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Actually the problem is the low power amp gets turned up to the point it is constantly clipping. Yes, heat is the enemy, but it's not because the voice coil isn't moving enough, it's because the amp is clipping hard and applying what amounts to DC (sound waves are AC) to the voice coil. They won't tolerate that for long without frying unless you put a DC blocking capacitor inline with the speaker. With modern amps, it's very possible to have a straight DC output with a sufficiently large input. Most high-end home audio has very low frequency blocking built-in to prevent this.
The other contributing factor is 12v automotive electrics. If you only have 12 v to work with, you've got to run a LOT of current to make even 120 watts. 10 amps at 12 v (120W) is a LOT of current to run through a voice coil. Car audio will be a lot better when the new 48v automotive standards take effect (should be 2007?). You won't need nearly as much current for high power, and the wiring harnesses in cars will get a lot smaller and lighter with the generally reduced current requirements that come with a higher system voltage.
Saying it's perfectly healthy to overpower any speaker isn't quite accurate. It's common to use a bigger amp than the speaker's rating, but if you drive it too hard, you'll damage the cone suspension (or if you're smart, blow a fuse). These days with woofers as large as some people are putting in mobile systems, you'd be hard pressed to over-power the speakers, but it can be done.
The other contributing factor is 12v automotive electrics. If you only have 12 v to work with, you've got to run a LOT of current to make even 120 watts. 10 amps at 12 v (120W) is a LOT of current to run through a voice coil. Car audio will be a lot better when the new 48v automotive standards take effect (should be 2007?). You won't need nearly as much current for high power, and the wiring harnesses in cars will get a lot smaller and lighter with the generally reduced current requirements that come with a higher system voltage.
Saying it's perfectly healthy to overpower any speaker isn't quite accurate. It's common to use a bigger amp than the speaker's rating, but if you drive it too hard, you'll damage the cone suspension (or if you're smart, blow a fuse). These days with woofers as large as some people are putting in mobile systems, you'd be hard pressed to over-power the speakers, but it can be done.
