A car with the engine before the driver but behind the rear axle could easily become a rear-heavy four-wheeled turtle and flip over backwards under intense acceleration. The solution to this issue was to design a different sort of chassis and rear suspension to the typical front-engined model. Keeping the engine nearer the centre of the car means that the weight is distributed more evenly between front and rear axles, with far better balance and handling at higher speed. What started as an experimental idea in the development of new sports cars gradually proved itself in real world driving and racing; as a result the mid engine layout became a fundamental trait of many legendary cars.

The reality of the earliest mid-engined cars is considerably more complex than compiling a selection of exotic supercars early production road cars, lightweight British specials, dominant Le Mans racers and trailblazing Italian performance cars all experimented with the layout in their own unique ways. As engineers explored the placement of the engine behind the driver, they had to re-evaluate everything from chassis design and suspension geometry to weight distribution and handling characteristics. While some of them were built specifically for racing, others brought the same ideas to road-going cars.

1. Bonnet Djet (1961)

But the beginning of the mid-engined roadcar story is actually found in the Bonnet Djet, which goes down in car history as the world’s first mid-engined roadcar. The Djet’s mid-engine layout placing the engine behind the driver and just ahead of the rear axle will become one of the most important foundations of the sports car world. And its actual design study wasn’t just a niche oddity, but proved the ability for the idea to be realised in a practical manner.

Bonnet Djet’s Historic Importance:

• World’s first mid-engined road car
• Engine behind driver
• Renault running gear
• Pioneering chassis configuration
• Started mid-engine road history

The novel Djet was hamstrung by the cash flow problems of its inventor, Renault engineer Ren Bonnet. Although able to produce a road-going product, Bonnet, in the end, was unable to pay his bills, leading to the eventual sale of the entire project to Matra in order to keep the Djet alive. By that time, however, the Djet’s innovative concept was set in stone; its worth as a prototype was assured by its excellent, durable Renault mechanicals and its structural engineering, and by being kept in production ensured that the Djet’s pioneering concept would be retained. As a result, the Djet’s significance lies not just in its innovative layout, but also in its role in the evolution of the mid-engined sports car in general, by showing that an engine can in fact be mounted in the middle of a production road car.

2. De Tomaso Vallelunga (1964)

A mid-engined De Tomaso sounds quite exotic when you first read that, but the Vallelunga instead was not equipped with a high-powered 6-cylinder engine, but a relatively modest 4-pot of just 1.5 liters Displacement from Ford’s popular Cortina model even if that still earned itself a fine Italian nameplate and elegant bodywork. And so, whilst the Vallelunga showed off stylish and eye catching flair, they was a fairly pedestrian mechanical train beneath it all. Low and sleek, the Vallelunga was a stunning shape that met the higher design standards of the time, its relatively pedestrian motor that could reach just 112 miles per hour gave no indication of this car’s world-shaking mid-engine lay-out.

Vallelunga’s Key Characteristics:

• Introduced in 1964
• 1.5-litre Ford Cortina engine
• Sleek Italian bodywork
• 112 mph top speed
• Only 58 examples built

Production numbers, as one might expect, were also very small. Just 58 examples of the type left the factory over its three-year production run of 1965-67, putting the Vallelunga in an elite list of the earlier, mid-mounted sportscars. Likewise, for all its advanced mid-mounted engine, the production engine of just 1.5-litres and 102 PS (75 kW), the Vallelunga was a rare beast as it was a performance machine that had been hard to produce and even harder to take to the market. Still, it was not all letdowns even without access to the very largest engine or the highest top speeds, the Vallelunga was still to play an important part in the development of mid-engined sportscars by demonstrating the way that a proper Italian sports car could be built with a logically-mounted power unit and a much more elegant style for the road than for the set of a film.

3. Ford GT40 (1965)

Origin story Something of the single biggest motorsport rivalry, to this day, is that of the American Ford GT40 against the Italian Ferrari. After Ford failed to purchase Ferrari in 1963, the American company took to designing and producing a dedicated mid-engined racing car specifically intended to take on Ferrari in its homeland of racing’s top class, at Le Mans. It was the choice to position that engine ahead of the rear-drive axle, and behind the driver, which became a key component of the GT40’s racing architecture. Rather than see the mid-engine as simply a road-car experiment, Ford put it at the heart of a race-winning project, and as such it became one of the most recognisable racing car designs of its time and a potent weapon in motorsport.

GT40’s Racing Legacy:

• Created after Ferrari deal failed
• Built specifically for Le Mans
• Used mid-engine architecture
• Challenged Ferrari directly
• Won Le Mans four times

And, at last, it did exactly as the car was meant to do; it beat Ferrari at Le Mans. Not once, not twice, but four times. It stamped its mark at one of racing’s greatest arenas, and proved the all-conquering ability of the mid-engined chassis coupled with a design optimised for race machine performance. The car marked a milestone of sorts in that respect; other attempts had gone before and shown what could be achieved using the mid-engined road car layout, but the GT40 effectively kick-started development by demonstrating how such a concept could be exploited within the world of racing.

4. Lamborghini Miura (1966)

The Lamborghini Miura was introduced by the Italian marque in 1966 at the Geneva motor show and the management team at Lamborghini were somewhat underwhelmed by their stunning mid-engined GT. They thought that they might manage to sell around 20 to sports car fans, a much lower figure than the thousands that were waiting to place an order. The stunning looks of the car and the novel concept of putting the engine in the centre of the car proved very popular with motorsport enthusiasts around the world and established the mid-engined layout as the way to go in a super sports car, making the Lamborghini Miura one of the most important exotic cars ever produced.

Miura’s Remarkable Success:

• Prototype unveiled in 1966
• Debuted at Geneva show
• Demand exceeded expectations
• 763 examples produced
• 3929cc V12 engine

The extent of the Miura’s success soon became apparent when production ceased seven years on. Instead of being 20 or so, Lamborghini had managed to produce 763 examples of the Miura, highlighting how far the car exceeded expectations. All of these had received a glorious 3929cc V12 engine located mid-mounted in the chassis. By combining a centrally located engine with a glorious V12, the Miura became the textbook example of exotic mid-engined design. Importantly, however, it also helped to validate the configuration the mid-engine layout was no longer just a solution to want to get an engine somewhere else; it could form the basis of a desirable production road car. The Miura was therefore one of the key things that helped make central location engines a classic feature of exotic sports cars.

5. Unipower GT (1966)

The Unipower GT retains a unique place in British motoring history as the first affordable British mid-engined sportster. Unlike some other more expensive mid-engined sports cars of its time, the intention was to make the handling of a mid-engined layout as widely available as possible. This was not, however, achieved with an oversize powertrain or some exotic mechanical package, but by the use of trusty Mini mechanicals, which were ducted neatly beneath a lightweight bodywork. Indeed, the Unipower GT looks very much like a cheap-and-cheerful alternative to the development of more costly mid-engined sports cars of the period. Its relatively small dimensions and lightweight construction helped make an engaging sports-car package, and while small, kept the fundamental mechanical basis relatively ordinary.

Unipower GT’s British Appeal:

• First affordable British mid-engine
• Compact sports car
• Dependable Mini mechanicals
• Lightweight bodywork
• Exceptional craftsmanship

The Unipower GT was also a very handsome machine, with quality construction that helped ensure it looked as good as it was to drive. Sadly, for the GT, the cost of putting the machine together proved to be the car’s undoing in a competitive environment, as it drove the price tag to where it could not realize a healthy degree of commercial success. It was built to fill a gap in market, by aiming to create a package that offered the benefits of mid-engined driving but also used a car that could still be purchased as an overall package at a price point that could prove successful. A total of just 75 Unipower GTs were produced over the course of 2 years, but it still remains a significant car in the development of sportscars.

6. Porsche 914 (1969)

First introduced in 1969, the Porsche 914 is one of the most interesting cars in the history of the German car industry because it was the work of a collaboration between two firms, Volkswagen and Porsche. Authentic Porsche fans hated the 914 for its links to the VW because of the vehicle’s origins as a Volkswagen and also because they saw it as a lowbrow car compared to Porsche models. Nevertheless, the 914 showed that collaboration could produce a great mid-engined vehicle as the car was simply a joy to drive thanks to its balanced and nimble handling skills on windy roads with its mid-engined design. However, owning the car wasn’t cheap and it was a bit divisive as a result of the collaboration that it was based upon.

Porsche 914’s Balanced Formula:

• Porsche-Volkswagen collaboration
• Introduced in 1969
• Sharp agile handling
• Balanced winding-road feedback
• Costly when new

The base 914 was equipped with a turbocharged Volkswagen 411 engine that was offered in 1.7-, 1.8- or 2.0-litre. Buyers looking for more mechanical cachet could also be equipped with the 2.0-litre flat-six engine seen in the Porsche 912. These various power options gave the lightweight framework varying degrees of performance with the simple mid-structure layout remaining unchanged. Although Porsche traditionalists initially disliked the 914, it ultimately was a hit by the time it was discontinued in 1976, more than 100,000 were built.

7. Clan Crusader (1971)

Introducing the Clan Crusader When the Crusader appeared in 1971 it was certainly an intriguing British entrant in the rapidly developing world of mid-engined sports-cars. Using a lively rev-happy Hillman Imp engine allied to lightweight glassfibre bodywork the Crusader was an able, if slightly rumbustious, little sportster with an appealingly madcap mechanical personality. Its short wheelbase and narrow body helped endow the Crusader with a delightful personality while, allied to a rear-drive layout, provided much of the dynamic appeal that attracted sports-car enthusiasts. On the road the vehicle was not only quick and economical but offered that lively character that appealed so much to enthusiasts in an engaging but economic package.

Clan Crusader’s Lightweight Formula:

• Arrived in 1971
• Hillman Imp engine
• Lightweight glassfibre body
• Fast and economical
• Compact sports-car footprint

That remarkable dynamic performance, however, was greatly hindered by the elevation of price in the Clan Crusader. Up until you got to the MG Midget, the Crusader was 40% more expensive, which made it a much less tempting package to those on a budget than the superb performance and economy and low weight. And the resulting lack of sales meant the car remained in production for only a few years before the company went bankrupt which is all the more reason to archive the interesting mid-engine concept. Even so, by creating such a small light efficient packaging of a ‘large’ engine with excellent speed and economy, the Crusader became yet another example of an ambitious lightweight mid-engine British sports car.

8. De Tomaso Pantera (1971)

Built from 1971, the De Tomaso Pantera, Italian for Panther, brought exotic supercar performance to the masses when it was introduced to the world. Housing a thundering 5.8 litre Ford V8 engine, the Pantera packed a big chunk of American muscle in a stunning exotic package. The combination of exotic looks with American muscle in the Pantera made this mid-engined performance-car an instant hit, visually, at least. The looks were a sure-fire success, as the proportions and bodywork still look fabulous decades after it was unveiled, and made it a very interesting combination of exotic looking car with familiar V8 powertrain from the land of the free.

Pantera’s Exotic Muscle Formula:

• Introduced in 1971
• Italian supercar experience
• 5.8-litre Ford V8
• Sculpted exotic bodywork
• Massive American muscle power

The Pantera did come with its fair share of flaws. As with most exotic cars of the period, it was astonishingly poorly constructed in the factory, with other quality-control issues in the vehicle behind its exotic exterior and strong machinery. These issues didn’t stop the Pantera from having an extraordinarily long production run. Its edgy styling and direct V8 roar still drew in buyers, and the model made it to a 21-year model run, with more than 7,000 examples built. The car’s affordable exotic appeal, the theatrical Italian styling, and the ferocious Ford V8 sound all made it unique in the annals of mid-engined cars, showing that the central engine layout could work hand-in-hand with the drama of the Italian look and American performance.

9. Maserati Bora (1971)

Maserati’s 1971 Bora was designed and developed during the years in which Maserati was under ownership of Citroen, but it was also a number of other things, not least a tremendous achievement for the company to produce its first mid-engined car. The 2+2 high-performance GT was styled by legendary Italian designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, who created a breathtaking shape that featured clean lines, a low and confident stance, and a look that made an instant impact on the automotive world. In staying true to the Italian design trends of the era, it also embodied many of the features that has long been associated with the classic exotic grand tourer with its famous design language, along with the subsequent measures of the changes in the mid-engined car market.

Bora’s Italian Design Heritage:

• Maserati’s first mid-engine
• Introduced in 1971
• Styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro
• Clean low-slung proportions
• Classic exotic GT character

The ‘Bora’ was a concept, no matter what its fine style and place in the history of the Maserati marque would suggest, and so deliveries to the showroom may well have been disappointing. Only 571 cars were made between 1971 and 1978. Nevertheless, due to the limited numbers built, the vehicle became a rare mid-engined classic and one that is also highly collectible; the excellence of its engineering design is complemented by its distinctive styling as created by Giugiaro. This was a whole new era for Maserati, being its first mid-engined road car, offering a dramatic change of direction for the MC marque, but with a design that embodied the ‘exotic’ appeal it was trying to convey.

10. Fiat X1/9 (1972)

Introduced in 1972 the X1/9 was one of the first affordable mid-engined sportsters and, by design, introduced high concept layout to the everyday motoring market. Drawn by Bertone the X1/9 wedge was compact and well-conceived with clean lines and neat packaging, underpinned by reliable and humble Fiat 128 running gear. This mechanical basis aided production costs and also made the complex mid-engine layout more economical. The X1/9 was therefore a milestone in the development of the mid-engined vehicle as the configuration, once solely the preserve of racing cars and expensive exotica, was now used on a modest, compact and well-priced little wedge.

X1/9’s Accessible Sports Formula:

• Launched in 1972
• Designed by Bertone
• Compact wedge styling
• Fiat 128 running gear
• Affordable mid-engine concept

The humble mechanical specification also meant the X1/9 was powered by a small 1.3 litre engine and was lucky to get beyond 99mph on those longer open stretches of road. Drivers not content with the gossamer performance soon got the 1.3 replaced with a more potent 1.5 litre unit in 1978. But in spite of the relatively underpowered powertrain, the X1/9 nevertheless succeeded in popularising the mid-engined form for every day drivers; its lively handling and sporty looks meant those not fortunate enough to own an exotic, all-on-the-planet high-end sports car could now enjoy the benefits of transaxle driving. This was, in its own small way, a crucial step in the development of the mid-engined architecture: from the bucking bonnet line of the Djet through Can-Am racers to Italian exotica, the design had evolved to offer this layout to the most everyday of car owners.