Well... I don't mind putting my money where my mouth is but I'm on vaca and I'm running out of coding time for my project - it would be worth your while to investigate I promise. also, just download it and look at the samples. I say first FPC - the core language, it has a command line compiler you can set up with editor of choice. Then you can see some sample source too - as all source provided for those. Source for lang itself is available also.
Lazarus is the one with drag-drop IDE. It comes with its own copy of compiler as its a complete package and integrated tightly to the version that comes with it.
1: Compiler is fast
2: Generated Code speed is usually as fast or faster (not hands down everytime because C++ does somestuff like direct mem copy/cut the same way when brought to assembly level.... because memcopy/cut etc boild down to CPU instructions etc.
3: Smart Linking allows you to take a 200,000 Source file for a UNIT you might include in your program, and the compiler will only "bring over to your EXE" the stuff you actually reference directly or indirectly .... You might have a HUGE lib and use one routine like "TRIM" and the compiler will just bring in the "TRIM" code. This allows for tiny exe!
Note: Using the "CLASSES" unit which brings in the OOP base code that the "RTL" (similiar to MFC) adds a WHALLOP to EXE... like 60k I think.. but that gets reused so its a small price to pay for gaining contrstructor/destructor code.
4: Lazarus has platform independant GUI for windows, Linux, Max, and variations of these... There was dev going on for Web Widgets as well... don't know status. Lazarus site was down last I checked. I think they moved it to a Wiki Page or something.
Start here:
http://www.freepascal.org/advantage.var