By the numbers, the D is indeed a bit "hotter" than the VV71. The VV71 feels like it's more of a performance cam because it's lumpier at idle and comes on a bit stronger in the midrange. I think the D actually makes a bit more power above 6000 rpm. However, all that's going to depend on exactly what the rest of the motor, intake and exhaust are like.

I'm quite familiar with an otherwise dead-stock B20B that has an R cam in it. It's much, much quicker 0-60 than with the original C cam. It's also a complete lump at idle and doesn't do much of anything below 2500 rpm.

Your biggest performance gain is going to come from having the head ported by someone who has a lot of specific experience with B20 heads -- not the local guy who's been doing V8s for 30 years. Without doing that, going to a big bore kit won't give you more peak HP -- you'll get roughly the same power but at lower rpm. Not having to rev as high for power might be what you want, but it actually makes the car less quick:

Imagine two identical cars that both make 120 HP. One is stock and makes that power at 6000 rpm; the other is overbored and makes that power at 5500 rpm. The stock one can accelerate hard to 60 mph in second gear, while the overbored one can only accelerate hard to 55 mph in second gear. Which one wins the drag race?

--Phil