When discussing a car’s performance, the term torque frequently comes up alongside horsepower. While many car enthusiasts and everyday drivers have heard of torque, not everyone fully understands what it is or how it affects a vehicle’s performance. Torque is a fundamental concept in automotive engineering, playing a crucial role in how a car accelerates, tows, and handles different driving conditions. Whether you’re driving a high-performance sports car, a rugged off-road truck, or a fuel-efficient sedan, torque is what gives your vehicle the power to move.

What is torque?

A proverb from an old racer’s creed says, “Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car. Oversteer is when you hit the wall with the back of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall. Torque is how far you take the wall after you hit it.”

At its core, torque is a measure of rotational force—essentially, how much twisting force an engine generates to turn the wheels. Think of it as the muscle behind your car’s movement. While horsepower determines how fast a vehicle can go, torque determines how quickly it can get there. This is why cars with high torque feel more powerful when accelerating from a stop or climbing steep hills. It’s also why trucks designed for towing and heavy loads prioritize torque over sheer speed, ensuring they can pull heavy trailers or haul cargo without struggling.

Simply put, torque is the amount of force needed cause a rotation in your vehicle. It’s definitely different from horsepower and acceleration. But how exactly does the torque work in your vehicle?

Understanding how torque works in your car requires looking at the engine, transmission, and drivetrain—all of which play a role in how power is delivered to the wheels. The engine generates torque, which is then transmitted through the drivetrain components, eventually reaching the wheels to create motion. Factors such as engine displacement, turbocharging, and gear ratios all influence how much torque a car produces and how effectively it is utilized. A well-balanced torque curve ensures smooth and responsive driving, making it a key factor in vehicle performance.

In this guide, we’ll dive deep into the concept of torque, exploring how it’s generated, why it matters in different driving scenarios, and how it compares to horsepower. Whether you’re a car enthusiast looking to understand vehicle dynamics or a driver curious about how torque impacts your daily commute, this article will break it all down in a clear and engaging way. By the end, you’ll have a solid grasp of what torque is, how it works in your car, and why it’s one of the most important aspects of automotive performance.

What the torque does

Torque basically causes your vehicle to accelerate. That’s why sometimes you see a car being rated as having 400 foot pound of torque (which is an equivalent of 180 foot kilogram of torque). This simply means that’s the maximum force it can exert on a foot of the vehicle at a specific time to make it move or keep it moving. The torque is also rated according to the revolutions per minute the engine is at. The torque specs you see on a car model is usually the maximum it can put out.

How cars get horsepower from torque

If you want some mathematical calculations on how to get the horsepower from the torque, simply multiply the rotational speed of your engine axis by the torque of the engine. Therefore if you need more power to keep your vehicle moving, keep a huge amount of torque on the axis of your engine as its rotating. Once this power gets to the wheels you’re good to go. This is where your drive shaft comes into play.

You need a drive shaft that will connect your axles and wheels with your engine. This will make your car accelerate. Your gear will also compliment and ensure that your engine revs and you keep moving with no hassle. Although, the torque specifications is what will now determine how fast the vehicle will go at the end.

How to maximise the torque of your car

As how torque works has been explained, there are quite a number of ways you can take advantage of the torque to boost your car’s performance.

1. Get a lighter car

Now, since the torque involves exerting force to make a car accelerate, it’s common knowledge that a lighter car tends to move faster than a heavier one or one carrying more load. So if you can get a lighter car, the torque will keep the wheels moving and the weight will let it move faster.

2. Get a car with high torque spec

This almost goes without saying. A car with 180 foot kilogram of torque will move faster than one with 120 foot kilogram of torque. The more the torque specifications, the more the car is likely to accelerate faster.

3. Get a car with large tyres and wheels

When your car has large wheels and tyres, it tends to cover more space within a period of time. This is like asking someone with long legs and another with short legs to run. The one with long legs will be expected to win. This applies in automobiles as well. The more force it has on such large wheels, the further it moves.