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Originally Posted by crazyyankeefan
I disagree. How agile and responsive a car is related to power-to-weight ratio significantly.
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Responsiveness to the accelerator pedal, yes. But more power/weight doesn't make a car more agile. Consider that with a higher-powered rwd car you have to bias more roll stiffness to the front to get the power to the ground. Two equivalent rwd cars, same weight, weight distribution, etc, both optimized for track performance, the car with the inferior power/weight is going to feel and be more responsive-handling, particularly at less than 7-8/10ths.
And that's not even accounting for the fact that with less power, you can run smaller, lighter-weight tires, wheels, and brakes. Big reductions in unsprung mass. ($$$ too!)
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So in your argument which a lighter car would be more fun and engaging, do you think FR-S/BRZ would handle better or respond more quickly than a Lamborghini or Ferrari just because it's lighter?
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More fun and engaging in the real world, on the street? Ditto what Fatoni said above (qualified "yes").
Better handling in terms of ultimate lateral acceleration? Not even close, the supercars will post better numbers for sure.
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A more powerful engine will certainly be heavier but it can also carry more weight, hence the theory of power-to-weight ratio. I must say it's kinda simple physics ideal.
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Already established, I *fully* understand the performance ramifications of power/weight. But there are reasons why my ~100mph-in-the-1/4 car feels lighter and more sprightly and "better-handling" on the street than my similar size/weight/weight-distribution 129+ car.