idk if you guys have seen this yet but
http://www.hobbypeople.net/gallery/210550.asp
its a .52 c.i (meaning 40 sized) gasoline engine, aparently it has the power of a .70 4 stroke (similer powerband, turns 13's in the 900- range is what they are saying)
but if it runs well the end of the glow age could be comming, and if gas makes it down to .40 sized and is comparable to glow i doubt electrics will make a big impact since gas will be way cheaper then electric or glow.
that being said a .52 gas engine at $200 is a bit much for me, the magnum .52 methanol version runs at about 70 bucks.....130 bucks will buy you quite a bit of glow fuel.....im mixing my own for 6.75 a gallon so 130/6.75=19.26 gallons before it would catch up in price...thats a lot of flying
also the .52 methanol is much more powerful and 5+ oz lighter not counting the ei batt....another 3+ oz.

that being said if i didnt already have glow engines i would buy the small gas one and just stick with them, in the long run it may be cheaper.

imo the biggest breakthrough that the small gas engine market could ever hope for is a very light ignition/spark setup, maybe 1-2 oz w/ battery or magneto, granted this wont be easy but if it could be done the glow engine age would be over.