Before 1981, performance was simple. Auto manufacturers just created bigger engines, more cylinders, and louder exhausts like the Pontiac 7.5L V8 engine, used in models like the GTO, Firebird Trans Am ...
Automobiles, as any mechanic will tell you, are complicated beasts. Enthusiasts, of course, will have a solid grasp of the jargon. They'll know at a glance what the unusual shape on that road sign ...