Quote:
Originally Posted by Tokay444
Your rate of acceleration is most certainly going to fall with every gear change, regardless of how long max power is held.
Each consecutive gear would require an increase in power equal to the same percentage of difference between each gear ratio for that statement to hold any merit, and that doesn't even take into account any drag, which increases exponentially with speed.
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Any given vehicle will accelerate at the same rate, given it's making the same power at the same speed, regardless of torque or gearing. Horsepower is the great simplifier in this regard.
In the extremely unusual case of this engine, shifting from one gear to another in the upper gears at 7300 gets you back to something over 5500 rpm, which is where the peak power range begins. Therefore, acceleration at that point will be the same as just before the shift.
Yeah, I know it sounds weird, but think of it this way: The drop off in rpm is proportional to the change in gearing, so the drop in torque to the drive wheels will also drop - but the rise in engine torque at 5500 (compared to 7300) is
exactly enough to offset the gearing change, given that engine power stays the same.
Power equals torque times rpm over 5252.
Bruce
PS - You could in fact make the case that acceleration right after the shift point will actually increase in this case, since rotational inertia will be less in the higher gear. That has implications for shifting even a little earlier.
This will be a very cool car coming out of corners and absolutely blasting down the straights.