Horsepower is a unit of measurement used to calculate how fast force is produced from an engine of a vehicle and focuses on how quickly it can accomplish the work. It is a measurement of the rate at which work is done and is calculated through the power needed to move 550 pounds one foot in one second or by the power needs to move 33,000 pounds one foot in one minute. The term "horsepower" was created by James Watt in the mid-17th century to assess how quickly ponies could haul coal out of a coal mine.

Horsepower is an important specification for buyers to consider, as it speaks directly to performance. For a given vehicle, an engine with more horsepower and more torque will generally result in faster acceleration and higher top speed. Torque, on the other hand, is a measurement of the amount of force applied to do the work, with its focal point on power.

In summary, horsepower is a measurement of the power an engine produces and how quickly it can accomplish work, while torque is a measurement of the amount of force applied to do the work. Both horsepower and torque affect a cars overall speed, with horsepower capturing how quickly an engine exerts strength and torque capturing the twisting force generated by an engine or motor.