"Very easy to get the BMW engine over 500bhp, now whether its drive able is another question ...."
That's the key bit isn't it.
Absolutely. I was out for a play earlier today and the roads were so greasy that even my 165bhp was a bit too much at times.
I'd much rather have a car that occasionally feels a bit slow when I want to drive at 10/10ths than something with performance that I'm afraid to use half the time in case it bites back.