This topic is highly controversial. The picture you posted is only one of a pair. The fhe rods are thicker front to rear(of the engine not the car) and thinner exhaust to intake. In my opinion, because of how the rods rotate on the crankshaft, the forces acting upon the crank would indicate that a wider rod (exhaust to intake) would withstand more strain, while a narrower rod front to rear of engine will be more "aerodynamic". Regardless, bad fuel/poor or no tuning causing detonation will destroy any rod. I recently built my engine using 5efe dis rods because i believe yamaha/toyota wouldn't step backwards in their parts design or construction. My pc is down, would be nice if you could source and post the 2nd picture to match the one you posted.