Does torque matter to you?

Does torque matter to you?

  • Total voters
    115
jetsetter

jetsetter

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This is a fairly simple poll inspired by an interesting question. That question is, does torque matter to you? Do you find that when you are driving around on the street that you are wishing for more horsepower or more torque? I bring this question up after reading an article on the new 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10. In the article they brought up the Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano. Here are the engines specs from the Viper's V10 and the Ferrari's V12:

Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano:
Type: V12
Displacement: 5999cc
Power: 620 bhp
Torque: 448 ft?lb

2008 Dodge Viper SRT10
Type: V10
Displacement: 8400cc
Power: 600 bhp
Torque: 560 ft?lb

As you can see the Ferrari has the Viper beat in horsepower but not in torque. This seems to happen when comparing European sports cars to the American offerings.

This time I bring up the 2008 Corvette C6, 2008 Porsche, 911 Carrera S, and 2008 Ferrari F430

2008 Corvette C6
Type: V8
Displacement: 6200cc
Power: 430 bhp
Torque: 424 ft?lb

2008 Porsche 911 Carrera S
Type: Flat 6
Displacement: 3800cc
Power: 355 bhp
Torque: 295 ft?lb

2008 Ferrari F430
Type: V8
Displacement: 4300cc
Power: 490 bhp
Torque: 343 ft?lb

Not entirley the same class or price range but you all should realize what I am getting at.
 
Are there stoplights? If so, torque. If not, HP. Driving my non-turbo MR2 around town, it's reasonably peppy, but put it on a windy road and I'd gladly sacrifice some torque for a bit more top-end.
 
What exactly did the article mention about the Ferrari vs Viper and torque?

And yes torque does matter, but there is a point where it is excessive for a given chassis, and it can also be over to narrow of an rpm range.

My "skirmish buggy" makes a good chunk of torque but not much hp, and because of this small changes in throttle position do actually cause changes in the cars speed, however slow it may be. My brothers 318i on the other hand makes more power and it's torque peak is much higher, below 3500rpms you can floor the throttle and back out of it and never see a change in the engine speed.

I drove a modified 318 that had the low down torque and response like my car does with significantly more power and revs than my brothers car, and it was by far one of the best engines to ever be put in a street car. That little bastard could run smooth at 1000rpms in 5th gear, but it could also rev to 8200rpms. All this from a 2.25 litre naturally aspirated 4 bangers.
 
Yes it does. I see myself getting my car into the higher RPM ranges just to get it moving faster. My car's engine wakes up at 3500 rpm but below that it still has reasonable torque but I'd prefer more. Now there is such a thing as too much torque as thedguy has mentioned.
 
What exactly did the article mention about the Ferrari vs Viper and torque?
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It was in the current issue of Winding Road, the 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10 article. It was really just a passing mention of the engines. A line or two at most.
 
To be honest - I don't know how to distinquish what is torquey is opposed to what is horsepowery. That kind of struck me about the new M5 - 501hp, and a relatively small 383 ft.lbs of torque (wikipedia) - I've certainly never heard anyone complain. I assumed it was necessary to lug around a heavier car, ie the MB S65 AMG has 604hp and 738 ft lbs of torque. But the MB weighs 4900 lbs to the M5's 4000 - which I wouldn't think would justify THAT stark of a torque difference. I don't get the pros and cons of favoring one over the other.
 
I mean for torque I really don't worry about cars like that, because they already have way too much power, I would never say no though to more torque on my Volvo 740.
 
Anyone who has driven an S2000, nay, most Hondas, has a great appreciation for torque. In the real world of everyday driving, torque rules over horsepower. Vice versa on the racetrack. Torque is the reason I can plop my car into fifth gear at 30 mph and still accelerate while the rpm's are hovering at around 1100.

I guess I will use simplified one liners:

-Horsepower sells cars, not move them.

-Torque for dragging, horsepower for bragging.
 
Horsepower sells cars, torque wins races!!

Torque is great, in general the more the better. However it gets to a point where it doesn't matter. I.E a mate of mine bemoaned the 6.2 AMG motor as not having as much torque as the old supercharged one......I hardly think 630Nm is lacking!!

However also make notes of where it is developed. The M5 for example makes peak torque at 6100rpm (although it has a reasonable spread). Eg. Sti's have a fair amount of torque......doesn't mean they are torquey or responsive because if the turbo isn't spinning you are going nowhere.
 
I dont care for torque at all... I can toe/heel and love to wind out engines. being in the power range is easy for me. torque-less engines like the miata, are a lot of fun to drive it in the way that you never dip below 4k, unless stopping at lights etc. torque can go die.
 
I voted yes. Because overall torque is more fun to play with anytime anywhere. Horsepower is only fun once the car is moving. I'd give anything for my Prelude to have 30lb.ft more torque. But I won't complain, it has enough of both to keep my pants happy (195bhp 156lb.ft.). Now my Camaro on the other hand--all the tire-shreading torque I could want, but almost no horsepower (170bhp 255lb.ft.). The only cars I've owned where the BHP and torque were reletively even (or close enough) were my Maximas, 200SX SE-R, 3000GT VR4, C4 Corvette, and my Focus' (Foci?). My cars I've owned (or own) with a lopsided number on either end were (are) the Camaro, P71 Police Interceptor Crown Vic, and my Prelude. All either have way more BHP or way more torque.

When it comes down to it I'd rather have torque over horsepower--but obviously prefer both if I can get it.
 
llpc60 said:
I dont care for torque at all... I can toe/heel and love to wind out engines. being in the power range is easy for me. torque-less engines like the miata, are a lot of fun to drive it in the way that you never dip below 4k, unless stopping at lights etc. torque can go die.
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That must be really fun driving around like that every day. Don't get me wrong, I would KILL for your Miata on a sunday drive.....but everyday, I'll take my skyline where I can skip gears 1-3 2-4 etc. and never have to use more than 2000rpm.
 
I voted yes. Don't get me wrong, I love to rev an engine and use the power but sometimes, in my little car especially, I wish I had more torque.

Torque is nice.
 
llpc60 said:
I dont care for torque at all... I can toe/heel and love to wind out engines. being in the power range is easy for me. torque-less engines like the miata, are a lot of fun to drive it in the way that you never dip below 4k, unless stopping at lights etc. torque can go die.
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Heck yeah! Screw torque sluts. Give me a high-revving European engine over a lumbering domestic block any day!
 
llpc60 said:
I dont care for torque at all... I can toe/heel and love to wind out engines. being in the power range is easy for me. torque-less engines like the miata, are a lot of fun to drive it in the way that you never dip below 4k, unless stopping at lights etc. torque can go die.
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exactly only replace miata with alfa spider
 
The_Finn said:
exactly only replace miata with alfa spider
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You are kidding, right? Are you talking about the V6 version of the Alfa Romeo Spyder? Or the older ones?
 
Hell the Corvette LS7 is way better engine then Euro ones more power, way, way more torque and better mileage.
 
Mr America here's dared to compare a glorious Ferrari with an oxcart-axled lolsprung plasticked-interior'd GWBushing American Viper...I'm surprised no Interweb tough guys have been dispatched yet. :p

I :wub: my torques. Lumbering domestic blocks are loads of fun, but there's gotta be an obvious balance of both for the real pleasure here.
 
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