Of all the sports car configurations, the mid-engined one continues to be the most fascinating. Why? Perhaps because it seems to promise the most - such as a low polar moment of inertia for quick transient response; ideally-distributed weight (though not 50/50); and a low frontal profile for better air penetration. Because of these factors, and more, the genre has continued despite real-life packaging difficulties that seem to recur no matter what the marque. This book is admittedly a selective sampling of the breed, with the mas-produced examples like the Porsche 914 and the Fiat X1/9 left out in favor of those cars that represent less compromise and more singleness of purpose. Some are still in production, others have long since ceased to exist, but even those that are gone still continue to inspire engineers and designers planning the next generation of sports cars. For although mid-engined cars may not be perfect in all respects, they at least represent an attempt to reach new frontiers in handling that are beyond the capability of any other configuration.
