Quote:
Originally Posted by Yoshoobaroo
Torque and horsepower share a linear relationship with RPM. The whole torque is better than power argument is perpetuated by muscle car idiots who like engines whose ability to make power is crippled after 4000rpm.
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Not to get too far from the lighter is better party we got going on but...
Low end torque is more appealing to the mass market because you can make a car feel fast in the rev range people normally drive in. If you don't normally drive stick, you aren't thinking about what gear you are in, so when you hit the accelerator and the car needs to downshift it seems weaker than a car where it will just start pulling.
Also, area under the curve does mathematically translate to acceleration performance so that also looks good on paper. What isn't typically said about it though is that only the part of curve you take the area under is the part you are actually using. Which is why the twins feel lethargic when driving in a city or highway, but are fun when you are driving in a 'spirited' fashion where you keep the revs up. The opposite is true for 'high torque' cars.