Does having fun in a car require a V8? Nope

I could'a had a V8. Ever heard that one? Sure, people like their cars to be powerful and fun to drive. It used to be that there was a distinction between the term "sports car" and "muscle car". Sure, sports cars must be quick to accelerate and change direction, but they don't require honkin' V8 engines to be an enjoyable ride. Muscle cars, historically, were not built to go fast around corners but to blast the ol' 1320 in as little time as possible. In fact, having a huge lump of iron under the hood of your sportscar often has a negative impact on driving dynamics. Take a good look at what Lotus has done and is still doing for an excellent example of what we are talking about.

Take a look at this blog posting at The Detroit News. It seems that the writer knows only the joys of straight-line acceleration. Mind you, we are not advocating underpowered cars, just pointing out that a vehicle need not have a V8 engine to be fun to drive.

[Source: The Detroit News]