A lot of American cars 1980s and older were big and comfortable like caddies....all but the cheapest buyers tended to expect a big floaty car that they could comfortably take 5 hour drive for a weekend trip in.
You do get used to having a car with oomph. Part of the reason I don't like European cars (besides the generally drab styling of post WWII stuff) is most are small and under powered, and the ones that do have power are usually small too. Driving can be scary if you don't have power....try merging onto the highway in front of a semi with bad brakes in a gutless car that can't make highway speed in the distance an on ramp gives you to do so.... Small cars especially vintage ones tend to offer very little protection to occupants. .
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kRJdHkvIRYw
Add to that a lot of power and the illusion that a small light car is more nimble and drivers tend to do crazy things that get them in accidents.
Every centimeter of car between your seat and the car that hits you is that much more a buffer separating you from harm...
The full size American cars really did need the big engines to not be gigantic sluggs... putting the sedan and wagon engines in the smaller lighter 2 door cars is where one could argue the engines were excessive.