How can a car with more hp and torque have a slower 0-60 than a car with less hp and torque but similar weight?
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Can you provide an example of cars in these conditions…?
The only thing I can think of off hand would be variations like the type of tires (different grip levels), different drive trains (RWD vs higher starting grip AWD for example), naturally aspirated vs boosted…
There are a lot of factors that “could” play a roll should that be happening…
The torque curves differ between cars.
Two cars may have the same maximum torque, but if one of them can deliver high amounts of torque sooner, then it can accelerate faster from start.
That’s why electric vehicles like Teslas can accelerate so much faster than regular engined cars. From a standing start, EVs can produce maximum torque almost in an instant, while regular car engines can only produce their max torque after the engine reaches high RPMs.
So lets look at this in a basic sense first. Assuming 2 cars are the same weight, length, gearbox, tire sizes, etc… yet different power from the engine. The car with more power will be faster.
In the real world however, two cars are not always the same. Things like different rev limits, gearing, tire sizes, and even CG position and driving wheels can change how fast a car accelerates. Take something like a Honda S2000. Its engine is designed to rev up to 9,000 rpm. But another car, such as a Mustang GT may only have a 6,000 rpm redline. Both these cars will have to have a different set of gears to achieve a balance between those powers, which will play into the acceleration difference between them if all variable of torque and power from the engine are otherwise the same. Some manufactures want their first gear to top out before 60mph which makes it so you have to shift, thus have time where there is not power pushing you forward as well. You can change some of these variables, like switching from a 4.1 diff to a 4.4, which does change and improve or degrade performance for cars in certain areas as well.
Still, in the most general sense, a car with more power will almost always have a faster 0-60 time.
Tires
Good tires make a car fast, bad tires make a car slow.
Drivetrain matters – more wheels driving = better traction off the line since power is distributed among more wheels.
Also suspension geometry is a factor.
And transmission/shifting is a factor also.
Gear ratios. A car with higher numerical gear ratios will accelerate faster, but generally get worse fuel efficiency and a lower top speed.
Assuming both cars have plenty of traction and the same horsepower, gearing will determine the quicker car.
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