First off, for all who have forgotten, horsepower is just torque multiplied by RPM (with a linear factor to make the units work). A single torque number has very little value. As several others have pointed out, the area under the power curve is actually what matters. In general, a higher torque motor will have a flatter power curve, but that is far from the whole story. Higher reving motors get the same power to the ground from less torque. The transmission ratios are just as important as the power curve.

The important factor here is how much power does the engine have after shifting gears? Any math that doesn't account for the power curve and the transmission ratios is never going to get the job done. Since it is unrealistic to get the power curve for every car, I think it should be ignored. Sure that's not perfect, but using one torque number is no better than what we have now, and is more complicated. I would rather have the rules more stable so we know what to expect year after year - something that makes IT far better than prod, most of us would agree right?

I was glad to see the V-8's added to ITR, but I think the torque adder was excessive.