Kendall's point about the VW is well taken, and illustrates how much more powerful modern cars are. I listened to someone bemoaning the fact that his (company) car was 'only' 1600cc. He was ignorant of the fact that the Monte Carlo Rally was twice won outright with cars of that capacity, and even smaller engines triumphed, too.

In Britain around 1970, my first Mini had 850cc, the Morris Minor 1000 was called that because that was its engine size, anything over 1800cc was once considered suitable for towing, and capacities between 1100cc and 1500cc were the biggest sellers.
The bodies around those engines weren't made of kitchen foil, either.

Many modern family cars around 1800cc would show anything of that era a clean pair of heels, including Jaguars and Astons and Healeys.
The drivers, unfortunately, haven't advanced.


There was a time that the tax, as well as the insurance, penalised larger-capacity cars.