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Modern cars aren't built to drive, they're built to crash.
It is a self reinforcing parasitic problem. Occupant crash protection weighs a lot especially rollover and side impact reinforcements where crush space is very limited.
Once you add weight to give more crash protection you add kinetic energy to the crash event leading to the need for yet more crash protection. This cycle is extremely difficult to break.
Heavier bodies require more power and heavier suspension with larger wheels
and tires.
Remember the 1975 "Golf" was a three door, 4 spd with a 1.5 sohc carbureted engine, 13 inch wheels with 145/80 tires and a clever modified beam axle rear suspension which combined the axle with a roll bar. It couldn't get out if its own way but compared to similar competing products it was a revelation at the time. Made the last of the contemporary sports cars look silly.
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