Pre-Millenia Mid Engined Cars

[70cuda88]

What sort of Mid Engined or Rear Engined cars are out there that aren't super cars? Maybe before year 2000.

The only examples i can think of is the Pontiac Fiero and a couple Porsches. anybody else have any other interesting ones?

Preferably made in the thousands...(#)

[NSXType-R]

Honda NSX, Toyota MR2, VW Beetle, Fiat 500, BMW Isetta(?), Jaguar XJ220, Honda Beat, Lotus Elise, Lotus Esprit, various Lamborghinis, various Ferraris, the list goes on, most definitely, but those are the most I can name off the top of my head.

Whoops. Just saw, not supercars. I guess you can take off the XJ220, the Lamborghinis, Ferraris, some of the Lotuses and arguably the NSX.

Just remembered- Daihatsu Copen maybe?

[f6fhellcat13]

914
Beetle
Some Lotuses (Europa...)
Mazda AZ-1 autozam

[NSXType-R]

Oh, I just remembered as well.

The Toyota Previa is mid engined! Who would have thought!:D

[wwgkd]

The Tucker Torpedo is kind of old and not in the thousands, but I had to throw it in.

[coolieman1220]

chevrolet corvair
Delorean

[teatako]

hmm
the smart car
the alpine gta
the citroen DS

do you have any specifics on why do you need this list? sports cars, saloons, econoboxes perhaps...

[70cuda88]

well, all im really looking for is something interesting and reliable. just an everyday car, but i wanna stand out you know? here is America it's hard to find one of those and no one my age realizes the purpose. mainly to show off haha. it doesnt have to be fast or famous.

[pimento]

Fiat/Bertone X1/9, a brace of old Skodas, Alpines, many of the old micro cars...

The Citroen DS wasn't mid- or rear-engined...

[henk4]

The Citroen DS wasn't mid- or rear-engined...

that's debatable, the engine was located behind the front axle, with the gearbox and diff directly in line with the front axle.....;)
Compare this for instance with the current Audis where the engine is placed before the front axle.

[Ferrer]

that's debatable, the engine was located behind the front axle, with the gearbox and diff directly in line with the front axle.....;)
Compare this for instance with the current Audis where the engine is placed before the front axle.
Probably he was refering to mid engined cars as in behind the seats, though.

And as for rear engined cars, many european post-war cars were. Several Renaults, Volkswagens, NSUs, Simcas, Fiats,...

[Matra et Alpine]

Matra d'Jet
Matra M530
Matra Bagheera
Matra Murena
Alpine A108/110/310/GTA/610 are technically rear engined

[Q TOY]

MG F
Lotus Europa (loads of Lotus's as they are all really sports cars rather than Supercars (apart from Esprit Turbos i guess)

[henk4]

Renault 5 Turbo....

[Dino Scuderia]

The Tucker Torpedo is kind of old and not in the thousands, but I had to throw it in.

The Tucker is rear-engined, not mid.

[henk4]

The Tucker is rear-engined, not mid.

but post #1 asked for both mid and rear engined cars....a whole minefield of course...

[Dino Scuderia]

Aw, fack....indeed it does.

[kingofthering]

Chevrolet Corvair, Ferrari 308/328, Ferrari Dino, Lancia Stratos, etc.

[HILL33]

Tatra
fiat 126p

[Ferrer]

Tatra
Of course, how could we forget it - rear engined and air cooled V8s.

Very left-field. :)

[henk4]

and the Zaporoshets of course....and the Subaru 360. My favourite mid engine car: THe Isetta 300....

[NSXType-R]

Does front midship count?

[blingbling]

thats what we are trying to figure out

[wwgkd]

Does front midship count?

I'd say not, it's just a better placement of a front engine and I hate it when people call it a mid engine. It has it's place (viper with rearward weaight bias) If you're looking for different, why go with that?

[henk4]

I'd say not, it's just a better placement of a front engine and I hate it when people call it a mid engine. It has it's place (viper with rearward weaight bias) If you're looking for different, why go with that?

have a look at the 1964 Cheetah...

[kennyknoxville]

you could turn a civic into a mr. ive seen some where they put the engine on top of the car and drive backwards

[wwgkd]

have a look at the 1964 Cheetah...

Yeah, they're cool, but I still don't count them as mid-engine.

[csl177]

well, all im really looking for is something interesting and reliable. just an everyday car, but i wanna stand out you know? here is America it's hard to find one of those and no one my age realizes the purpose. mainly to show off haha. it doesnt have to be fast or famous.

You don't mention budget so let's assume it's... :rolleyes:
Limited mid-engined choices in the States, look for a clean 2nd gen. MR2. Exceptional in nearly every way, best bang for buck.
Alternate would be '73-'76 914 2.0, best years and the 2.0 is far better than the 1.7 or 1.8.
Live near the Canadian border? Check autotraders and eBay for a Honda Beat. They are very cool little cars.

There are lots of rear-engined choices. If you want something unusual but dependable, look for a VW SP2 and massage the engine.
They're underpowered but have great lines. One sold recently on eVilbay for under $4000. (pics copped from Renato Bellote's excellent site-thnx!) Or, consider a Miata or CRX... lots to choose from, priced right. Take your time, buy the right car for you. :D

[wwgkd]

Good call. Midengine for cheap it's hard to beat an MR2. Friend of mine has one and I remember being extremely surprised at the time that a toyota could be that much fun. But if you want it for an everyday car it's hard to find midengine with much space behind the front seats. Did you want more than two?

[henk4]

If you want something unusual but dependable, look for a VW SP2 and massage the engine.
They're underpowered but have great lines. One sold recently on eVilbay for under $4000.
any more on those? production numbers? y.o.b?

[70cuda88]

any more on those? production numbers? y.o.b?

i cant find any on ebay. not much info on them.

[Tall_G]

2nd gen MR2. Nice baby-Ferrari lines, reliable, handle well and good performance. Plenty of off-the-shelf spares, body kits, tuning parts, etc.
You can't go wrong with one, 'cept if you got more than one friend to carry....

[Esprit_Turbo]

Quite a few mid-engined cars here: 1970s Supercars / Concept cars (http://www.lotusespritturbo.com/Supercars.htm)
Cheers,
Mark.