911 Going Mid Engine?

[Jim Rockford]

Well it appears in some sort of race trim at least...
Mid-Engine Porsche 911 Race Car - 2017 Porsche 911 RSR Rear End

Will this help shake the hairdresser Boxster stigma once and for all? I do cut the hair of both of my young sons, so for me at least I'm still a hairdresser regardless.

This should ruffle some 911 die hard feathers that's for sure. Looking forward to playing spectator to the backlash that's sure to ensue.

[cas951]

Yes thumbs up for mid engines cars. I wonder how the die hard rear engined enthusiasts will react to this. The next question will be is it turbocharged.

What if the next GT3s will be mid engined to legalize the race car. I believe they got a waiver for this year.

[thstone]

All they have to do is put 450hp in a Cayman. Job done.

[Pdwight]

Originally Posted by thstone

All they have to do is put 450hp in a Cayman. Job done.

Truth....if it ever were spoken...this would define Sports Cars

[cas951]

Originally Posted by thstone

All they have to do is put 450hp in a Cayman. Job done.

This would have been too easy. Besides they have to protect their bread and butter and the GT4 is already making a name for itself.

[kk2002s]

Originally Posted by thstone

All they have to do is put 450hp in a Cayman. Job done.

BLASPHEME!!!!!
Off with his head - - Burn him at the stake

I know there were rumors before, calling it a 'Rear-Forward' mounted position

Still need more Straightway speed. I thought this is were there was talk about a Flat 8.
LS1 in a Cayman - Let the good times roll

[Deserion]

I'll leave this here:

[DWBOX2000]

But isn't it the rear engine design that let's it fly out of the corners. I don't race but what is better entering a corner fast or exiting fast? Someone care to explain the difference for track racing.

[Perfectlap]

There is no Boxster stigma. 99.9% of the regular people who will compliment my car don't know that the Boxster and 911 Cab are different cars. And they nearly always say nice Porsche. In over a decade I don't think I can recall a single instance of someone saying "nice Boxster". This differentiation between rear and mid engine softop cars exists only in the minds of the 0.0001% of the public who drive Porsches. The rest are guys who only know of our cars from reading car magazines and repeat the Porsche marketing spin of a forced hierarchy like it's gospel. We have the best roadster Porsche has ever sold for less than $1 million USD.

As far as racing. Porsche have been dragging their feet on moving the 911 to midengine for a long, long, time.
One overall first place at Le Mans in 20 years really underlines that. When Porsche first switched it's racing cars to midengine from rear engine they were instantly successful. And here we are again. The rear engine cars were extremely successful in the endurance racing era of the 70s and 80s but that was a long time ago now.

[tvan]

And not a minute too soon...

[Giller]

Originally Posted by cas951

This would have been too easy. Besides they have to protect their bread and butter and the GT4 is already making a name for itself.

Bread and Butter? I think that title belongs to the Cayenne and Macan now. I believe the SUV sales dominate the car sales.

But hey - having spent a week in a Cayenne service loaner - they are damn fine automobiles. Very nice to drive.

[Racer Boy]

Originally Posted by DWBOX2000

But isn't it the rear engine design that let's it fly out of the corners. I don't race but what is better entering a corner fast or exiting fast? Someone care to explain the difference for track racing.

Cars with the rear engine configuration have excellent traction for acceleration, but cars with the mid-engine configuration have almost as much traction for acceleration, so the rear engine car has a slight advantage. In cornering, the mid-engine car has a sizeable advantage over the rear engine car, so overall, mid-engine is better than rear engine.

Beyond just the traction factor in vehicle dynamics, the mid-engine car will be much easier to drive quickly, because it has better balance. There is a reason that purpose built race cars are mid-engined; they are quicker than other configurations.

[DWBOX2000]

Thanks Racer.

[cas951]

Originally Posted by Giller

Bread and Butter? I think that title belongs to the Cayenne and Macan now. I believe the SUV sales dominate the car sales.

But hey - having spent a week in a Cayenne service loaner - they are damn fine automobiles. Very nice to drive.

Thanks for the correction. I should have said their Icon.

[paulofto]

The only reason the 911 & 356 weren't mid engined in the first place is because they wanted a back seat (or a close approximation) to appeal to a broader base when they were first created. Porsche himself wanted a mid engine but was convinced by others that a rear seat was needed.

So what goes around comes around.

[thstone]

Originally Posted by kk2002s

BLASPHEME!!!!!
Off with his head - - Burn him at the stake

Its a long line. Take a number.