The M111 should be very good at high power applications (discusion)

[Dearlove]

the was an NA 2.3 pumping out 270hp

2.3>2.0
the only way the smaller engine is going to be better if if you spin it a hell of a lot faster

if you use 25 meters per second as the highest piston speed you want (which is pretty quick for a street car) the 2L hits it at 9500rpm while the 2.3 gets to 8500 and i doubt you'll make up the power with an extra 1000rpm. Then there's the whole set of arguments of why making power at a lower rpm is better.