When it comes to measuring power in vehicles, many people are at a loss as to the various terms used to describe these power-related terms. Even so, knowing what these terms mean and what they may specifically apply to will give you a better understanding of the various metrics of your vehicle. Without further ado, here are the major differences between horsepower and torque.

What Does Horsepower Refer To?

Horsepower is a common term used and is just as often misunderstood. In current times, horsepower is used as a unit of power measurement to describe the ‘rate at which work is done' by an engine. As such, horsepower is used as a denotation for the levels of power that your engine can produce. In most cases, many automobile manufacturers will base their ratings of power on horsepower rather than torque, as it is a more direct conveyance of power.

What Is Torque?

Torque is the rotating force that is produced by an engine’s crankshaft. In general, cars with more torque will be able to pull more weight and produce stronger rotational values in the wheels. This is similar to work, which is the result of a force acting over a distance, except torque is a vector, which makes it quantified by pound-feet and newton-meters. Cars with more torque are better suited for working conditions than road conditions.

What Is the Difference Between Horsepower and Torque?

All in all, there are not too many differences between horsepower and torque. Because of this, many people end up being confused and use these two terms interchangeably. The main difference between these two metrics is that the torque refers to the work itself being done, while horsepower refers to the quickness of that work.



We hope that this article has been helpful in explaining the difference between horsepower and torque. If you are looking to sell your McLaren online, be sure to reach out to Nahas motorcars! We are dedicated to making the car selling process as quick and as easy for you as possible.