Why a Nissan Altima is Faster Than a Ferrari Testarossa

The reason why US fuel economy hasn't improved over the past 20 years is not that cars are becoming less efficient, but rather that they're becoming bigger and more powerful. If you keep size and weight constant, cars are much more efficient now than they were 20 years ago – it's just that no one's been keeping size and weight constant. The SUV phenomenon has largely been driven by suburbanites wanting to sit up high and be in a bigger vehicle than everybody else – something which sets off a kind of arms race resulting inevitably in the abomination known as the Hummer.

But it's not just SUVs which fall victim to this problem, it's all cars, including the best-selling midsize sedans. Check out Motor Trend's review of the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu, the 2008 Honda Accord, the 2008 Nissan Altima, and the 2007 Toyota Camry:

Truth is, each of these family sedans is intimidating, at least when looking back 20 years at our "Top-Speed 10" test from September 1988, in which we pushed 10 of the day's fastest sports cars to the limit. Turns out every one of these household heroes is quicker to 60 and the quarter mile than seven of those sports cars, including the Nissan 300ZX Turbo, BMW M6, and Chevy Camaro IROC-Z. Want more? The Altima and Camry outpace the Porsche 928 S4 and the Ferrari Testarossa, respectively, to 60. So when Dad says, "Hold on," he means it.

This is why it's imperative that Congress pass fuel-economy standards. Without them, the arms race will continue, and any improvements in efficiency will always be wiped out by "improvements" in size and power.

(Via Bozzo)