Why a rear-engine 911?

[Kevin G.]

I had the opportunity to follow behind a fellow PCA'er driving a 550 Spyder replica a few weekends ago, and other than thinking "I gotta get one o' them" , I had another train of thought...

The Spyder was built in the mid-fifties, a good 10 years prior to the birth of our beloved 911's. With the mid-engine basis used in the Spyder, why didn't Porsche use this mid-engine design when developing the 911? When you think of all the engineering they put into the design over the years to try and even out the 60/40 weight difference, you have to think that there was a missed opportunity to use the mid-engine design to start with.

I can't believe the need for two quasi-seats was the reason. Are there any P-Car historians out there that know the answer?

Just contemplating with a cold beer and a good cigar on a quiet evening.

Kevin

[billwagnon]

Perhaps it's the need for a larger cabin than in a 550 - the 911 is a passenger or touring car, not a race car, in spite of the wicked vroom vroom sounds it makes. I'm sure Roland or Warren know.

[JmuRiz]

billwagnon, you are correct...they wanted a car to replace the 356 that had a larger interior and 4 seats. Hard to believe the 911 interior is bigger than anything isn't it? I think the thought was to make a roadcar 4 seats and the racecars just that, race cars. They finally gave in when they made the 914...they had only 2 seats to work with and put the engine in the best place for a 2 seater, in the middle.

Nathan

[epbrown]

One of my Porsche books claims that the original design notes for the 911 were that it be made to fit 2 adults and 2 kids under the age of 10. The only change I think they would have made is making the engine smaller, in order to keep the weight inside the rear axles. Dr. Porsche was quoted as saying if he'd known the flat-6 could be upgraded to the extent it has been, he'd have told the designers to make something smaller.

Anyone read the article in P&911W about the guy that makes flat-4s? I think that's the way they would have gone - smaller, lighter, and a huge handling improvement. The engines were made for 356s, but I wonder what a 912 would be like with one?

Emanuel

[Lothar]

I thought the 911 was designed to race in the "saloon class" in Europe. I believe that required back seats. This probably explains the 911's acceptance in a wide variety of classes.

[masraum]

Here's a link to the Porsche 4cyl that was a 6
Pretty darn cool if you ask me, as well as the Outlaw 356's. Although I have to say the one that I've seen in photo's with the 911 headlights/front fenders is not my bag baby.

[GSpreeman]

Wasn't a lot of the Porsche design dictated by what Dr. Porsche had done with the VW?

[Roland Kunz]

Hello

Porsche #1 was a midengines 3 seater.

As Dr.Porsche had 3 kids he needed a 4 seater and so the engine went showing oppesite.

When Porsche startet competing in the GT class ( 4 seater ) especially at rallys they always screwed him to keep the Porsche out of the competition or move them into a higher class.

Now with the 911 they wantet to go sure they couldn´t be outclassed by marshalls runing messuring tapes a other way.

If you look at a 911 you will find it has more interiour space then a Ferrari Daytona

Before the 911, Porsche built the 904 and short after that the 906 so they sure knew they need a 914

Grüsse