In your prior example, you were comparing car A and B. They both produce the same torque number, table flat torque curve. A revs to 7000 rpm. B revs to 8000 rpm. B will have a higher peak horsepower due to the higher max rpm.
Now, here's why gearing is important. Say both cars have same gearing. Same weight. Same aero. Same everything. Car A can hit 40 mph in 3 seconds in first gear. How fast can car B hit 40mph? 3 seconds.
But car B has more HP, so how can they be the same? If car A hits redline at 7000 rpm at 40 mph. Car B will carry on to nearly 47 mph at redline before having to shift (and will pull ahead). Conversely, if you want them both to redline at 40mph, you shorten the *gearing* of car B. With shorter gearing they both will stop at 40mph in 1st gear. But car B will get there faster - same torque, higher horsepower, higher rpm allows for greater mechanical advantage but still gets it to 40mph in 1st gear.
That's why gearing, with all other things being equal, is an important aspect to understand when understanding the relationships between torque and horsepower. Hope this helps.
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Originally Posted by Johnny Horsepower
Yeah, people say that, but then I see things like this: https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-cul...wer-vs-torque/
Sure, those other things are going to make a huge difference. But without some simplifying assumptions, no question could ever be answered. This is confusing enough already for a seemingly simple question.
I think it's reasonable to assume that cars A and B have the same weight, aerodynamics, and gearing, even if that's not quite realistic. (Like more torque might mean a bigger engine, which changes other things.) If that's too much to assume, then OK, let's say this is for entertainment purposes only, to provide a simple illustration of the concepts of power and torque. |