A late model 6 speed Corvette (especially a 1997-04 C5) will easily achieve 30 mpg at 75-80 mph thanks to its tall gearing, low drag, and high torque engine. The fact that you have 350+ HP and a V8 soundtrack at your disposal is just icing on the cake.

Whether they’d like it or not, this car would satisfy 95% of the needs of 95% of North America’s drivers.

The same could be said of an outhouse versus a modern bathroom with indoor plumbing. Fortunately, most of us have moved beyond outhouses…

Now powerwise, I would really recommend that you folks try out a modern sportbike like the CBR1000 (after you practice up your riding skills on a 250cc bike first, of course). The first three gears are absolutely terrifying. Spend a week on a bike like this, and no car will ever feel fast again.

Whether they’d like it or not, this car would satisfy 95% of the needs of 95% of North America’s drivers.

What happened to progress? In my 280hp V6, I get 23-24 mpg city and 28 mpg hwy. I guess its a bit of the “its not what you drive, but how you drive it.”

This isn’t to say that I granny it around all the time. ;-)

In a modern, reasonably lightweight sedan, 250-300 hp is a lot of fun, more than adequate for any enthusiast. I have no concerns with fuel economy, I’m willing to trade it off for the fun factor. My father’s 03 G35 is a hoot, as was his 03 Altima 3.5SE. I’d happily pick up a G37 or a new G35S with a manual if I had the dough.

One of the most fun cars I’ve driven was a 340-ish hp 07 M-coupe. The M3 motor combined with a light sports coupe was a blast, and bloody quick. Felt stronger than a V-10 M5, regardless of what the numbers show.

My personal tank is a 91 Q45 that has something around 300hp (depends who you ask, claimed HP is 278 with 292 lb/ft, some say it is 310-320 hp at the crank). It’s adequate in hauling around two tons of luxo barge, but do not ask about fuel “economy”. It would be a lot of fun if it were about, oh, 1500lbs lighter.

Personally I like midsize to large motors with lots of torque, combined with a screaming top end. The Nissan/Infiniti VQ35 (and now the 3.7) really fit the bill for my taste, and the more power they squeeze out of them the better in my opinion.

I’ve settled down somewhat from my Trans-Am and Corvette days, though I still won’t hesitate on assertive use the right foot to insert my Prius into any convenient void on the road.

The Prius’ 0-60 time of 10-11 seconds is more than adequate for 95% of my driving. More important these days is the ability to carry my stuff and my friends without having to charge cab fare…

I am in the (unique?) situation where I own 3 different classes of vehicles:

20-25 lb/hp (neon)
~ 12-14 lb/hp
~ 3-5 lb/hp

the 20-25 lb is adequate, although I think an even WORSE ratio would be adequate with a stick. It is an 3 speed auto.

Another part of the question is where you live. I have only been to a couple countries, (Mexico, Canada, Brazil…I live in the US) and the hp needed here especially for highway merging is much higher than say, Brazil. Where my wife lives (outside of Sao Paulo), you see very very very few motorcycles with more than 250cc, and just as few cars with 2.0L+ engines. Most are 1.0-1.8. Being that as it is, I see very few people cruising the highway at 120km/h+. My brother-in-law has a 50′ish hp 1968′ish South American beetle that works just fine with 1-2 people in the car in a very hilly city.

For me, in most cases, the neon works just fine.

Both have been flawless at 151k and 161K miles. Wish both cars were lighter but like Chuck Goolsbee says they both carry the full nanny state packages. The VW weighs 2800 and the Honda weighs 3300.

My “perfect” combo was my 90 hp / ~2000 lb ‘84 Rabbit ‘vert (same as GTI). Fun to drive and still thrifty. Topped out at 125 on the Italian autostrada and would cruise at 100 all day. It was a US spec car. My ‘65 project Beetle has an estimated 100 HP. I was aiming to match or slightly beat my Rabbit’s performance while still being durable and reasonably frugal so I based it ona Type IV engine.

My Dad thinks I might be from another planet though and is certain the Italians ruined me. He said yesterday after they returned from their first big 3 week trip out west that a car with a big engine would be required. A four cylinder just couldn’t keep up. Didn’t have the heart to remind him of my 100 mph 90 HP 1.8L VW. I suppse all the RV pulling pickups were cruising at 90 mph too… VBG!

Have driven cars with engines as small as 500cc all were adequate. I’d like to have a modern 1.6L that got 40+ mpg with a 6 speed manual and weighs in a 2500 lbs max.

They are: 2002 Jetta TDI and a 1965 E-type Jaguar for the terminally curious

Actually, VW TDIs are a beautiful thing and I’m very excited about the wave of diesels headed to the U.S. Even more so if diesel fuel prices at least equalize to the level of regular unleaded!

My ex had an ‘04 VW Passat TDI that averaged 38mpg with a lead-footed driver. The 134hp 4-cylinder might seem unimpressive, but 247lb-ft of torque @ 1900rpm (from a 2.0L 4-cylinder) made all the difference. It was all too easy to bark the tires when pulling away from a stop light. It also felt far faster than the 10.2 second 0-60 figure would imply. Even more amazing is that those figures are with a 5-speed automatic.

It’s a shame that we lost them for a few years…and the only thing I miss about my ex is the car!

105 hp rocks my world, but bear in mind my car is in the category underneath “subcompact.” I keep up with traffic just fine…and the fact that I’ve yet to pay more than $40 for a fillup makes me a very happy camper.

You need just a touch more than the other guy, who has blocked you for the last four miles, and finally, when you get a shot to clearly pass, discovers the gas, blows the carbon off the pistons, and makes your easy pass at 65-70 stupid at 80-90.

You need to cleanly pass this guy. My primary car has 230 hp, and my truck 300 hp. It’s enough.

I agree, most of those 300 hp Accords are pearls before swine

My other car is a 1972 240z that is extensively modified. I get around 30 mpg on the highway and it puts down over 370 ft-lbs to the ground, 20ish with mixed driving, with a modified 2.8L in-line 6.

Horsepower alone is not the reason for poor fuel economy.

On the other hand, my 90hp Vanagon Westfalia struggles to do 120km and highway merging is a white knuckle affair.

All of it.

I think the question should be not how much power do you need, but how much weight are you willing to put up with, to need to be driven.. bt that much power.

Personally..
Ive always driven lightweight cars (under 3200lbs), then again Ive driven Accords. Not fast cars, but not slow ones either. Id like to stay under 3000, with a nice 2.3 / 2.4ltr inline 4, on pump gas, with a 5dr hatch body. Lightweight, quick, turns on a dime, no body roll.. and enough oomph to really piss off an SUV.

My goal.. in life.

As an earlier poster pointed out, it may be a lot easier for the U.S. to adapt to small-engine, lightweight, moderate-power-to-weight-ratio cars than many people assume is possible.

Want: 200hp (in a 2500lb car). Any more than that and I don’t get to spend enough time slamming the throttle before I have to back off.