Why pointless? An engine without variable valve timing will need to be bigger, heavier and thirstier, or turbo-charged, to make the same power output as an engine equipped with the technology. I'll be surprised, amazed even, if there is a normally aspirated production car making circa 100bhp per litre that does not have variable valve timing. Not to mention the positive effect it can have on fuel-economy in normal cars.
And diesel is far from pointless too.




I've never dug the rotary noise or the lack of torque all that much myself, but they are fun (provided you don't have more than one passenger), I'll give you that! But hey, my dream car is a Mini Cooper (old, tiny & UK, not new, huge & German). Not much torque there 