# the race to build REALLY cheap cars **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Automotive\ **Created:** [April 25, 2007, 8:51am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253 "2007-04-25T08:51:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 1\ **Showing post:** 21
**Author:** ![BrockwayMT](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/brockwaymt/32/5060_2.png) [@BrockwayMT](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BrockwayMT)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2007, 1:56pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/21 "2007-04-25T13:56:41Z")
[quote=“BikerFry,post:11,topic:28253"”] It won’t come here. A 33 hp car would be dangerous on our roads. 3rd world though, oughta sell well. [/quote] Dangerous because American drivers are just plain awful…and too fast. Too many morons out there that think 77 in a 65 zone is normal. It wasn’t that long ago that that our vehicles have half the hp. A 77 rabbit diesel had 48 hp. An omni was about 65 as I recall. A 4 cyl ranger or mustang with fuel injection in the early 1990s was 90 hp. The hundreds of Ford trucks with the 1 bbl 300 were 120 hp. 350 hp tractor trailers were the standard for years. That’s a much worse hp/lb ratio than the 33 hp car. Remember that an engine is most efficient around 80% load. Thats why the mileage on your hemi truck sucks. You don’t utilize the power most of the time. Thus when you tow a trailer your 11 mpg might only go down to 10. At then point when hauling a load you can’t complain about 10 mpg because 345 hp isn’t free. The point is that I think most cars and light trucks today are overpowered if overpowered is in reference to what I would call a ‘reasonable’ standard. I am afraid that modern vehicles with more power, stability control, awd, etc. are just enabling drivers to get away with things they really shouldn’t. But thats for another thread. Point is, I think 33 hp is enough for a 1 or 2 person commuter. Will it work well with 4 people in the mountains - not likely. But for something to get you, your briefcase, and your lunchbucket 15 miles to work and back it should be fine. --- _[View the full topic](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253)._