A control apparatus for a vehicle is equipped with a detection portion that detects a required output of an internal combustion engine, an acquisition portion that acquires an ignition timing of the internal combustion engine, a setting portion that sets an operation curve of the internal combustion engine such that the operation curve approaches an optimal fuel consumption operation curve as the acquired ignition timing is retarded with respect to a set ignition timing, a decision portion that decides a target power of the internal combustion engine on the basis of the detected required output and the set operation curve, and a control portion for controlling the internal combustion engine on the basis of the decided target power.