Horsepower numbers?

[Ranma]

Why does someone in Japan need a car with 280 horsepower? The max speed limit is 100 km or about 60. Most expressways are 80 km or 50 and most other roads are 60km or 36. Sure there is some countryside but I would be afraid of running down some grandpa or granny and they step right out in front of you! Worse running over a kid, all three have right of way and it is called professional negligence resulting in injury or death.

Are the speed limits in New Zealand higher? I know there is more open space than in Japan. Perhaps Nagoya made a mistake and put the local Japanese car specs on the exports?

Why do they have such small sopped up cars and vans? The reason the less the curb weight and engine size the less taxes, insurance. Better yet if small enough to get the yellow plate, you get discounts on highway and bridge tolls.