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I agree that to put it in general, simplistic terms, you focus on HP if you’re gunning for higher top speed, but you focus on TQ if quick acceleration is what you’re after. But in the end, they’re inter-related, and you can’t consider one without the other. Btw, I think Carroll Shelby was once quoted saying “Horsepower sells cars, torque wins races.”
Anyway, looking at the dyno plots, it’s clear that the real power band of the 1M is between 3K and 5K rather than between 5K and 7K, especially when you consider the fact that TQ drops off so sharply after 5K (even though it’s less so for HP). But the fact remains that both drop off after the cross point. If you’re trying to reach top speed on the autobahn, then it may make sense to rev it beyond 5K, but in most situations, I’d say it’s pointless to do so.
For the M3 though, it’s a different story. The power band of the M3 is clearly between 5K and 8K due to the fact that power continues to increase linearly after the cross point all the way to redline, and TQ is fairly constant from 3K all the way to 8K. I personally like these characteristics better than those of the 1M.
The prodigious amount of torque (along with lighter weight and shorter wheelbase) in the 1M is one of the primary factors why it can be quicker than the M3 on certain tracks, despite the HP and power-to-weight ratio advantage of the M3. As an example, on a tight and twisty track like Monaco, you need quick bursts of acceleration between corners as well as agile handling characteristics, both of which the 1M excels at better than the M3, so don’t be surprised if the 1M is quicker than the M3 at Monaco . However, when you move to a power circuit like Spa, where there are lots of long, flowing straights and fast corners/kinks. That’s where the M3 can really strut its stuff. Momentum is the key at Spa rather than outright acceleration. The inherent stability due to the longer wheelbase and the power advantage of the M3 will allow it to reach and maintain higher speeds than the 1M, so I would expect the M3 to be quicker than the 1M at Spa.
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