[M.D. Holloway]

I saw this posted on a site a while ago...

If HEMI engines have all these advantages, why aren't all engines using hemispherical heads? It's because there are even better configurations available today.
One thing that a hemispherical head will never have is four valves per cylinder. The valve angles would be so crazy that the head would be nearly impossible to design. Having only two valves per cylinder is not an issue in drag racing or NASCAR because racing engines are limited to two valves per cylinder in these categories. But on the street, four slightly smaller valves let an engine breath easier than two large valves. Modern engines use a pentroof design to accommodate four valves.
Another reason most high-performance engines no longer use a HEMI design is the desire to create a smaller combustion chamber. Small chambers further reduce the heat lost during combustion, and also shorten the distance the flame front must travel during combustion.