What's the point of a powerful engine on a passenger car?

[garygnu]

@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.

[Saintly_Loser]

@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.

[Really_Not_All_That_Bright]

@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, the 1.4 litre was only sold in Portugal and Greece.

[Dallas_Jones]

@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.

[Magiver]

@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.

[Magiver]

@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.