Electrics and hybrids have been getting much attention lately, and with reason.

As federal fuel economy standards rise to 54.5 mpg by 2025, they are an important component in meeting regulations.

However, there is another high-revving leg to this stool. It's the world of smaller-displacement turbocharged engines.

Classic muscle

Americans, especially those who enjoyed Chevelles, Mustangs and Super Bees back in the day, must change their obsession with cylinder count. You still can buy HEMI-powered Challengers and Camaros with small-block V8s, but the performance pendulum swings toward small.

Show Thumbnails
Show Captions

But chill. It's going to be OK.

My 1989 Corvette, one of America's quickest cars when new, has a 5.7-liter V8 delivering 240 horsepower. Remember, the 3.6-liter turbocharged V6 in the Buick GNX out-muscled my Vette, as does a 2014 Regal Turbo with its 259 horsepower, 31 mpg highway, 2.0-liter turbo-four.

Not enough power? A Camaro with the base 3.6-liter V6 enjoys 323 horsepower (and 30 mpg highway). By comparison, a 1997 Corvette had 340 horsepower. Cadillac's hot new CTS VSport packs a 420-horsepower twin-turbo 3.6-liter V6. The 2015 Mustang's mid-range engine is a 305-horsepower 2.3-liter turbo-four. The 2015 Lincoln Navigator comes exclusively with a 370-horsepower 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6.

Let's quit comparing cylinder count. Times have changed.

Modern muscle

The Mercedes CLA45 AMG claims its 355-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo-four as "the world's most powerful production four-cylinder engine." Others are close behind.

I just drove Volvo's new supercharged and turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder Drive-E powertrains in the S60, V60 and XC60 models. Superchargers provide low-end torque; turbos enhance high-speed traveling. Drivers choose between engines with 240 horsepower/37 mpg highway or 302 horsepower/35 mpg. Both were engineered for future hybrids. Smooth understates it.

Take 700 pounds out of the world's best-selling truck and you suddenly don't need big engines.

Ford will offer a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 in the aluminum-intensive 2015 Ford F-150. We're finally appreciating the European philosophy of light cars with small-but-powerful engines — even if they're in American-style pickups.

Subaru owners also get it. They've appreciated turbocharged four-cylinders forever, most ably demonstrated by the 2015 Subaru WRX STi's 2.5-liter 305-horsepower engine. It's also fun to drive the Fiat 500 Abarth with its 160-horsepower turbocharged 1.4-liter MultiAir four-cylinder engine.

A step further, Ford offers a 123-horsepower 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder in the Fiesta.

Plentiful power

Only in America do we flip open our hoods to compare size, grunt and thump our chests as a fun form of vehicular bonding. Reducing cylinder count and adding a turbocharger is a tried-and-true way of maintaining power while amping fuel economy. Add in eight- and nine-speed transmissions and start/stop technology to further preserve fossils.

Expect to see many more mini-mite four- and six-cylinder engines that produce as much power as recent V8s, achieve compact-car fuel efficiency and plan to rule the future.

Give Henry Ford credit for kicking off the power wars with his flathead V8 in 1932. But, I'm pretty sure he would embrace today's powertrains. The performance era isn't over — it's just beginning.


Read or Share this story: http://indy.st/1eAnDCR