Quote:
Originally Posted by pothole
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!
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Are you sure about your equation ? It's always been my understanding that torque is a product of horsepower, and the only place that it really matters is what's at the "wheel" and not necessarily at the "crank".