The name, "High-torque" is a marketing tool for a common gear-reduction type motor. It really isn't high-torque. Instead of using a large and heavy high-torque motor to rotate the engine, a gear reduction motor uses gearing (small gear drives larger gear) to generate the minimum rotational force to start the engine. To compensate for the relatively light weight motor (weight savings here) and reduced current requirement, the smaller motor simply rotates at a faster speed. Thus, more rotational speed and the gearing makes up for the lower torque output of the motor.
This also reduces the electrical load on the battery during cranking which allows some to use a reduced capacity battery (careful about using this in freezing temperatures).
Gear reduction motor:
Direct drive motor:
A random lesson for the AM,
Sherwood