Which torque is better

Actually, that simplification is partially correct. Torque and power are what engines produce when you turn the key and press the accelerator. Air and fuel ignited in the combustion chambers cause the crankshaft, transmission, and drive axles to do the twist. This is the miracle of energy conversion: the potential energy contained in a gallon of recycled dinosaur efficiently changed to the kinetic energy needed for driving. Energy is the capacity for doing work.

In this instance, engines perform the drudgery work formerly done by horses. Work is the result of a force acting over some distance. The U. In the International System SI , work is measured in joules and, in rare instances, newton-meters.

The more torque an engine produces, the greater its ability to perform work. The measurement is the same as work, but slightly different. In this case the distinction is static torque, the kind you apply with a wrench to tighten head bolts. To avoid confusion, the units for static torque are traditionally foot-pounds. Just to be contrary, SI sticks with newton-meters for both static and dynamic torque measurements.

Power is how rapidly work is accomplished. Eighteenth-century Scottish inventor James Watt gave us this handy equivalency: one horsepower is the power required to lift 33, pounds exactly one foot in one minute. A more important consideration is understanding the balance between the two, how they interact or, perhaps, how to influence an engine by giving it more of one or the other. If you want to shred your car tyres , you need some low-down torque, but if you are after land-speed records, then horsepower will always win out.

Not all engines are the same, as even two units pulled from the same line will differ on an engine dynamometer. Even then, it would need to be a fully-controlled environment as the air pressure, temperature and humidity will all affect the power readings of an engine, even more so when we bring forced induction into the equation. It is possible to shape the characteristics of power: for example, a long stroke engine will generally give more torque than a short stroke engine.

On this same basis, we can play with the cam timing to affect the power delivery — advancing the cam timing should deliver more low-down torque, while retarding it equates to high RPM horsepower.

Most modern engines strive for a balance of torque vs horsepower. Another element to consider is forced induction FI. Supercharging or turbocharging the engine is a great way to increase its power, usually in quite a cost-effective way. Here, again, we have two routes, both offering different options.

Supercharging, on one hand, will generally give you more engine torque, whereas a turbo will give you extra horsepower. Of course, we need to add a caveat. One further consideration when it comes to engine design, type and power is the choice of fuel. This relationship is becoming increasingly blurred as once diesel was considered to be truck fuel and petrol was for motor cars.

It is no longer the case as diesel cars became almost as popular as petrol ones in the last years, making an enormous impact on the race track. For instance, manufacturers such as Audi and Peugeot only entered diesel cars in the famous hour Le Mans motorsport race because the torque and fuel economy are ideally suited for endurance racing.

Most manufacturers have found their balance but occasionally they adjust the figures slightly. In general, the talk regarding torque vs horsepower, will undoubtedly become a moot point in the future, as it will be replaced by one simple measurement: kW.

Forgetting all of the whys and wherefores, electric power can deliver massive amounts of torque from standstill, meaning acceleration is always brisk, despite the weight penalty of having hundreds of laptop batteries glued to the chassis. The balance between horsepower vs torque may very well be replaced with electric cars in the future. As a comparison, a Bugatti Veyron will do the same in It really does seem as if electric power is the way forward, as the gap in performance in closing very, very quickly.

There is no simple answer as to what is best, so perhaps the simple question is: what suits you best? In other words, energy is needed to perform work. In simpler terms, torque can be defined as an engine's 'pulling force' and helps a vehicle with initial acceleration. This is why heavier vehicles like SUVs often use engines that deliver a high amount of torque. High torque helps a powerplant perform with ease especially when a vehicle is transporting heavy loads or moving up steep inclines.

Power is defined as the rate at which an object does work. In the context of automobiles, power is often described as horsepower. A vehicle with more power ideally will have better acceleration and higher top speed. Now that we have understood the basic physics associated with power and torque, let's talk more about their significance in a vehicle and the role they play. Torque refers to the capacity to do work, while power is the rate of completing work in a given amount of time.

The primary use of torque is to make the car accelerate in the initial stages of movement, while the horsepower determines the rate of the acceleration of the vehicle. For better understanding, let's take two imaginary vehicles A and B with the same weight and size. A has bhp of power and Nm of torque, while B has bhp and Nm on tap. In this scenario, B has more horsepower than A, which means B will be able to move at a much faster rate. Now, let's load both A and B with four passengers and some luggage.