The important figure is torque.
Horsepower is related to how high an engine can rev. For example, this Ferrari produces 398 lb-ft of torque at a lofty 6,000 rpm and its peak horsepower at a screaming 9,000 rpm, while a Corvette LS3 produces about 460 bhp and 460 lb-ft of torque at much lower revs of 6,000 and 4,600 respectively.
It is just a different design philosophy.