what we see today.

 

Do you mean just in the U.S. or globally?

 

The 2.0 STI motor was making that kind of power. Honda wasn't far off with the S2000, and that car had no turbo. Mitsubishi really wasn't that far ahead of the game, if it was ahead at all.

 

ford had a 205hp turbo 4 banger mustang in 1985

 

Ford is big on turbos so lets look at them:
1.0 turbo 2012
1.5 turbo 2018
1.5 turbo 2014 (different engine)
1.6 turbo 2010
2.0 turbo (a Mazda engine) 2010
2.0 turbo (Mazda is gone) 2015
2.3 turbo 2015
2.7 turbo (truck engine) 2015
3.0 turbo 2015
3.5 turbo 2010

Cadillac has a 2.0 turbo for the ATS, car came with brembo brakes, manual available (gone), and a good chassiss
2013
Other GM engines:
2.7 turbo coming out next year for trucks
4.2 twin turbo coming out next year

And its because of fuel economy and emissions - gas mileage has been a disappointment for the Fords - what I read.

 

Globally,4G63 have been rated 280HP since EVO IV days so that's 96, 22 years ago
EVO 1 already rated at 250HP from factory back in 92, that's 26 years ago

 

Proving the pendulum swings slowly in the car business.

I remember years ago when a used car salesman tried to sell me a K-car with 170 K on it. The thing ran fine. Four cylinders had been around forever but most were fogging for mosquitoes by 40 thousand. The K-car engine was the first in my experience that would last like or better than a V8. Now 4 bangers are the most common engine. I'm just saying the Evo engine was one of the engines that showed a turbocharged 4 could make V8 power and last.