Quote:
Originally Posted by accord1999
Most of those regulations are still there, and the emissions standards which choked the V8s of the 70s are much higher than ever. But technology and engineering improvements means that modern ICE drivetrains can meet those regulations, have pretty good fuel efficiency and still continue to get more powerful. And it's not just vehicles getting bigger that's causing the weight gains, but also improved passive and active safety features and luxury items.
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Remarkable progress on all fronts. Interesting that weight is only back to where to was in the nautical era. To the point in this thread though, how much better could fuel economy if weight and power stayed relatively constant. It also shows what the impact of deliberate regulatory changes can be.
