Mid-engine design

Automobile design in which the engine is placed between the front and rear axles Auto Union Typ C rear-mid engine rear-wheel-drive Grand Prix racing car, 1937 Since 1961 all Formula One cars use rear-mid engine rear-wheel-drive design In automotive engineering, a mid-engine layout is the placement of an automobile combustion engine between the front and rear axles rather than on an axle (between the front wheels in most cars) or even beyond one, like in the rear-engine Porsche 911. In addition, "mid-engine" is often used as synonym to "engine behind the driver compartment", even though a mid-engine can be in front of the driver. History The mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive format can be considered the original layout of automobiles as both Daimler and Benz used this layout in their 1880s vehicles. A 1901 Autocar was the first gasoline-powered automobile to use a drive shaft and place the engine under the seat. This pioneering vehicle is now in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution. Benefits Very short Porsche 547 flat-4 mid-engine in a 1950s Porsche 550 two-seat sports car Mounting the engine in the middle instead of the front of the vehicle puts more weight over the rear tires