[hcl123]

Originally Posted by carbon_titanium

What you said is true under a theoric point of view, but you need to clash with reality and the 2014 regulamentation. What kind of benefits could have toyota to use a 3.0L or however a poor torque/high rev engine? Surely will be powerfull (as you said a NA petrol engine higher revs and more hp developes) but will lack of low-mid rpm torque, ok there is the hybrid boost, but the torque release will be less than the low-mid rpm range developed by porsche engine, and most of all how could be able to rev so high respecting fuel flows?
As reported in the super GT thread, the RV8K used in SGT had a torque peak lower than 400Nm reaching the 520-530hp over 9000rpm, let's specualte that the motor used in the TS030 and rebellion lola had an optimized torque of >500Nm (I mean only by the thermal engine) with a final power reached however over 9000rpm but not less tha 550hp. Consider also that the TS040 must to consume less than TS030, so well, in my opinion because of new regulamentations is simply impossible to develope a so high power from a so high rev motor, for the simple reason that a 2014 engine can't burn anymore the amount of fuel allowable in 2013.
A larger engine can solve problems:
if at 9000rpm are required 435Nm to have 550hp
at 7500rpm are required 520Nm to achieve the same power.
An optimized larger engine revving at 7500rpm has a more competitive torque curve and consumes less than a smaller engine revving over 9000rpm. Both achieving the same power.
Don't forget that a 7 speed gearbox will be allowed, and we know that a car consumes more during acceleration, helped by the hybrid boost, toyota and porsche could use an electronic revlimiter to 6000rpm in first 4 or 5 speeds to save fuel and use the torque peak of the thermal engine + hybrid boost to have a better and more efficent AWD acceleration, using the whole rpm range of the engine only in 6th and 7th, and only where is needing: long straights.

A 3L compared with the 3.4L can have almost identical numbers for torque... if optimized... and perhaps a little better power(hp) if rev >10K compared with >9K now...

Torque could be easily *more than* compensated by hybrid as you said, since now the "amount of time of each event can be more than double (3.6 vs 8 ) ( or less than double time but more powerful).

A little more power could help in the long straights where Toyota with all the haves and shorts is still worst than Audi.

Banzai Duval passing a Toyota ( seems a Toyota) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HngXyVu4Qtw hybrid power doesn't kick in for Toyota in entering Mulsanne straight, gives Audi a good leverage.

The rational for this is simple... less displacement means less fuel for each firing ... could be more efficient at each firing, and so as powerful in each firing no matter the little less fuel ( at least cooling losses are less since the cylinders (could) have less diameter)... it only wastes more fuel because for almost half of the time it will be doing a little more revs (rpm) especially heavy acceleration and steady top speeds where the engine could go >10K rpm compared to >9K rpm...

Even so, the difference in rpm is small, and half of the time or more it will be doing less fuel at the same rpm ( hybrid could help in torque here promoting some lean combustion).

With hybrid helping some lean or less rich (as is the case) combustion it could be possible this configuration will do 25% less fuel ... being the advantage more power at med high regimes due to rpm where it could help the most (*SPECULATIONS* since we don't have real numbers of any engine.. but not far fetched i think). I think with "bigger" displacement but less revs would be tougher to balance this med/high power deficit ( tough potentially could be more efficient than otherwise,and easier for low med regimes due to more torque)).

Toyota could also be faster in 2014 than in 2013... lest see how it plays out... if Toyota is forced to cut on the fuel flow to avoid penalties, and so unable to be as powerful or more powerful than 2013 to compete... *sound* wont help them a bit lol.