An interesting question put forward by OP 'duluclophile', wanting to know what the optimal cylinder size is in relation to power and torque delivery. A decade ago, a group of scientists from Germany came to the conclusion that ideal displacement per cylinder should be 500cc: "A 500cc cylinder with a stroke length larger than its bore diameter", these forgotten pioneers concluded, "benefits the combustion process by minimizing the engine's internal surface-to-volume ratio as the piston nears top dead centre."
At Goodwood this year, we saw a pre-war Fiat S76 with a massive 28-litre four-cylinder engine tackle the hill - a marvel in its own right - but are the findings by those German boffins still relevant? Turbocharging, supercharging and electric power are all part of getting more power out of smaller engines while keeping emissions down, so what size should the cylinder they're supporting? Anoraks on and to the forum!
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[Sources: Car&Driver, photo from Goodwood]