Find More Speed by Shifting According to Torque Curves, Not Redline

It took a while for us to warm up to automatic transmissions. They were always known as slower and measurably worse in every way. However with the new A8 setting 1/4 mile records and putting down huge amounts of horse power, we can all agree it has earned a spot next to the manual transmission. But even with all of that control and those two extra ratios, knowing when to shift is critical in maxing out your acceleration.

As you can see in the video below, the main concept comes from understanding the peak of your torque curve. If your torque drops off sharply at higher RPMs close to redline, you may actually be better off shifting a few hundred RPM before hand. Let’s think about it this way (and these are just example numbers): if your redline is 7500 and at that point your engine is making 450 lb/ft, but your peak torque is 525 lb/ft at 6000, it becomes better for you to shift early. Redline, as we all know, is not for peak power, it is just an indication for engine tolerances.

This unique balance of torque curves and peak horsepower is the one and only reason why a CVT transmission would be the fastest type of transmission you could theoretically fit in a car. But the Corvette doesn’t come with one of those, thankfully.

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Via [Motor Authority]