I'm honestly not trying to be argumentative, Ed. Sometimes, yes. Here, no. I honestly wanted to know what other cars Roadstergal was talking about, since she didn't name any specifics.
Maybe to you and I, a Corvette SS with 800 bazillion horsepower is stupid. I certainly don't want to own one, and I have really no interest in driving one. But to someone, that might be the ultimate car.
You said people were "horsepower obsessed," referenced the MZ4, and said it (where it = the desire for more power) was stupid. I don't want an MZ4 for a number of reasons, but I can understand where BMW was going with that car. They had a motor that fit in arguably their most capable chassis, and they married the two. Whether the end result is equal to the sum of the parts is arguable; however wanting more power isn't "stupid" in and of itself. It's personal preference. I would love to have another 50hp/50ft-lbs in my car if it didn't add much (or any) weight. The chassis could easily handle it. Is that stupid? I don't think so. I wouldn't have to use all of it all the time but to me it would make me like the car even more.
Be careful making sweeping generalizations relating feelings of inadequacy to car choice. I'm sure there are plenty of well-endowed Z06 and Viper owners out there who just love the feeling of being shoved back into the seat.
It is not what you and I (and RGal) value most, but that doesn't make it stupid.