Porsche rear-mounted engines

[fa22_raptor]

All the 911s have rear-mounted engines, but why is that? For optimum balance and cornering, shouldn't the weight of the engine be distributed between the front and rear wheels? Porsche have a mid-mounted engine on the CGT, but why not on the 911s? Could it possibly be the space a mid-mounted engine takes up, or is there actually a techincal advantage in having a rear-mounted engine?

[@wall]

on a top gear episode i have richard hammond gently explores the fact. from an engineering perspective it's in his words just wrong. think of a pendulum and imagine that being the b6 at the back of the 911. however i gather it's more of a heritage/image thing. porsche have been and still are the only major car manufacturer that mass produces rear engine cars...

i am sure there is more to it though...

[fa22_raptor]

Yeah, you're right... It's probably a tradition and trademark of the 911, so that's why Porsche persist with it.

[Radoman]

because they can prove the doubters wrong and make this layout work. They've been doing it consistently for many decades now, why stop? The car just keeps getting better.

And it just wouldn't be a 911 if it was mid engined. want a mid engine? Buy a Boxter.

[dydzi]

i believe its because of tradition now, they want to make 911 look like a some kind a classic

[derekthetree]

it is tradition and a bit of pig-headedness on porsches part. but it makes it a unique car.
The best analogy i've heard for a rear mounted layout is trying to throw a hammer at something but holding the head of the hammer when you throw. It pretty tricky

[RazaBlade]

I think apart from tradition, their setup does work for them. The engine is horizontally opposed, meaning it has a very low centre-of-gravity. That, put in the back, between the wheels, still gives a 40:60 weight distrib.

[Alastor]

Originally Posted by fa22_raptor

All the 911s have rear-mounted engines, but why is that? For optimum balance and cornering, shouldn't the weight of the engine be distributed between the front and rear wheels?

The advantage of a mid-engine layout is a reduction in polar moment of inertia (PMoI) not weight distribution. Even front-engine layouts can have a 50/50 weight distribution but don’t usually have a lower PMoI. Decreasing the PMoI increases the responsiveness of the vehicle.

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by Alastor

The advantage of a mid-engine layout is a reduction in polar moment of inertia (PMoI) not weight distribution. Even front-engine layouts can have a 50/50 weight distribution but don’t usually have a lower PMoI. Decreasing the PMoI increases the responsiveness of the vehicle.

and 911s are REAR engined.

The handling of the 911 shows the experience gained in tuning that arrangement and adjusting balance and suspension design to evolve a continuously improving handling.

ADDED: With the racing Gt1 in lat 90s and the CGT it's mid-engine for some models.

[KnifeEdge_2K1]

it's still pretty amazing what they've done though

the gt3 rs has what like 50 hp less then the ferrari 360 challenge stradale? weighs more by like 40 kilos, and still posted a time exactly the same as the 360 on top gear test track? thats damn good

... still i'd go for the 360 Challenge Stradale but you gotta admit the gt3 is quite an accomplisment

[tmnt_ppn]

Why the 911 never use V engine??? what's the advantages of boxer engine, beside the low centre-of-gravity like RazaBlade said??

[KnifeEdge_2K1]

it's perfectly ballanced so it doesnt need ballancer rods

[Matra et Alpine]

and until the emissions police took hold, a flat 6 gives better engine cooling for air-cooled. Air-coolled engines don't need extra weight of water jackets, water, pumps and radiators

[dydzi]

Originally Posted by tmntmail_ppn

Why the 911 never use V engine??? what's the advantages of boxer engine, beside the low centre-of-gravity like RazaBlade said??

because they are too big to be used at the rear of the car, i think

[Turbonutter55]

Apparently, the 998 WILL use a Cayenne V8. SACRILEGE!!!!