Torque
The twisting force a motor or engine produces, quoted in Nm or lb-ft. Read it together with power and gearing.
Torque is rotational force: how hard a motor or engine can twist the driveshaft. Power (kW or horsepower) describes how quickly work is done, while torque is the twisting force itself. Spec sheets quote a peak torque figure, and how much torque an engine or motor produces changes with its speed.
Gearing matters too. A transmission multiplies torque in the lower gears, so the twisting force at the wheels is not the same as the figure on the spec sheet. That is why a torque number alone does not tell the whole story when you compare two cars, and why it is best read alongside power.
Torque is measured in newton-meters (Nm) or pound-feet (lb-ft). NIST lists one pound-force foot as about 1.3558 newton-meters. CarPairly stores torque in Nm for every car and adds pound-feet in brackets for US visitors, so cross-market comparisons stay consistent.
Differs by market
Torque is quoted in newton-meters (Nm) or pound-feet (lb-ft), depending on the market and publisher. CarPairly stores Nm and adds pound-feet in brackets for US visitors; the quantity is identical.