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Bicycles can carry ten times their own weight, so I think that cars should be completely redesigned around a goal of not weighing more than their useful load, and be sized all the way down to single rider models. Simplicity and uniformity of controls would help people choose the right size from a vehicle co-op instead of always driving around with seats that are only filled once or twice a year.
As others have noted, streamlining can improve. We should aim for ratings in the teens, not the twenties. On average, getting the most out of a small-engined car is more fun than looking for opportunities to let a musclecar flex for a few seconds at a time. Nobody needs more performance than a loaded cube van for practical reasons. Engines can still benefit from variable valve timing. With wider gearing, it can be as good as variable displacement. There may be opportunities in variable compression devices. Exhaust heat can provide electricity and/or air conditioning. Tires should be designed for economy, with good handling and ride qualities; extreme traction is almost never used to avoid accidents, while playing with it can encourage them, and make them worse. Drifting is fun at any g force.
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