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: 373 Nm in the 1950s, 380 Nm in the 2020s.
- The median peaked at 597 Nm in the 1960s, fell to 292 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 | 11 | 373 Nm | 370 Nm | 664 Nm | Ford Thunderbird II |
| 1960s | 45 | 597 Nm | 487 Nm | 678 Nm | Chevrolet Chevelle II |
| 1970s | 35 | 427 Nm | 408 Nm | 691 Nm | Buick GSX I |
| 1980s | 37 | 292 Nm | 347 Nm | 880 Nm | Vector W8 I |
| 1990s | 65 | 350 Nm | 356 Nm | 705 Nm | Hummer H1 I |
| 2000s | 128 | 415 Nm | 460 Nm | 1,250 Nm | Bugatti Veyron |
| 2010s | 191 | 420 Nm | 491 Nm | 1,600 Nm | Bugatti Divo |
| 2020s | 74 | 380 Nm | 468 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.