We then plotted hypothetical engine replacement costs over time in order to get a better picture of what it would cost to run each engine platform over the life of the chassis (FIgure 2).

Now we needed a way to see the big picture. In order to do that we normalized the weight/power ratio of each engine with the HP/VPI Increase parameter found earlier. We then  added a factor that considered the total engine replacement cost at “Replacement 3” on Figure 2. This left us with three non-dimensional weighted parameters, in which a larger number equals more value to the team. The values of these parameters were then added together to give a final score. The result of this is seen in Chart 4, while the equations used are seen in Equations 2 and 3.

Some interesting conclusions can be drawn. The JDM BP5A is the clear winner in the HP/VPI Increase parameter because it only costs 50 VPI points to get to its power level. It once again wins when the weight/power ratio is thrown in the mix. When cost is considered, however, the K24 comes out on top. As you can see, the K24’s cost advantage overcomes any shortcomings in the other two parameters, making it the most valuable choice for LR2 and the team.