Mere...
http://www.mustangsandmore.com/ubb/DanJonesTorqueVsHP.html :
"What this all boils down to is, as far as maximum automobile acceleration is concerned, all that really matters is the maximum torque imparted to the ground by the tires (assuming adequate traction).
At first glance it might seem that, given two engines of different torque output, the engine that produces the greater torque will be the engine that provides the greatest acceleration.
This is incorrect and it's also where horsepower figures into the discussion. Earlier, I noted that the torque and horsepower peaks of an engine do not necessarily occur simultaneously.
Considering only the torque peak neglects the potential torque multiplication offered by the transmission, final drive ratio, and tire diameter. It's the torque applied by the tires to the ground that actually accelerates a car, not the torque generated by the engine.
Horsepower, being the rate at which torque is produced, is an indicator of how much *potential* torque multiplication is available. In other words, horsepower describes how much engine rpm can be traded for tire torque. The word "potential" is important here. If a car is not geared properly, it will be unable to take full advantage of the engine's horsepower."