Well it's logical that normal maps are used to created detail on existing polygons which your explanation confirms but say I follow up your point of view about the amount of polies, so I should get a rim with 2000 polies instead of 4000 polies instead of 9000 polies without smoothing and try to achieve the same result visualy ?? So the normal map would cover up the smoothing part and give it more detail on the existing amount of polies, untill now this should work for the rims but let's say we put up this statement to a single tire. I've worked out this idea in theory and I get a tire consisting out of 4000 polies but I wouldn't get any grip marks on the tire anymore. The amount of polies that are still present from the original tire will be detailed through a normal map but it wouldn't give the tire a realistic look because of the lack of the grip marks.

I know this is a far searched theory of mine but I'm no pro modeler, I'm not a bad modeler but also not a pro
modeler Maybe people who model 24/7 in the figure of speech way of the word, are able to make the same model I've did with halve the amount of polies which is possible as I mentioned for pro modelers. These people are used to make low-poly models and still achieve a high quality model. Or there is one way around the entire high poly stuff, just one word: 'Polybump'
It's a feature, developed by CRYTEK studios, for the CRYTEK engine and yes you've guessed it, they already used this plugin in Far Cry. So why not use this plugin you might ask you're self ?? Well read yourself, all of the info and documentation is available on this site

To make a long explanation short, I agrea with your point of view Alex but normal maps don't create new detail like my problem on the tire, it emphasises detail on existing polygons.

Cheers

Frazzle