...besides, what people REALLY need to do is to learn to drive these cars properly. Even a bone stock 544 can be terrifyingly fast through mountain turns and whoop-de-dos!

It's not really a matter of torque or horsepower; it's learning to use what you have to its fullest value.

STORY: 1970...mountains of southern California (Hwy 133, I think), and I was driving my first car, a Peugeot 403 sedan. 4 cylinder HEMI with 4-on-the-tree.

I came up behind two guys in Porche 912's and blew past them like they were standing still. I stopped for gas at Maricopa, and they both pulled in behind me. They wanted to know what kind of car it was and to see under the hood. I told them it was an old worn-out French taxi (not true - I had just recently installed new cylinders and pistons, as well as some shaving of the deck and better valves) and showed them the tiny engine.

They just left, shaking their heads. I hadn't realized they were RACING each other! Perhaps if they had taken a few driving lessons...