Yep. I've driven some four bangers that had to have the A/C turned off in order to have any power.
My daily driver is a Ford Escape 2.5L naturally aspirated. It's putting out 170hp and moving a small SUV. Talk about gutless. The 86 is a rocket ship compared to it.
My favorite cars I've ever owned were:
85 Mazda RX-7 - 100hp
08 Ford Contour SVT - 195hp
90 VW Corrado - 158hp
94 Mazda Miata - 131hp
99 Audi A4 - 174hp
Favorite cars I've driven:
75 Datsun 260z - 162hp
88 RX-7 Turbo II - 182hp
86 BMW 325 - 168hp
I have driven Corvettes, Mustangs, Camaros, Mercedes, HEMI Chargers, and a bunch of other high horsepower cars, but they never struck me as being really special. Granted, I've never driven a Ferrari, Porsche 911, McLaren, etc....and don't suspect I ever will.
What I find I enjoy in a car is simplicity, light weight, and good handling. The engine is there to get me up to speed....then my driving ability and the handling of the car keep me there. I don't find I need brakes much as I tend to drive at what I call "The Pace". It comes from my motorcycling background. Motorcycles are able to hit triple digit speeds faster than any car costing less than $100k can even dream of. Because of that, you have to discipline yourself to learn a road well enough that you can ride it without using the brakes. That means you rarely get above about 60-70mph on most roads. Roll off, make the turn, and roll back on a bit. That's fun in a car too.
I know there are acceleration junkies, and drag racers out there. I can appreciate that. The Hellcat I rode in was absolutely eyeball flattening. Lots of fun....but not for me. Just too dang big.
The beauty of the 86 is in the balance. Low(ish) power, skinny tires, good weight distribution, excellent chassis. You can have as much fun at 60mph as you would in a 911 at a 100mph. That little torque dip is just part of the character of the car.
My apologies for reviving a dead thread.
