Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul
A seat of the pants dyno always notices which car has more torque, not hp. A motor with 320 horsepower and 200 ft lbs of torque feels like a dog compared with a motor with 320 hp and 295 ft lbs of torque.
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Pure nonsense. Obviously if a car's got more mid-range torque then it's going to feel gruntier in the mid-range. But if you're revving the car out it's the peakier engine that can feel more lively while the torquier engine feels flat and breathless towards the top of the rev range.
When you're on it, it's power that makes a car feel quick and indeed makes a car quick. That's why a four-pot diesel car with 200hp but 300lb/ft isn't any quicker outright than the same car with a 200hp, 200lb/ft petrol engine.
What it comes down to is this. What would feel quicker all other things being equal? A car with with 200hp and 300lb/ft, or one with 300hp and 200lb/ft. When you're dawdling around at low revs, the first car would obviously have more guts. But outright, the second car would be hugely quicker. And since we're talking about sports cars, not limos, that's what counts.
The whole torque = acceleration thing is a myth. And that's why F1 cars have 900hp and 250lb/ft and not the other way round!