| It happened back in the 70's, but the evidence | | | | Take my favourite muscle car, the Ford Mustang. |
| was still there. It was the case of the disappearing | | | | The macho models had V-8s, though meeker |
| horsepower and this is what happened. | | | | models came with an inline six. The biggest six |
| In the era of the muscle car power was | | | | had 200 cubic inches and 155 hp in 1969/70. |
| everything. It didn't matter what it was, sports | | | | What did the V-8s punch out? The most powerful |
| car, family car, pickup; it had the biggest V-8 | | | | 351 gave 300 hp in 1970 and the 427 gave a |
| possible stuffed under the hood. Cubic inches | | | | massive 390 hp in 1968. But by 1973 the most |
| were king and advertised power was | | | | powerful Mustang had a 351 V-8 with just 156 hp. |
| astronomical. These cars could kick sand in the | | | | Almost half what it had in 1970, and only one |
| windscreens of anything else on the road. | | | | horsepower more than the 200 cu in six of 1970! |
| But then horsepower seemed to disappear | | | | As for the Mustang II of 1974, we won't even go |
| overnight! | | | | there. |