HOT4's, fast n the furious and the people that own cars as penis extensions (the-look-at-me idiots) all want a figure or power to be better than the next guy.
It's just keeping up with the jones' syndrome.
I think that's true for about 90% of people who think of peak figure as what they want out of the car.
The remaining 10% are those who say for example, compete and they've set the peak figure as as an aim. Likewise are people who just want to get to a round number.
For example I've always wanted to crack 200 because it's a round number - these days it doesn't matter to me anymore the car is fast enough and that's what counts.. the figure is, afterall quite arbitrary (I've had from 180-198rwkw peak on different dynos).. the real enjoyment is the delivery and response. I drive my car for me not for the idiots who yell out how much kw is it, how many psi its running or does it smoke it up.