S6 vs. Volvo 850 Turbo R (was Re: ipd)

[ScharfR@aol.com]

In a message dated 96-08-26 18:19:22 EDT, spowers@spdg.COM (Steve Powers)
writes:

<< Engine performance was comparable. The Volvo had less than 6% more
 horsepower at the expense of torque. It had more than 14% less torque.
 Audi: 227 bhp/258 lb-ft  vs. Volvo 240 bhp/221 lb-ft. Torque gets
 you off the line, horsepower gives you top speed. >>

Just as important as the maximum torque is the rpm level at which it occurs.
The S6 achieves maximum torque at 1,950 rpm, then holds it constant through
about 4,500.  That is torque from scarcely above idle, all the way through
the mid-range.  That's plenty of oomph and right off the line.

The Volvo also uses a low-rpm torque strategy, just less of it.  It delivers
221 lb/ft at 2,100 rpm and has a similar regulation strategy to keep things
on the boil through the mid-range.  But it simply delivers less torque,
higher up the rpm range. Think of the Audi's advantage as equivalent to the
delta in total area under the curve, if you were to overlay the two engine's
torque curves.

Manufacturer's performance figures notwithstanding, the  bottom line is that
in a drag race (crude test of strength) the Audi will still get up and go a
little better than the Volvo, thanks to power _and_ traction.  The S6 has
four wheels driving, Torsen to distribute power front to rear, and (in the
most recent iterations) Electronic Differential Locking - EDL - to act as a
traction control system at the front and rear.  The Audi has more inertia to
overcome, but more power and traction to apply to the task.

The Volvo isn't slow. It also has a form of brake intervention traction
control that will help it get power to the ground, but still has the limit of
front wheel drive.  It can't get all of it's power to the ground without
losing some time (and making a lot of heat) with its TRACS traction control
system.  So it won't beat the S6 is a straight line, or much of any other
kind of race (except, unfortunately, the sales race).  But it still beats the
rear-drive BMW, just like in the Volvo ads.  It may please some to learn that
BMW lost more than the 0-60 race; they also lost an "unfair advertising"
appeal against the Swedes.  They strenuously objected to the "Volvo beats
BMW" ad, asked Volvo to pull the advertising, formally objected to the
industry's advertising review board, and lost.

Too bad, tears well up, fade to black