Ed, read back to last page, Howard goes into some detail how increasing the voltage while decreasing capacity makes no difference since a 4000mah 2s has roughly the same energy total as a 1s 8000mah pack. Runtimes would be no different as people would probably have to settle in running a 6-8T motor to make runtime and the cars would be equally as fast.
Now, when it all boils down to it, we have to be realistic. Mod 12th is BROKEN, everywhere in the world. The UK made a change for a reason, and it being one of the 3 largest 12th scale markets in the world (the other 2 being Japan and USA), they are trying to bring back the class due to low attendance numbers. I know for a fact, Japan's mod numbers are not healthy either.
On a personal level, I feel like I am very capable with a mod 12th scale. Mod is not too fast for me, and I feel like a well set up open mod 12th scale car is actually easier to drive than a sedan in open mod, which I am very competent in driving. So I am not seeking an "easy button". Slowing the cars down would probably increase the difficulty to win as the fields would probably double up and much needed talent would be fed into the modified classes.
Enforcing a minimum turn motor is the easiest solution, really. Perhaps leave the speedo settings open, so as to eliminate the motor/ battery wars that you all think we will have (even though blinky 6.5 is too fast for 90% of the racers out there already). It simply is an economically efficient outcome (not speaking in monetary terms here, but in positive vs negative outcomes). This does not have to be a ROAR decision, it has to go to the highest level, being IFMAR so that other blocs can follow suit.
Limiting capacity is a beautiful idea, but it is impractical unless you change the case size. As others have pointed out, it is hard to police the capacity of batteries out there. The only thing I can think of, is mandating low profile batteries, which dictates manufacturers develop a smaller dimensional battery for the market. This would lead to people having to have specific equipment to run mod, which would make the transition have more obstacles for people to overcome.
At the end of the day, I guarantee that Hebert, Lia and Cyrul will still be the fastest guys running in the mod class. However, I am 100% certain some of the top spec drivers would give it a whirl, like Wiita and Van Ert did at the Full Throttle champs.
Let's not let our egos get in the way and say "mod is supposed to be hard". Mod with 6.5 blinky or boosted would still be plenty fast to make it challenging, but it would bring the pack closer together, (which would benefit the front runners tremendously when dealing with lap traffic), increase the turnouts which in itself provides different challenges shifting the difficulty to other aspects of the discipline. Slower cars would also mean more finishers during mod races, something that seldom is the case at any national and in many cases international events. Slower cars mean less tire wear, fewer broken parts, longer lasting bodies, and this translates into more track time, which I would assume is what everyone wants.
RC is in a difficult place right now, let's not forget to be inclusive of others and wait to see if this pans out. Everyone always gets in a state of panic when changes are proposed and lose sight of what the change intends to bring. If we expect for things to get better doing the same thing over and over, we are insane by definition. The bottom line is the cars are too fast, the gap too big from the slower classes and the influx of drivers too low.
Josh mentioned a while back that the 10th scale pan car went the way of the dodo because they were too fast. By the same logic, we all have to realize that the same thought process can be applied to mod 12th.
Personally, I invite people to do a personal inventory of why mod 12th scale is not working. Then think about practical solutions. Find one that is more effective than instituting a minimum wind motor and chime in. Changing downforce involves changing the current available bodies. Changing batteries involves re-designing the battery pack. Changing to rubber involves going away from foam. Increasing voltage brings no change to the speeds and runtime. Keeping it the same brings no change.