Help me understand gear ratios

[Daff_Duck]

I drive a 200bhp German diesel car
Having driven a few different German brands the one thing that irritates me is the close gear ratio. What I mean is you hardly move before you are to put in 2nd and again in 3rd before you have even hit 30 you are promoted to be In 4th

How the heck are you to accelerate to what is ( yes I know open to interpretation) 0-60 if sub 8 s? Is it unique to German diesels? I have seen transits shift far quicker than my car ever will in fact a 320D blew me out I’d the water only yesterday

So is it that I drive like a granny, or this is similar scenario for many diesel drivers, on which case what is the point in having 200bhp when 140 will do

 

[Daff_Duck]

Blimey ! Didn’t know I had opened a debate .. Anyway to get this straight for max torque/ acceleration it is ok to stay in a lower gear and change just before the red line this getting the max pulling power ?

My car is a C250 and this 320 flew past from start as, dud to the almost pathetic 1st gear band you can only get 20 feet before you have hit the wall by the time you try to slip to 3rd (block change) you are in the lower range of the power and thus lag it’s like a car that should be sub 8 Is no quicker than a 140 bhp ... on the flat so to speak Or am I like I said just a pants driver and expect to much

Oh the car is a 65 plate

 

[Daff_Duck]

Right... let’s say for me ( someone who is completely defunct in knowledge of engines)
If from a standing start I wanted to get max acceleration bearing in mind at 4K revs in 1st gear I am hardly doing 20 .. do I block change Or progress through each gear to almost red line...
This 320 blew me out of the water .next time I will at least have a bit of knowledge behind me ( guy lives on same Avenue ...smug g***t)