Assuming: you can generate any sequence of instructions you want with C. 1. The fastest possible implementation is possible in C. 2. Lisp will never "be faste

Assuming: you can generate any sequence of instructions you want with C. 1. The fastest possible implementation is possible in C. 2. Lisp will never "be faster" (the limited meaning of "be faster" we are considering in this context) than C because that is impossible. 3. Any difference however minor, will cause Lisp to be slower. Thus it is highly likely that lisp will be slower. NOTE: commenter rejects your notion of slower.