Torque versus Horsepower

[Jer]

Here's an interesting article I found on the subject, well worth the read:

www.cheatsheet.com/automobiles/torque-vs-horsepower-the-science-behind-car-performance.html/?a=viewall

[brigond]

Thanks

Sent from my SM-G920P using proboards

[DynoDave]

Sorry Jer...Begin .

What kind of tree-hugging socialist rag are you reading, Jer?

"As car buyers, we need to understand that power does not always constitute enjoyment."

What? While I understand the broad picture they are trying to paint, name the last car that you drove (3rd gen forum readers) that possessed a generous dose of horsepower and torque, and was not enjoyable to drive?

"But buyers need to know that having a 707 horsepower Dodge Hellcat might feel a little unwieldy since it weighs about as much as a small rhinoceros."

For (probably not) the last time, the Challenger is derived from a full sized car, making it a full sized coupe, if you will. It does not (thank God) weigh the same as a Civic coupe. I'm getting pretty tired of this particular old saw, that the Challenger and Charger are wallowing pigs from a handling point of view. If you want something smaller, BUY something smaller. But don't bitch about a cars very nature.

"There have been quite a few cars in history that have proven that a car doesn’t have to have ridiculous numbers to put a smile on someone’s face. The Subaru BRZ rules at carving corners with its rear-wheel drive configuration and simple-yet-functional gearbox, and the 201 horsepower Honda Civic Si is a budget blast with its sporty suspension and helical limited-slip differential. And let’s not forget the 1.6 liter pipsqueak of an engine found in the Ford Fiesta ST, which doesn’t even crack 200 horsepower and yet somehow has won over almost every critic who has mashed gears in the damn thing."

Apparently his knowledge of automotive "history" started about 5 years ago (BRZ, Civic, Fiesta).

"Power can easily be negated by weight, and in the case of some of the smaller cars listed in a piece we did on performance recently, it is quite obvious that American car buyers are finally beginning to grasp this fact."

I'm sorry...was there anyone in the enthusiast community (a fair group to ask this of, as all of the target vehicle in this paragraph would qualify as the performance models/enthusiast cars in there lineups/segments) that did NOT know this? I guess Ma Mopar, Pontiac and others were putting aluminum body panels on their factory races cars in the early '60s because the stuff was cheap and easy to work with? Heck, there were special light weight racing bodies for Model Ts. What the X@#$ Ah, those dumb old Americans, finally waking up and smelling the coffee.

I'm going to "guess" that this young author is uneducated on light weight efforts of the past, from both the factory and aftermarket? And the light weight technology that goes into even the Challenger? If you want to lose some mass, get the Government out of the car specification business. If it didn't have to have ABS, 10 airbags, an uncrushable roof structure, crumple zones that allow you to plow into a wall at 50mph and walk away, protection for pedestrians to bounce off the hood, enough emissions tech to send a shuttle to the moon, pre-tensioning seat belts, warnings for lane departure, following too close, and a half dozen other nearly autonomous technologies, then maybe ALL cars could be smaller and lighter.

Speaking of the author, is this him? Micah? Quite the resume. Hopefully this is NOT him. But if so, consider the source.

If you cut the head of this article off...IE: the part where this "author" did most of the writing Vs. the later parts on Torque and Horsepower where he sites more knowledgeable sources...then it's OK. But that doesn't leave this chuckle head contributing much.

over.

[azhighcountry]

Thanks, I will take a small rhinoceros over a rolling beer can every time. No, my Charger won't corner as well as a honda but I have had several honda fans take a ride with me and love to hear the expected " HOLEY COW" When I stomp the gas. If I want to corner fast I will take my wife's 95 Corvette for a drive. That's about as close to a compact car as I care to get. Besides my old fat rear won't fit in hondas. We are going to trade the 06 Charger in on a new Challenger, unfortunately I don't see it being a Hellcat.

[Bob]

WOW.  That takes a barn full of guts.  You not only violated the forum rules about "Using SYMBOLS or CHARACTERS to MASK PROFANITY and EXPLETIVES is PROHIBITED" (I cut and pasted that from the news banner on top of every page), but you did it TWICE....................AND in a thread created by JER.........the forum owner!



I'll be up in the back row of the cheap seats in the balcony with my popcorn watching this show FOR SHORE.

[DynoDave]

Well, to be fair, I'm afraid I too forgot the rule against faux expletives, and used them in this thread before azhighcountry did. Thus I am the reason for the scrolling banner. Somewhat embarrassing for someone who's supposed to be helping enforce the rules.

My only defense is that I belong to several different forums, whose "style" varies widely. I forgot where I was for a moment!

I doctored up azhighcountry's post to be more Mayberry friendly.

[1ol74charger4me]

Nov 2, 2015 7:06:53 GMT -5 DynoDave said:

Well, to be fair, I'm afraid I too forgot the rule against faux expletives, and used them in this thread before azhighcountry did. Thus I am the reason for the scrolling banner. Somewhat embarrassing for someone who's supposed to be helping enforce the rules.

My only defense is that I belong to several different forums, whose "style" varies widely. I forgot where I was for a moment!

I doctored up azhighcountry's post to be more Mayberry friendly.

And all this time I have been feeling guilty because I thought I was the reason for the banner!!!!!!! I did it on a reply about some tips on a car. This is my defense. I really didn't know it stood for cuss words. After 40+ years of reading comic books I did not know that it stood for that. I thought it just stood for those sounds you make in times of high tension like when a steering wheel nut is super tight and you just know as you really torque down on it something bad is gonna happen. I don't know how many apology letters I have composed in my head. I'm a product of wonderful shame based parenting and verbal abuse so I have a tendency to overplay those things. WELLL WHEW, Not me this time. I too have to watch my responses because I go to Abodiesonly and there are no barriers. Should be , but ain't.

As for the topic. All I know is that a 472 Cadillac rated at 375 horse at 4800 and 525 ft lbs of torque at 3000 with 3:73 gears in a 1964 Chevy shortbed will make you smile when you drop the hammer. I am just not sure there is as much giggle factor to be found in a Ford Fiesta. Nice writeup but definitely slanted. And that is not a inuendo.