what is torque?

i dont wanna sound stupid, but ive never really understood what torque is...

what is it?
why do i need it?
what dose it do with the car or speed?
the more the better?

Torque is basically what turns your driveshaft that turns your wheels. Torque is what accelerates your car from a start. Low Torque=bad start. Horsepower is what drives your car over time down the track. Its kinda hard to explain but basically its the force that spins your driveshaft....Hope this helps.

Here is a really good article on horsepower vs torque:

http://www.revsearch.com/dynamometer/torque_vs_horsepower.html