So let's cut this down to the convention for Wikipedia.  We already discussed the issue at Wikipedia:WikiProject Automobiles/Conventions and decided to use hp (presumably SAE net or gross depending on time period) or kW depending on market for this unit.  I am opposed to  using PS or metric horsepower - it's just plain confusing.  One exception is if the metric hp number is "significant" - as in the Bugatti Veyron with it's 1001 hp (metric) engine.  I will propose an ammendment over there to always specify "hp SAE" rather than just "hp" and see what people think.  Or we could just link the first occurrence of "hp" to horsepower#hp (SAE) and let people use their intiution that all remaining references to hp are for SAE numbers.  I like this better.  We DO have to be precise, and I don't want to go around using random units everywhere.

So let's decide here and now:
 I propose never using metric horsepower as a primary unit unless it's a special case like the Bugatti.  And then we should be very specific in including the SAE number.
 We've already decided to always include both hp and kW, and that's all well and good.
 As for notation, if we are to specify SAE, I would do it without parentheses since we are using the parens for kW already.  So we say "100 hp SAE (74 kW)".  I'd rather not include the SAE at all, but this is a reasonable alternative.
 14:39, May 31, 2005 (UTC)