Horsepower - How much do you need?

Ask an enthusiast about preferences in a new vehicle, and the answer is likely to be two words: "more power." Like the power-crazed character played by Tim Allen on the old "Home Improvement" TV show, they're seldom satisfied.

Natural Progression
We tend to think the musclecar era ended three decades ago, but a modern-day "horsepower race" has been underway for years. It began not long after engine outputs hit their low points during the fuel-challenged Seventies. In 1984, for instance, the Corvette's V-8 developed 205 horsepower. This year's Corvette produces 350 hp, while the Z06 cranks out 405 horses. The 1984 Toyota Camry came with a four-cylinder engine that produced 92 horsepower. Today, the four-cylinder develops 157 hp, while the Camry's V-6 makes 192 hp.


In commercials, marketers continue to push horsepower of new models. Chevrolet reworked the subcompact 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier and killed the old 115-hp engine, making a 140-hp version standard. Dodge added a turbocharged R/T model to its Neon lineup this year, and is making a Hemi V-8 available in its Ram pickup. New SUVs pack brawny engines that seem more appropriate in high-end sports cars.


Import brands, in particular, favor high-performance offshoots. Mercedes-Benz has been introducing AMG variants of most models, with a lot more power. Nissan offers a Sentra SE/R Spec V with 49 more horses than a regular Sentra sedan. Mitsubishi is adding hotter renditions of its Lancer.


Are all these extra horses necessary? Do bigger engines make a car safer on the highway? That depends on how you're measuring performance.