disagree on that hp part, acceleration is based on hp to weight ratio, the type of drivetrain you have and then the transmission. Transmission does very little off the line from say 0-35, now if you mean acceleration from say 20-40 or 40-60 then you would be correct that the transmission plays a big role, bigger than it used to. So from stop light to stop light hp to weight and drivetrain are the biggest factor but say in highway passing situations or getting on an on ramp for a highway, merging lanes, etc. etc. you would be correct in saying the transmission matters a lot more than it used to. Also torque plays a huge role in acceleration, you want something with a good amount of torque as well.
FWIW I agree with most of what you are saying here. Just to add a little: Torque is the force that the engine puts out. What you feel as you are pushed back into the seat as the vehicle is accelerating. Power just tries to measure how that force is applied over time, in this case over the RPM range of the engine. When the engine maxes out as it approaches its redline, the transmission shifts gears and then it starts all over again. How well and how quickly the transmission shifts directly impacts the performance over say a quarter mile run, between lights or whatever.
For the most part, the torque to weight ratio is what determines how fast a car can accelerate. The horsepower dictates how fast the engine can turn while applying that torque leading to how long the car can hold each gear. The transmission performance determines how long of a period of time the engine is disengaged while shifting.
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I know this off topic, but I assume that traction also plays a fairly significant role?
traction makes all the difference in the world, what good is power if you cant put it down, aka the hellcats biggest problem before the widebody’s and trackhawk were introduced, also the reason the e63 amg went from rwd to awd in 2014 and why most amgs are now awd, also why bmw m5 went awd as well. One of the biggest successes of the r35 gtr was the launch control with awd. If all 4 tires can put down power it propels the vehicle off launch like a rocket. Rwd cars need either larger tires in the back or drag radials to achieve what an awd car can on stock tires and even then sometimes the awd system proves superior. Once you get going aka from a roll, the awd’s weight hurts its acceleration as compared to the lighter rwd system, this is where having good tires on a rwd car can make it “walk” an awd car from say 65 to 150 or 45 to 100. So drivetrain and tires play a big factor on the traction side which plays a big role in acceleration.
correct, I did not want to get too in depth but you are 100% correct.
Huh! I read this and for an insane moment i thought i had somehow posted this. I drive a camry and my lease ends in september too.
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It doesn’t hurt to start getting an idea but I would wait a little longer to start genuinely doing your research.
Lease programs can drastically change on something between now and September.
The same car that is $560 a month today can be $499 in September.
Not to mention if you get out before September your rolling payments into the next lease.
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The fuel economy may be difficult to pull off, but I think a Giulia Ti Sport can be had in your price range with a little bit of a hacking. It’s going to be the lowest MSRP possible on a Ti Sport, but it’s doable from what I’ve seen.
Don’t really need 300+ hp to have fun. I’ve got 200 hp and 169 lb ft of torque and have a pretty good time in my car.
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Ya. I kind of narrowed down to few options.
- Alfa Romeo giulia Ti sport
- Infiniti q50 red sport
- Lexus IS 350 F Sport
Now i need to know how to talk to the dealerships and get the best quote on 1&2.
Right. I understand that. I was clueless as to what i should be going for untill today. So i was looking out in the market. From tons of cars, i was able to narrow it down to 3. Probably july is when i will start doing my research. Now all i need to know is some maths and how to talk to dealerships for the best price.
q50 rs400 is an awesome car, just sounds a bit like a vacuum nothing a mid level exhaust cant fix and as others have stated the tech is a bit dated, but still a very sharp looking car especially with the black grille and spoiler. My vote goes for the q50.
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