Why does acceleration feel different?
Discussion
Ok, I'm not a science bod, before anyone starts. And I suspect the answer will be along the lines of where the torque curve is...BUT...why does acceleration feel so different between cars with turbos and N/A engines?
My MG is significantly quicker than the Astra hack I'm using at the moment for field work BUT the astra (2.0DTi) 'feels' quicker. It isn't - not by a long way. But when you're accelerating it feels like it pushes you back in the chair where the MG doesn't.
Ideas?
My MG is significantly quicker than the Astra hack I'm using at the moment for field work BUT the astra (2.0DTi) 'feels' quicker. It isn't - not by a long way. But when you're accelerating it feels like it pushes you back in the chair where the MG doesn't.
Ideas?
I'm no engineer so tell me if I'm completely wrong, but say you have two cars rated at 200bhp, one turbo, one NA.
The N/A car's peak power will typically be at the higher end of the rev band, and will build gradually as you accelerate.
The turbo will have relatively little power when working as a N/A engine, then when the turbo comes on song, you'll have that 'kick in the back' feeling as the power suddenly increases from not much to nigh-on max output.
Am I right?
The N/A car's peak power will typically be at the higher end of the rev band, and will build gradually as you accelerate.
The turbo will have relatively little power when working as a N/A engine, then when the turbo comes on song, you'll have that 'kick in the back' feeling as the power suddenly increases from not much to nigh-on max output.
Am I right?
Big News said:
I'm no engineer so tell me if I'm completely wrong, but say you have two cars rated at 200bhp, one turbo, one NA.
The N/A car's peak power will typically be at the higher end of the rev band, and will build gradually as you accelerate.
The turbo will have relatively little power when working as a N/A engine, then when the turbo comes on song, you'll have that 'kick in the back' feeling as the power suddenly increases from not much to nigh-on max output.
Am I right?
That's the conclusion I had come to.The N/A car's peak power will typically be at the higher end of the rev band, and will build gradually as you accelerate.
The turbo will have relatively little power when working as a N/A engine, then when the turbo comes on song, you'll have that 'kick in the back' feeling as the power suddenly increases from not much to nigh-on max output.
Am I right?
Noise makes a big difference, as does how smooth a car is, a big barge with 250 bhp/tonne will not feel as quick as an old sportscar with the same power, you tend to find things like Catherhams accelerate like mad but it isnt the only thing you notice as you are being jiggled around, the noise from having no roof and the blare of the exhaust, the accleration is just one aspsect of the sensory onslaught of a car like that, but something like an Audi A8 will accelerate smoothly and quietly so you can isolate the acceleration sensation more easily and focus on it.
J4CKO said:
Noise makes a big difference, as does how smooth a car is, a big barge with 250 bhp/tonne will not feel as quick as an old sportscar with the same power, you tend to find things like Catherhams accelerate like mad but it isnt the only thing you notice as you are being jiggled around, the noise from having no roof and the blare of the exhaust, the accleration is just one aspsect of the sensory onslaught of a car like that, but something like an Audi A8 will accelerate smoothly and quietly so you can isolate the acceleration sensation more easily and focus on it.
Agreed. Found this the other day - giving it the beans away from the lights in a good old fasioned 0-60 blast in the Caterham and the 640d next to me seemed to stay, well, right next to me...I felt like I was a Stirling Moss in the Targa Florio. The bloke next to me was eating an apple.
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