I think you are right....too small and not enough power...
Years ago i talked here and there with several inventors who had working models of transmissions and more fuel efficient engines that could produce 100 MPG cars with full sized engines..Problem is that every time a patent would come out, Detroit would snap it up and that would be the end of the fuel efficient engine...For that reason i say that if Detroit dies, it will be by it’s own hand..They deliberately held back progress..Why ?..Only the shadows know and the chiefs at Detroit..
“Problem is that every time a patent would come out, Detroit would snap it up and that would be the end of the fuel efficient engine..”
Urban legend
To my knowledge, patents are public records. If there is one for an engine like that someone should just start producing it and defy Detroit to do something about it.
The publicity alone would be enough.
But it is in all likeliehood an urban legend.