# What's the point of a powerful engine on a passenger car? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 28, 2009, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-a-powerful-engine-on-a-passenger-car/497920 "2009-05-28T13:40:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-a-powerful-engine-on-a-passenger-car/497920/41 "2009-05-29T16:03:07Z")
> [@bengangmo](#): > > Err? Really the 1.6 Mini one was available here in the tropics where an air-com unit is a must. Unless I’m innerant and it should come with something smaller? The first generation Mini One came with a 1.4 Litre engine, if a larger engine was optional, it still wasn’t offered in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-a-powerful-engine-on-a-passenger-car/497920/42 "2009-05-29T16:57:35Z")
> [@Mach Tuck](#): > > My compromise is driving stickshift cars. > > If you only have 100 hp, having a manual transmission allows you to get a lot more out of it. This. The inexplicable American aversion to the manual transmission practically forces us to drive cars with bigger engines. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-a-powerful-engine-on-a-passenger-car/497920/43 "2009-05-29T16:59:55Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > The first generation Mini One came with a 1.4 Litre engine, if a larger engine was optional, it still wasn’t offered in the US. According to [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MINI_(BMW)#Mk_I_Mini_Hatchback), the 1.4 litre was only sold in Portugal and Greece. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-a-powerful-engine-on-a-passenger-car/497920/44 "2009-05-30T00:16:15Z")
> [@FordTaurusSHO94](#): > > It’s just fun. You get used to any level of power after awhile. I’ve got a 2007 Mustang GT. It came with 300hp, I’m not sure how much it has now. It’s also got a light driveshaft and lower rear end gears. I’ve also got something with 100hp, but it’s a 400 pound motorcycle. It’s really fun to pass people using that. I’m a car guy. It is just the fun you get when you drive a powerful car. What is that worth to a person, each of us have to decide. I have a 2002 Trans Am WS6. Awesome car. Don’t make them any more and probably never will again. It has it’s own building/shrine. I shine it up, take a drive and I feel good. Hardly a day goes by that I don’t get a “hey, nice car!”. It is what I like to drive rather than just a source of transportation. This is what I drive every day. Better than any anti-depressant you will ever find. Totally impractical, there are back seats but only 12 year olds without legs would feel comfortable there. Can do 165 mph if needed although I have only approached that speed once. Roast the tires for a hundred feet. And it will get 25 mpg if you just drive it normally. Which is pretty damn good for a V-8. The wife actually talked me into buying it. Because she loves me I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-a-powerful-engine-on-a-passenger-car/497920/45 "2009-05-30T04:07:54Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > It gives him a car slightly more advanced than a horse and buggy. Is that what he wants? If by more advanced you mean the same gas mileage as the volvo in a bigger car (with enough trunk space to carry the volvo), then yes. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2009, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-a-powerful-engine-on-a-passenger-car/497920/46 "2009-05-30T04:11:19Z")
> [@Saintly\_Loser](#): > > This. The inexplicable American aversion to the manual transmission practically forces us to drive cars with bigger engines. My 2000 Saturn automatic gets 38 on the highway which is more than the stick shift car of the same motor size it replaced. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-point-of-a-powerful-engine-on-a-passenger-car/497920.md?page=2)