All the power, all the performance, all the "big car" statements faced a new challenge as the '70s began, however. In fact, power ratings were taking a turn for the worse. For 1971, ratings would be displayed as "net" horsepower, rather than the brawny "bhp" or brake horsepower ratings that had been performance benchmarks. The plummeting numbers began to reflect the awakening of energy conservation-an awareness that would increase dramatically in this new decade.