Car torque over time: median and average engine torque by decade
Peak torque of petrol and diesel engines in new car generations, by the decade production started. Electric motors and hybrid systems are left out - their torque figures are not comparable with combustion engines.
Key findings
- Median peak torque of petrol and diesel engines: 300 Nm in the 1950s, 409 Nm in the 2020s.
- The median peaked at 500 Nm in the 1960s, fell to 290 Nm in the 1980s and has been rising since.
- Highest torque: the SSC Tuatara I with 1,800 Nm (2020s).
Data table
| Decade | Generations | Median peak torque | Average peak torque | Record torque | Record holder |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 13 | 300 Nm | 340 Nm | 664 Nm | Ford Thunderbird II |
| 1960s | 83 | 500 Nm | 424 Nm | 678 Nm | Chevrolet Chevelle II |
| 1970s | 65 | 377 Nm | 365 Nm | 691 Nm | Buick GSX I |
| 1980s | 42 | 290 Nm | 339 Nm | 880 Nm | Vector W8 I |
| 1990s | 75 | 355 Nm | 358 Nm | 705 Nm | Hummer H1 I |
| 2000s | 147 | 400 Nm | 447 Nm | 1,250 Nm | Bugatti Veyron |
| 2010s | 244 | 400 Nm | 472 Nm | 1,600 Nm | Bugatti Divo |
| 2020s | 120 | 409 Nm | 447 Nm | 1,800 Nm | SSC Tuatara I |
Methodology
For each generation we take the highest torque (Nm) among its petrol and diesel versions and group generations by the year production started. Median, average and record are shown per decade. Values outside 30–2,500 Nm are excluded.
Passenger cars only: trucks, buses and vans are excluded (the same rule as our rankings).
Decades with fewer than 8 generations are not shown; the table gives the number of generations behind every figure.
Values come from the 1CARS catalog. Part of the specifications are extracted from our articles and not yet checked by an editor; obvious outliers are excluded. Figures describe the cars in our catalog, not the whole market.
Free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit “1CARS” and link to this page. License terms.