The Gas Turbine Engine for cars

Hi guys,
The turbine engine has been independently researched and developed by most of the major car manufacturers including Rover, Fiat, General Motors and Chrysler. The working of a turbine engine is simple compared to that of an IC reciprocating engine. Basically it involves the pulling in and compressing of air to the engine in relatively large quantities and then expanding this air and using it to drive a power turbine. The power turbine is connected by a common shaft to the compressor turbine. About 10% of the power generated is used to turn the compressor turbine. The compressor turbine pulls air into the engine and compresses it. Compression is achieved due to the shape of the turbine blade which tends to push air out from the centre towards the edges. This air then enters a combustion chamber where fuel is added and ignited, resulting in the rapid expansion of the gases, these are used to drive the power turbine. The engine is relatively small and compact, about half the size of a reciprocating IC engine of the same horsepower. The turbine in such an engine maybe about 4" - 5" in diameter, while the compressor turbine would be from 7" - 10" in diameter. The power output from such an engine can reach 250 horsepower. So why didn't turbines catch on. The answer is that turbines because they use continuous combustion of fuel need about 8 times the fuel that a reciprocating IC engine needs. Thank you.