The vast majority of car buyers -- even those that would consider a Camaro or a Mustang -- don't even look at the horsepower numbers, let alone base their decision on them.

 

I highly disagree with that statement. What is your reasoning behind that?

If you're in the market for a V8 muscle car then hp is definately going to be included in the evaluation. I can kinda see your point with the V6 cars but there's just no way that someone cross shopping the top of the line models will not be concerned one bit about hp.

EDIT:

FWIW, I priced out "my" Mustang and Camaro. Just a hair over $34.5k for the Mustang and almost $35.2k for the Camaro. It would seem a no-brainer for which car I would choose.

 

For the next month, ask every Mustang or Camaro driver that you encounter in person how much horsepower their car was rated from the factory.

Some will have an approximate idea. Some will know exactly. The vast majority will tell you they don't know, look at you like you're crazy, or say something like "a lot! want to ride in it?"

 

Maybe I have surrounded myself with different people (or maybe you have) but hell, my parents who don't even remotely share the same enthusiasm about cars as I do asked about the hp levels of the cars they were cross shopping. Got an uncle who recently bought a Bullitt because it "made more power and had a better suspension over the GT." Like I said before, if we're talking Camry's and Civics then I would understand but not muscle cars.