Just to let you know, on front wheel drive cars there's a maximum BHP figure you can have before the car's handling turns absolutly rubbish. This figure is 220BHP.
That's why the Alfa 147 (i think that's the one) handles so poorly. That's 240 BHP. The front tyres can't cope with all the torque and steering.
I can't remember who found out 220BHP was the max figure for FWD cars but i think it was Lotus.
If you take it up to 250BHP you car will be fast as hell in a straight line, but show it a corner and it will scream at you. The front tyres will smoke like hell and you will get no grip at all. Traction coltrol will
help slightly but the exact same car with less BHP will go round the same corner much faster.
Just something to bear in mind...