Over the last 10 years automobile motors have gotten more powerful. Displacement getting smaller in some cases,increasing in others, but HP increasing. 427 Corvettes, Hemi's, 400+ cube Mustangs.
Manufacturers are squeezing every bit of torque and HP they can out of these engines, while getting gas mileage unheard of just a couple years ago. Look for more things such as turbochargers.