Originally posted by Fast-Ford
The whole issue of torque is why I think superchargers and turbo are the biggest waste of money. I think they are more of the finishing touch for an already strong engine moreso than an addition to a stock motor.
Forced induction works all too well, because it increases the amount of torque available at high rpms. Engines have an "optimum operating range", determined by the size of the cams and the flow characteristics of the head.
Since your car acclerates at the level of torque, and racing involves high RPMS, you want lots of it at high rpms, and boost is an easier way of doing this than swapping engines.
You are correct about swapping, but there's a size limit to what a car nowadays can accept. I'd love to stick the twin turbo audi V8 into my jetta, but we can't win them all. Boosting what you've got, then becomes the answer.