"The drive for power has been there long before the US was hugely obese. I'm not sure where the geneses of this was, but I really believe the anchor to this psychology has been cheap fuel. I bet if Europe's gas prices dropped in half over night there would be a growth in engine size/power pretty quickly."
What you said is true. After the war, GI started the hot rodding by 1940's, not a single obese GI came home....the quest for power was immense then.
Fuel were plentiful - very very cheap. Mr. Chevy - Mr. Ford & Mr. Dodge drinks too much SUNOCO 260 (102 octane) in order to satisfy their insatiable 6 pack - double barrel - quads - big tall cam - double pumper - cross flow - big cubes & exotic hemi heads. The muscle car was born.
Apex & Vertex was not the measuring stick but to go fast in straight line...so true up to this minute. Caterham 160 will not sell....they might take the chassis and transplant another engine the next year....lol: lol:
...after all its a suzuki....