If you can produce the same horsepower with engines of different sizes, why are larger engines built at all?

Question

If you can produce the same horsepower with engines of different sizes, why are larger engines built at all?

In: Engineering

Answer 1

They are often under less mechanical stress and less complex than a smaller engine producing the same power. They are also often cheaper to maintain and manufacture.

So they are less sensitive to poor maintenance, poor fuel, etc.

So actually, I take the other position. If you can get the same efficiency and power out of a larger engine, why go with the smaller displacement engine?

(Hint: taxes, the majority of markets tax on engine displacement. The US does not)