Subaru WRX Forum banner

Mid-Engine Coupe?!

2K views 11 replies 5 participants last post by  SD_GR 
#1 ·
#4 ·
Subaru is finally moving in the right direciton.

The Impreza/WRX/STi/whatever is a mistake. The engine is in the wrong end of the car.

A mid engine car is correct.

Now, if they finally figure out a way of getting rid not only of the "boxer" motor but the internal combustion engine completely, and figure out a way to correctly mount what motive device they do use in the middle of the chassis plus drive all four wheels, we'd be back on track.

It has been known that mid-engine 4WD is the correct layout since the mid 80s. Back then people knew the internal combustion engine was doomed but they didn't want to face how close that end date could be -- let alone how close the end date should have been, because frankly we should have been using gasoline in antiques only at this stage.

It's still a step in the right direction. The engine has no business in the nose of a Subaru. Finally Subaru have figured that out for themselves (nobody ever asks me anything, and this is what they end up doing, reinventing the wheel).
 
#7 ·
Rotaries are neat to look at; I love museums and recommend the "planes of fame" exhibit in SoCal.

A rotary is not a Wankel; a rotary has pistons and cylinders.

A Wankel makes cars immobile, or wastes non-renewable energy and pollutes. Here is what happens when someone puts a Wankel in a car:



There's a man delighted with Wankel's engine.
 
#8 ·
I tried to find a picture of a car with a rotary engine but I could not find one.

I think it must have to do with the practical problems of having the cylinders spin around the shaft. This would work OK in an aircraft but not as well on the ground.

The shape itself isn't a limitation though; it's that the cylinders in a rotary are moving that's the problem. So I compromised (I really am wonderful) and found a picture of a brilliant chassis, assembled by one of the best automakers in the world (hint: not an Impreza chassis with the engine in the wrong place... sigh...) and instead of a rotary engine it has a radial engine. The key difference is that, although a rotary and a radial engine have the same "shape" the cylinders in a rotary move in a circle about the shaft whereas a radial has fixed cylinders, making it easier to use on the ground. Here we go:



That's from the Car and Driver blog. If those guys are the same company who used to print what was a decent magazine in the 70s that then became an ad prospectus for car companies later, fading into irrelevance, I'm amazed they're still around, but that's another story.

Anyway: Notice in the background there is a MkI chassis also fitted with what seems to be a radial engine. It's the closest I've found to a proper chassis fitted with an engine that at least superficially resembles a rotary engine. I've had both a MkI and a MkII MR2 and they're great cars. I'd look into a hybrid or full electric MR2 some day.

I think looking at the picture of the poor fellow with the Wankel in the yellow Mazda has upset my stomach. I took that photo several years ago; I hope the car isn't still there by the side of the road. The guy could have died of exposure months ago.
 
#10 ·
Wait! Seriously, if those are A/S Falkens on the rear of the MkII, my car has those also! Small world.

Anyway, please Subaru build a mid-engined 4WD rechargeable hybrid, or something along those lines. Give the "gasoline, y0!" thing a rest. It's tired.
 
#11 ·
Sounds like an NSX competitor... probably $$$

Also did this strike anyone else as odd?
With that information, our artist came up with this aggressively styled coupe, with flowing lines and bulges, and employing flared front and rear fenders with sizable rear air intakes to cool a mid-mounted engine.
Unless you carefully read the entire article you would assume that is concept art from Subaru.

Personally, as much fun as this looks. Unlikely I can afford it... I'd much rather they just put a darn turbo on the BRZ. I love that thing's handling and the transmission is one of my favorite I've ever tested. Upgrade the tires and give it an extra 60HP like a WRX and I feel like that car would be killer.
 
#12 ·
Also did this strike anyone else as odd?
No. It's typical clickbait. There are still people that don't block any and all ads on their browsers, so companies think there's money to be made in advertising and try to attract eyeballs to their pages by any means necessary.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top