This might be in my head but are cars becoming more powerful over the years.

When I was a kid, the standard engine for small family cars was 1.3 with carb with family cars having 1.6.

I may be imaging this but hot hatches then had about 1.6 with fuel injection (Golf GTI, Escort XR3i etc). Now 1.6i is looked on as below power!

This might be in my head but are cars becoming more powerful over the years.

It would appear to be true. However, the engines themselves are becoming (generally) more powerful, so a 1.3 now would be more lively than a 1.3 of yesteryear. I'd imagine most cars are heavier now, with lots of safety structures, air conditioning, etc., so it probably all works out about the same!

Rob.

They are getting bigger and heavier as well. Just natural progression I suppose. Although the engine capacities have gone up, I would largely suspect that the fuel economy has also got better with time.

Compare a new Ford Focus with a Mk I or II Escort for example.

Unfortunately the stupid insurance industry cares only about the engine cc, not the power to weight ratio. My 75 bhp 1.6 is the same insurance group as the 102 bhp 1.6 Octavia when I have only the same amount of power as the 1.4 16V Octavia.

IIRC there was a programme on telly about the VW Golf GTI, apparently although the new R32 has more than twice the power, it's also twice the weight !

On topgear(BBC2) they put some old and new versions against each other and in nearly every case the old one came 1st, in the case of the golf the MKI beat the MKIV GTI by quiet some margin. Same with the Toyota MR2, the Square MK1 walked all over the current model.

Didn't the new MR2 trounce the old one? It was the old Escort Cosworth which beat the new Focus RS, which I wouldn't say is exactly a fair comparison...

Rob.

Could be right Rob. I was trying to remember what beat what.

IIRC...

New Golf GTi vs. old Golf GTi (W).

New MR2 (W) vs. old MR2.

New Focus RS vs. old Escort Cosworth (W).

New Pug 206 GTi (W) vs. old Pug 205 GTi.

Then it was...er...was it the 350Z, against some other Japanese thing?

Rob.