ftyler
Didn't you answer your own guestion with?
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But can an inline 4 cylinder beat an equivalently built v8 in the same weight/size vehicle? Probably never.
The emphasis here is on same weight/size vehicle.
In your second post
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in some cases, more useable low RPM power than a large displacement V-8 engine"
more useable low RPM is the part of the info from Clifford that tells the story.

'67 GMC 3/4 292 4spd