you're all forgetting that a power figure (although the standard) is just a mere maximal power figure.
100kw @ 4000rpm will be a better drive than 117kw @ 5000rpm. 17kw increase at 1000rpm later, i know i'd take the driveability over the peak power increase any day.
what about the other attributes, rpm? area under the curve? torque? etc. all the fact sheets for new cars provide a power figure in reference to which rpm it was measured at. 1000kw @ 20000rpm vs. 100kw @ 4000rpm plus the torque figure, you can do the maths.
if you look at all the drag racing guys - they don't care about power figures anymore. MPH at which they cross the traps is what they are interested in. there's so much discrepancy in dynos now days that they don't care if you have 200kw or 400kw.
and since i like to have the final word on things, i'd like for the rest of this thread to remain on topic. if you wish to continue this 3" kilowatt vs. response/torque debate, bring it up in one of the other threads. actually i'd rather no one did, because it'll be a repetition of what's been going back and forth already.
everyone has their preference. if you want a kilowatt number to go off and tell others go ahead, if you want response then that is also fine, if you want to back up those figures with some drag/track/circuit times even better. that way we can at least draw some relationships between power vs. track time.
cheers