I had a few idle thoughts on it dave, what it needs is the engine in the back but in front of the rear axle.. Ideally something like the rear engine cradle and subframe along with it's suspension and running gear from a porsche boxster grafted in to the back.

That sounds like a lot of fun!

You have to take IVA into consideration too......a standard Rapid wouldnt pass it now let alone a Skorsche! Its not impossible but it needs considering and factoring in.

You might have to humour me here but why is it called mid engine when it's at the back, surely a mid engine should be where the seats are??

Mid engined because the engine is in front of the transmission. You can sit the engine virtually on top of the axle with the gearbox behind it and it qualifies.

Ok might need to bear with me a bit more, so what's different between a mid and a rear engine ??

Rear engined and the gearbox is in front of the engine as in Estelles, Porsche 911s, Renault Alpines and Tatras!

Edited 22 April, 201214 yr by hawkeracing

Ok simply.. Mid engine means that the engine is in the middle of the car, so where the back seats would normally be and in front of the back wheels... This includes stuff like a Toyota mr2, rover mgf, ferraris, porsche boxster etc

rear engine is when the engine is behind the back wheels or 'in the boot' this includes stuff like the old vw beetle, Renault 8, hillman imp etc.

I won't go into the pros and cons of each setup I detail, but put very simply a mid engined car is better balanced becuse all the weight sits in between the front and rear wheels but it is hugely impractical because of the amount of space the engine takes up... Rear engine setup leaves a lot more room inside the cabin and it's more useful for a family car.

edit; ha beaten to it

Oh, think I get it, sort of. I can understand the idea of keeping the weight even, kind of low/even centre of gravity, like being top heavy but in a lengthways way ??, it's just the way it's phrased that I didn't get, thanks you two