Quote:
Originally Posted by Idaho2018GTPremium
You’ll be slower shifting at max torque because the torque sent to the rear wheels is lower than the torque sent to the rear wheels at a higher rpm and lower gear—the lower gear multiplies the torque. Horsepower, or power, is the amount of work done over time. Torque is just a force. So hp wins races because it’s work over time—more power equals more work over the same amount of time. Torque feels fast in a short time frame but may not actually be that fast.
But it’s also true that for a given gear your car will accelerate fastest at the torque peak. Eg. 3rd gear will accelerate faster at 4500 rpm than 6000 rpm when the engine torque has begun dropping off.
Most cars accelerate the quickest shifting after the hp peak.
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Actually, horsepower is not work done over time, it is the rate at which work is done. You will always accelerate most by staying somewhere near peak torque. Horsepower, on the other hand, will limit your top speed on a track of unlimited length, where you are not accelerating but overcoming drag.