RE: 0-60 in 7.5 sec

["Marc Brown" <Mad_One@msn.com>]

Torque is only part of the key to acceleration.  You do want to go past your 
peak torque, but also past you peak horsepower.  Torque is the key to your low 
end power, but horsepower comes in on the top end.  You don't want to shift 
early and lose out on the horsepower that is available, no matter what car you 
are driving.  Drag racing experience has taught me that using torque shifts 
will give you slower acceleration, because after the shift (say at 4500 rpms) 
you drop down low in the rpm band and it takes a while for the engine to get 
back up into its sweet spot.  A shift at 6000 rpms will bring you just below 
your peak torque so you stay within the engine's power band (the VR6 never 
goes below 85% of its usable torque between 3000 and 6000 rpms, peak at 4200 
rpms).  Stretching the car beyond its optimum shift point will cause it to 
move out of the power band, but in a short race, it is better to use that last 
bit of power to pull you car to the finish, than wasting time shifting into 
the next gear.  

I've never read the articles in PCA newsletters (I sure would like to), but 
there are many articles available out there on this topic.  If anyone needs a 
reference, I can point you in the right direction.  Another way to find out is 
to ask anyone in your local area that drag races.

Marc         

- -----Original Message-----
From:	owner-jettaglx@igtc.com  On Behalf Of James C.
Sent:	Monday, May 05, 1997 2:06 PM
To:	jettaglx@igtc.com
Subject:	Re: 0-60 in 7.5 sec

It has always been my understanding, that to achieve maximum 
acceleration, you shift at or beyond peak torque, not at or beyond peak 
horsepower.  I have several articles taken from PCA's (Porshce Club or 
America) monthly newsletters that discuss this very issue.