Most people are not aware of how engine placement makes a difference, or even what's under the hood of their car! But we're going to tell you why engine placement matters, whether you're looking to buy a sports car, or a super car. There are three main engine placement configurations in vehicles — front-engined, mid-engined and rear-engined. Diving deeper, engines can be mounted transverse or longitudinal in either configuration, but that makes less of a difference overall.

Updated January 2023: We've updated this article with more details on how, and why engine placement matters so much when it comes to performance cars.

Most cars have their engines in the front. While sports cars, supercars and some performance cars usually have their engine midship, or all the way in the rear. There are quite a few exceptions, such as muscle cars, and even some grand tourers from Aston Martin and Mercedes-Benz. Mid and rear-engine cars have earned a reputation for being hard to handle for most people, but that's not entirely true all the time.

Because the typical configuration for a car is front-engined, engine placement does not play a prominent role in many car purchasing decisions nowadays. So we won't go into detail on front-engined cars. However, when it comes to more performance-oriented automobiles, motor position tends to make a significant distinction, ultimately influencing how a car looks, drives, and performs.

So without further ado, let’s channel our inner engineer and see the differences between the mid-engine and rear-engine designs.

Related: 10 Memorable Mid-Engine Sports Cars Every Gearhead Should Drive At Least Once

How The Mid-Engine Placement Works

2020 Corvette Mid-Engine layout
via Chevrolet

Most vehicles classified as supercars are mid-engined, with the engine placed forward of the rear axle and behind the occupants. In fact, it's precisely where you'd anticipate the rear seat to be, and that is why very few mid-engined automobiles have more than two seats. Another mid-engined rarity worth talking about is the Toyota Previa minivan, but that doesn't really fit the formula.

Placing the powertrain in the center of the car, rather than the front puts greater weight on the rear wheels. This gives them more grip, further assisting the front tires in braking the car, with less possibility of rear-wheel lockout and less likelihood of a slide or spin out.

Since mid-engine cars are always also rear-wheel drive, the additional load on the back wheels can increase acceleration on slick roads. This offers much of the advantages of all-wheel-drive without any of the extra weight and expense. In addition, the mid-engine configuration improves the performance of ABS brakes and traction control mechanisms by giving them more traction to manage.

In most vehicles, and notably in sports cars, good handling necessitates equal traction between the front and rear axles during cornering. This equilibrium is more challenging to accomplish when the engine's large weight is positioned too far to the front, or too far to the car's rear. Certain vehicle concepts attempt to equalize the fore and rear load distribution by positioning the motor in the front and the gearbox and batteries in the back.

Advantages And Disadvantages: Mid-Engine Cars

Porsche Cayman GTS 4.0

A further advantage comes out when the engine's hefty weight is positioned at the rear of the seats. It makes it simpler for the suspension to work, resulting in a smoother ride for the passengers. However, in sports cars, the engine location is employed to boost efficiency and performance. The otherwise smoother drive is typically more than countered by stiffer suspension.

The engine, gearbox, and differential can also be fitted altogether as a single entity using this configuration. This, in conjunction with separate suspension on the driving wheels, makes mid-engine cars less prone to engine vibrations felt in the cabin.

The most significant disadvantage of mid-engine vehicles is limited rear passenger capacity. That is why the majority of mid-engine cars are two-seaters. Exceptions usually are bigger vehicles of extraordinary length or height where the occupants can split space between the axles with the powerplant, which can be between or even below them, as in some Toyota vans, huge trucks, and buses.

Like any arrangement in which the motor is not front-mounted, the classic "engine-behind-the-passengers" configuration makes cooling the motor quite challenging.

Chevrolet Corvette, Dodge SRT Viper, Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, BMW M1, Lamborghini Diablo SV, Audi R8, BMW i8, and Bugatti Veyron are just a couple of cars that use the mid-engine design.

Related: Here’s Why We Love The Mid-Engine Corvette C8 As A Daily Driver (1 Reason We Hate It)

Advantages And Disadvantages: Rear-Engine Cars

Porsche 911 GT2 RS cutaway drawing
Porsche Newsroom

In contrast to the old days, rear-engine vehicles are not that common in the automobile industry now. Rear-engined cars have excellent traction because the weight will always be over the rear wheels, and the handling may be razor-sharp and precise since there is a minimal disturbance with the front axles. Braking can also be optimized since the load over the back wheel negates the car's inclination to dive forward while braking, allowing the back brakes to deliver a more significant amount of stopping power. Passenger room can also be increased by having the motor hang out behind the back wheel.

Gemballa Mirage Carerra GT NYC 2020
Via: Dupont Registry

However, stabilizing a rear-engined vehicle is a difficult task. There's a justification for why certain older vehicles were dubbed the 'Widowmaker.' They are subject to snap oversteer, which occurs when the weight thrown out at the rear tends to swing forward, resulting in a deadly spin. As a result, they are possibly the most challenging of the three primary engine configurations to drive swiftly.

This configuration was once prevalent in compact, low-cost cars and light commercial cars. Currently, most car manufacturers have dropped the arrangement, while it is still used in few high-end vehicles, such as the Porsche 911.

RELATED: The Coolest Rear-Engine Sports Cars That Are Not A Porsche 911

Rear-Engine Vs Mid-Engine: Which Is Better?

To say which engine configuration is better can be hard, and most of the time depends on the context and can be subjective. However, the use of them in the industry can somehow speak for itself.

The rear-engine design is a good layout if maximized acceleration is the goal. It can be tricky, but everything has its ups and downs.The mid-engine layout, on the other hand, is very stable and can be trusted more. But do not forget the downsides to this configuration.

So, although the engine configuration is not the primary factor to consider when buying a transportation device, it can be of use to dig a little more and find out about what’s going on under the car's skin and how it will operate.