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Originally Posted by dj4monie
The reasons -
Length, Height & Weight are issues with 90 degree V8s
Cam-In-Block designs make the engine narrower, but has less high rpm breathing ability.
Weight was mostly an issue with IRON blocks normally used for NASCAR purposes as that's what the rules mandate. The whole point in building a American based V8 is to reduce cost, forging your own Alum block does away with that.
The Lister used a production based version of the LS7 engine found in the C6R Corvette. It's alum from the factory, however its still heavier than a purpose built racing engine.
That doesn't mean an effective chassis cannot be built around these engines.
Something that would be both powerful and affordable would be small block based V8s using twin turbos like the old Buick Indy V6 program & Chevy's 90 degree stock block V6 Indy engine program. The Chevy saw duty in Hendrick Motorsport Corvette GTP program and could be turned up to 900hp NO PROBLEM in qualifying trim.
It would be affordable and cheap to take a stock block, pushrod, cam in block say Ford engine and slap a couple of turbos on it. With modern turbo technology these engines would be beastly to say the least and be on par with Audi's diesel engines in terms of output and torque.
And even with turbos it would still rumble like a 90 degree V8 should...
Even R&D and dyno testing such an engine wouldn't be all that costly, most of the R&D has been done for you by the Hot Rodders of the world. By reducing the need to turn the engines to 8-9K, you cut down on valve related failures. The turbos would make the top end punch that restricted V8's lack. It would be a thristy engine however and that's maybe why you don't see it being done.
You might only get say 10 laps out of a tank of fuel, while the Audi would go 12-13 laps before stopping. But you would be on TERMS with the Audi if the chassis was up too it.
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one problem would be that the rules at the moment say that a turbo engine can eb no bigger than 4.0litres, pretty much meaning the lower RPM would mean you may be better of opting for a flatplane crank V8.
but being honest i think the engine in the panoz esperante could be used in P1, lighten it a bit and also it would be powerful and make lots of torque.
as far as i know the only pushrod engine in LMP is the lavaggi's ford 6.0 V8.