Of My friend claims that an RX-7 is a mid-engined car. Maybe not a rear mid-engined car but a front mid-engined car due to place of engine between axles. My friend has money on the line and claims that because Grand Turismo says that they are FR it must be true. I figured a buch of rotor heads opinions would hold truer (sp?) than a punk kid that thinks Grand Turismo knows all. Thx for any responses...

 

I believe, technically, it is considered a "mid-engine" car, just not a rear mounted mid engine:

 

Last time I checked, Its been a while now, But last time i checked, My car was a Front engine, Rear wheel drive car. I supose because of the Def of a mid engine car, it could be called that but I would think it was a Front engine, Rear wheel drive car.

 

I guess it could be considered "front-midship" engine.
Same type a deal as the 350Z thing.

 

Your friend is correct.

It is a F R. But considered front midship by Mazda because of the reason you state.

 

i was told that mid engins are only if the engin is behind the fire wall not infrount jut my 2cents
later joel

 

According to Mazda, its a Front Midship design. So I would say that you can call it either a mid engine or front engine and be correct.

 

dude, no matter where you sit, the engine is behind the firewall . and yes it is a front/mid engine due to the definition in EVERY mazda rx-7 brochure......"behind the front axle line" optimizing the 50-50 weight distribution

 

When i pulled the engine out of my FD, I'm pretty sure I found it mounted in front of the firewall. I was however not sitting at all, I was mostly standing up or lying under the car.

What exactly is "behind the front axle line"? The center of gravity of the engine? In that case, my old -93 BMW 325i was a mid engine car as well.

 

Umm.. Are you joking? Because if your not that post makes us all dumber!

See I said "dumber".. its working already.

 

It is a front midship design yes but to be a true mid engine the drivers seat must be ahead of the engine so FR is the proper design lay out by the way I AM a Mazda Tech so GT1,2 and 3 got somthing right hope he didn't bet too much.

 

A driver's seat need not be in front of the engine to make it mid-engine.

Mid-engine means the engine sits between the front and rear wheeels ('mid', as in middle)

A Porsche 911 has it's engine behind the driver, but is a rear-engine vehicle. Virtually all front wheel drive cars have the engine in front of the front axle line, and most RWD front engine vehicles have the engine crossing the front axle line.

An RX-7 is considered Front/mid as opposed to rear/mid, but both types are mid engined vehicles.

 

Mazda calls the RX7 (and I think the RX8) front midships design. I have never driven a true mid-engined car but I understand from those that have that the feel and balance of a mid engined car is different. I Car & Driver and Motor Trend found the RX7 demonstrated better handling dynamics than the Acura NSX when they compared the two back in the early 1990's.