Here’s how you launch a car with an automatic gearbox

Launching a car with a manual gearbox can be tricky if you don’t have a ton of practice. However, if your car has an automatic you have a much easier task ahead of you—even without a fancy launch-control system.

Simply press the brake pedal with your left foot then raise the revs using the throttle with your right foot. Release the brake and lay into that gas pedal.

Congrats, you’ve launched your car.

Now, under the car’s sheet metal there’s certainly more going on than what you’ve just felt from the driver’s seat. Your transmission is taking the torque from the engine and then altering how much is being delivered to the wheels by way of gearing and the torque converter.

Our friend from Engineering Explained goes into a lot more detail on that matter in the video above.

Of course, we know that if you’re reading Motor Authority, you already have a decent idea on how to launch a vehicle.

What we like with this clip, however, is the deeper dive into the mechanical bits. If you’re going to perform certain activities in your car, it’s a good idea to know what you’re doing to your car and what parts you’re stressing.

So go out there and enjoy your ride… and know what you’re going to break if you do nothing but launch your car all day long.