http://world.honda.com/automobile-technology/VTEC/

I always wondered how VTEC worked. Here is a rather absorbing animation describing how Honda can generate big hp from a tiny motor without using turbos, high compression or other trickery.

My Civic has this; the technology has been around long enough now to be pretty standard-issue stuff on modern Japanese and German cars. While the storied kick in the pants above 4000 rpm is not present in my particular example, it does rev strongly and sharply to redline without running out of breath or feeling overworked.