aquariuscsm,
every answer depends on the question that's asked.
Best oil for an industrial application is the one that lets components last 100,000-200,000 hours without seizure, excessive wear/misalignment etc. (200,000 hours at 40MPH is 9 million miles), and can only be done with hydrodynamics (in journal bearings and sliding)...the turbine OEMs offer ISO46 and ISO32 as options (just over 5 to just under 7 cst at 100C respectively)...the latter offers a greater safety margin "headroom", industry usually chooses the ISO32 on a risk/reward in terms of an infinitesimal but real improvement in efficiency over a 25 year life.
Other applications can't survive for any length of time on something less than ISO320 (25cst@100C, and that's thick), some other small group ISO1000, 55cst at 100C).
In an automotive application, the question is different, it's not an open ended, 200,000 hours flat out operation...it's more like 5,000 -6,000 hours, and the whole shebang gets scrapped.
Correct answer to that question can be skewed more towards saving fuel while getting to the finish line, and that's what they are doing.
This wasn't a bad discussion recently...regarding balance.
http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubb...ht_#Post3797020
The thicker, as demonstrated in the article provides less wear, regardless of additive package (not advocating SAE40 at -40C), but overall life cost may skew the proper answer to a thinner oil.