Quote:
Originally Posted by LarryBible
177 ft. lbs @ 1800 RPM is NOT what gives the car passing power. That is the part that pushes you into the seat back.
Horsepower is what gives you passing power. It is torque at higher engine speed that gives you horsepower. Horsepower is a calculated value, not a measured one. Making torque at high RPM shines more favorable on the result of the horsepower calculation.
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Yes it does, particularly without downshifting. If you don't have good low-end torque, you can certainly compensate by downshifting and revving the engine really high to get some passing power, but you'll get lots of noise and fuel consumption. I'd much rather just depress the accelerator in 5th gear and let the turbo do its thing. Trust me, the top gear passing power in in my TDI is MUCH better than in our old Accord which actually had more horsepower but less torque. It's a night and day difference.
Yes, horsepower = torque * RPM * constant. Horsepower is great for racing. But it makes more sense for everyday driving to have maximum torque in the RPM range where you spend most of the time driving, i.e. the low end, especially if it results in better fuel efficiency as well.