Explanations of car driving terms

[GREG]

Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car.
Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you.

[browning l]

That's helpful; I've often wondered about those terms.

Thanks.

[Nick Challacombe]

Very droll Greg, but I suppose on reflection quite an easy way of explaining it to a youngster.

[browning l]

Originally Posted by Nick Challacombe

Very droll Greg, but I suppose on reflection quite an easy way of explaining it to a youngster.

Love "droll;" very seldom heard here in the USA.

[Richard Levine]

Greg those are the best explanations I have ever read. The true meanings of so many "Clarkson-Speak" terms have eluded me for years until now.

Many Many Thanks and keep up the good work

Richard

[Thor]

Years ago when my father had a Bentley and a chauffeur (yes, I know, the family has come down a bit since then), this Bentley appeared to be stuck in reverse (it had the famous GM 400 3-speed box in those days) so it was transported to the local Bentley dealer. A few days later it was pronounced to be fixed so the chauffuer went to collect it. It was parked with its rear towards the perimeter wall of the dealership property. Well you can guess what happened, and they also had to fix the paint damage from falling bricks. Those 6 3/4 litre engines produce enough torque to go through a wall with no run-up.