[Rock36]

There are really two ways to make horsepower, torque and rpm. If a car can maintain torque at high rpm then it will make lots of power.

Look how high that BMW has to rev to make peak torque and horsepower. Really that is the only way for a lower displacement engine to make power is make the valve train good enough to handle high rpm. That or put in a blower. I also bet the compression ratio of that 5.0L BMW engine is pretty damn high.

I'm reasonably sure that BMW is also geared low enough because of its 8000 rpm redline that the car will still plant your ass in the seat, even if it doesn't have much torque compared to horsepower.

Remember gearing multiplies torque, so it is possible for a lower torque engine with really low gearing (numerically higher gear) to feel every bit as fast as a higher torque engine with really high gearing (numerically lower gear).