How Much Power do you REALLY Need?

Talk to anyone on the forums about engines and horsepower and you will get as many answers as their are users.  You want something drivable and fun, some will comment.  You need a widow-maker that needs to be tamed, others will say.  But rarely will they put things into perspective plebs like me could understand. Keep in mind, the Roadster is a 2,400lb car with a relatively short wheelbase.  Massive power would create a monster that would spend as much time eating tires as it would hunting the nearest roadside tree.  As Jeremy Clarkson said “speed never killed anyone.  Suddenly becoming stationairy, that’s what gets you.”

For me, I keep referring to my roadster as my 4-wheeled motorcycle – and with that comparison in mind, I want something that I can go blast around the roads on the weekend, or enjoy a more fun commute to work, but still be able to see my family at the end of the day…if that makes sense. 

Below are several comparisons that I sourced through information on Car & Driver’s website on recent cars they’ve tested, and how their power-to-weight would compare to a Roadster with a given engine.