Torque or Rev's
Discussion
Because I currently drive vintage stuff do'esnt mean I don't love modern machinery, but I am always torn between an meaty V8 or an screaming high reving banshee. So whats your preference and why?
Got to have something to discuss over the holidays other than what colour socks you recieved for Chroistmas
Got to have something to discuss over the holidays other than what colour socks you recieved for Chroistmas
Acceleration is a function of weight and torque, top speed is a function of power. As in all things, a balance is appropriate, preferably, with bucket loads of both....
The grunt of a V8 is a gorgeous sound to get the blood running, just as is the crackle of a well-tuned cross-flow four pot. Add in the smooth straight six and can I have all three please? Failing that, a V12 or flat-12 will do nicely....
MG Mark
The grunt of a V8 is a gorgeous sound to get the blood running, just as is the crackle of a well-tuned cross-flow four pot. Add in the smooth straight six and can I have all three please? Failing that, a V12 or flat-12 will do nicely....
MG Mark
Mixture of the 2 for me. Had a 400 Chimaera for 4 years so fantastic torque, especially low down but not particularly free reving and quick but not really quick. Now own a 3.6 T350, the S6 engine spins up to 7.5k and it goes like poo off a shovel when you get into the right rev band. But I do often miss the low down, any gear, torque of the Rover V8.
Revs... because (and this is the short answer lol) IMO the power generated by revs is easier to put down than power generated by torque... so makes the car more usable when extracting more than 90% of the cars performance.
I think 80-90% torque to bhp is a good medium if you have over 300bhp.
I think 80-90% torque to bhp is a good medium if you have over 300bhp.
andygtt said:
Revs... because (and this is the short answer lol) IMO the power generated by revs is easier to put down than power generated by torque... so makes the car more usable when extracting more than 90% of the cars performance.
I think 80-90% torque to bhp is a good medium if you have over 300bhp.
I was about to write torque, but having read what you said and having just driven something with which goes from about 200->450lbft in 250rpm on cold slimy roads, I find myself agreeing with you! Saying that I think I have the 80-90 percent you're talking (450/463)I think 80-90% torque to bhp is a good medium if you have over 300bhp.
However, I raced a single cylinder bike and the massive torque on that almost walked the tyre about in steps between power strokes making it really easy to find mid corner grip. 600/1000cc four cylinders seemed to spin up like lathes making it really hard to keep it from spinning up fast when searching for grip.
So I'm going for .... erm, torque
SM
There's the old drag racer's adage of "there ain't no substitute for cubic inches", to which you could add "except for race power".
But perhaps the best summary is a quote from Mark Donohue (famous American racer of the 60s/70s for all you young things) which went - "When you can lay two black stripes between the exit of one corner and the entrance of the next, then you have enough power"
MG Mark
But perhaps the best summary is a quote from Mark Donohue (famous American racer of the 60s/70s for all you young things) which went - "When you can lay two black stripes between the exit of one corner and the entrance of the next, then you have enough power"
MG Mark
MG Mark said:
There's the old drag racer's adage of "there ain't no substitute for cubic inches", to which you could add "except for race power".
But perhaps the best summary is a quote from Mark Donohue (famous American racer of the 60s/70s for all you young things) which went - "When you can lay two black stripes between the exit of one corner and the entrance of the next, then you have enough power"
MG Mark
I've also heard it said, "horse power sells cars, torque wins races"But perhaps the best summary is a quote from Mark Donohue (famous American racer of the 60s/70s for all you young things) which went - "When you can lay two black stripes between the exit of one corner and the entrance of the next, then you have enough power"
MG Mark
andygtt said:
Revs... because (and this is the short answer lol) IMO the power generated by revs is easier to put down than power generated by torque... so makes the car more usable when extracting more than 90% of the cars performance.
I think 80-90% torque to bhp is a good medium if you have over 300bhp.
I also agree, the power only builds up as the revs climb so you can dump the power earlier. I have to say that as what my RX8 lacks in torque it makes up for in revs.I think 80-90% torque to bhp is a good medium if you have over 300bhp.
IMO i'd rather go for the torque of a VEE engine. Afterall, unless you spend all of your time on a track on the limiter, what gets more attention, a good old vee engine idling through town sounding like its on the prowl or a modern jap 4 pot sounding like your mum drying her hair??? Lol
I'm afraid to say, in these modern days when speeding more than 4mph over the limit means trouble, i'd much rather have something that rumbles than wheezes when below the speed limit.
I'm afraid to say, in these modern days when speeding more than 4mph over the limit means trouble, i'd much rather have something that rumbles than wheezes when below the speed limit.
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