Quick question came up when I was reading "HowStuffWorks"
first, it was clear when talking to some people including my machine Design teacher that TORQUE was the resposible factor when accelerating.
Example:
Engine with 200Lb-Ft Flat Flat Flat from 0 - 5,000RPM
Max torque: 200Lb-ft throught out
Max HP: 190HP
Selecting any 2 points for comparison:
@1,000RPM: 200Lb-ft & 38 HP
@5,000RPM: 200Lb-Ft & 190 HP
but because TORQUE was SAME for 1K or 5K RPM the acceleration was the SAME for either point 9even thought you have 5x as much HP)
Now i read this at the webpage:
Quote:
What a graph like this points out is that any engine has a peak horsepower -- an rpm value at which the power available from the engine is at its maximum. An engine also has a peak torque at a specific rpm. You will often see this expressed in a brochure or a review in a magazine as "320 HP @ 6500 rpm, 290 lb-ft torque @ 5000 rpm" (the figures for the 1999 Shelby Series 1). When people say an engine has "lots of low-end torque," what they mean is that the peak torque occurs at a fairly low rpm value, like 2,000 or 3,000 rpm.
Another thing you can see from a car's horsepower curve is the place where the engine has maximum power. When you are trying to accelerate quickly, you want to try to keep the engine close to its maximum horsepower point on the curve. That is why you often downshift to accelerate -- by downshifting, you increase engine rpm, which typically moves you closer to the peak horsepower point on the curve. If you want to "launch" your car from a traffic light, you would typically rev the engine to get the engine right at its peak horsepower rpm and then release the clutch to dump maximum power to the tires.
Basically, they are saying the MAX ACCEl is achieved at MAX HP and NOT at MAX TORQUE
please give ur opnion. 
