what's the difference between hp and torque?
and which is better.
a car with a higher hp or a car with a higher torque?

Thanks,

 

you need them both unless you wanna buy a honda. horse power is the get up and go torque is what puts your a$$ in your seat.

 

torque is better imo... but hp is good to, basically the more the better of both so if you had a choice of 500 hp and 420 tq and 450 hp and 550 tq - id take the later of two

 

In general terms, torque is what gets you going off the line and hp is what keeps you going. You need plenty of both, but +1 to what banned said. I'd rather have more torque than hp.

 

Yup, same here. I could care less what HP my car makes, so long as the torque numbers are good.

 

I know this is a strange comparison, but here it goes. A diesel engine such as a the one Jeep is introducing has 215hp (Same as the 3.7 gas engine) and 387lbs TQ. The 3.7L gas engine has 215hp and 235lb torque. Thegas 3.7Lwith the same HP is rated to pull 4,000 lbs. Thediesel with the same HP but more torqueis rated to tow 8k lbs. From my experience with having way more torque than horsepower (98 Z28 340rwhp-400rwtq) all that extra torque got the wheels turning on launch, but really didn't help me much with trap speed or above 40mph. I guess when it comes to which is better, it all depends on you needs. Towing heavy loads or 1/8 mile racing, I would say torque is better, but quarter mile, and performance, definetly horsepower.
Torque gets you moving and holds speed under loads

 

I'd rather have more horsepower than tq. You make horsepower in the upper band...which is where you need the power when racing. I would rather make 500 WHP and 450 WTQ than 500 WTQ and 450 WHP.

 

torque wins a drag race. The hole shot can win a race, that's why I love nitrosu. Nitrous torque FTMFW

 

I agree it seems to me that when the hp difference is comparable the tq wins the race... you really need both, but ideally a high horsepower car with even higher tq would be the best possible setup..

now making that happen is another story, and this is where turbos come in

 

This is the easiest way I know of for explaining the difference:

HP is how fast you hit the wall.

Torque is how far you take the wall with you.