What are you trying to accomplish? Best fuel economy? Fastest acceleration? Quickest way to destroy the engine? Most comfortable ride?
Red line is the maximum highest speed at which the engineers think the engine will not fly apart. It is intended to be reached very rarely, if ever. For normal driving, up-shift at the lowest engine speed possible when the engine doesn't lug or struggle in the next higher gear.
The engine will usually be listed as having the highest power near red line, but that has little to do with maximum acceleration. "Torque" is what pertains to acceleration, and that is lowest near red line. Think of pedaling a ten-speed bicycle. In first gear your feet will be moving at lightning speed, but you will not be going very fast. You can pedal up a steep hill, but if your legs were twice as strong, you will not get there any faster.
For comfort, some people up-shift too soon. The drop in torque is felt in the seat. If you up-shift at around 2,500 to 3,000 rpm, the feel from one gear to the next will be smooth and less tiring.
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Saturday, January 21st, 2017 AT 12:35 PM