Automotive misconceptions that drive me nuts

[Old Guy with 87 GT]

one of the things that drives me nuts -when peaple determine how fast a car is based apon peak horse power ratings.........well its quicker becouse it makes 250 horses and it weighs the same as yours..............seems to me torque and horsepower curve make quit a difference.........i see this from the import guy's all the time........peaple don't take into account on how usable the horse power is.....
i've beat guy's before that are supposed to have more horses for the simple reason that -since there power curve only lasts for 100 rpms and the moter has to be wound up to 7 grand to make its peak.......they'll spend to much time shifting ,and since there 4cyl only has a small peak power curve it won't put you back in the seat for near as long .......so while there shifting and waiting for the peak power to kick in i'm sneaking past them becouse my car will make it's meager 230 hp for a range of like 2 or 3 thosand rpms

i lov schooling the import guy's on this .......well i had mine dyno'ed and it makes more power then yours ... ........well howed you wind up in my rearveiw mirror