Quote:
Originally Posted by MJB
"Where horsepower determines how fast a vehicle can travel, torque at the wheels determines how quickly that speed can be reached. The greater the torque figure, the faster the acceleration."
HP sells cars, TQ wins races  |
lol, none of that is true.
HP=(RPM * T) / 5252
A car with high TQ relative to HP simply means it doesn't rev up as high as should.
How fast a car accerates, after the car has passed 5,252rpm is a funtion of THE AREA UNDER THE CURVE. The curve a function of the rpm ranges as dictated by gearing.
This is why something like a 290hp NSX with much less TQ, destroyes a 370Z in a straight line.
Torque is only useful really for 0-60 times and trucks that need to pull things.
In sports cars where you're in gears 2-6 much more than gear 1, HP is much more important.