Bodageta1995

Since 50/50 or dang close weight distribution front to rear has been an easy design target to meet ever since the transmission was moved to the rear for the C5’s, my question is, “what advantage is there in going mid-engine”. There are lots of disadvantages for sure that are straightforward enough not to list here. My “gut” says the move to mid engine is only for sales and marketing purposes” however, Duntov was a proponent so maybe something is there. Thoughts?

One other thing is that GM wanted to move the trans to the rear for a long time but finance guys wouldn’t approve the toolup costs for the bell housing until they eventually figured out they could use one developed for the 4wd truck and spread the costs over the higher volume to justify and amortize. Maybe GM has something similar in the works for another car line.

JerriVette

WAs hp amd tq continue to rise to ridculous levels even with PTM putting power down while exiting turns has become exceedingly challenging in rwd front engine 50 50 weight distribution vehicles...

a rear bias is better at doing this in handling and track manuevers.

gm has taken PTM to its highest level in the c7 zR1 yet even that ptm technology has been maxed out.

a shift to rear mid engine has been deemed by the corvette engineers to be the next required step to further elevate the corvette performance platform.

i hope this lends a decent insight as to the reason why corvette engineering has chosen to move to rear mid engine,

ClothSeats

Even though a FE car and a mid engine car may both have a 50/50 weight distribution, the mid engine car has a better polar moment of inertia because most of that weight is located more towards the middle of the car. This improves handling around corners. Think of these two objects: 1. A 10 pound barbell where the weights are located at each end of the barbell. 2. A single 10 pound weight of approximately 12 inches in size. If you grab the barbell with one hand in the middle of the bar and lift it, and try to twist it back and forth, you will find that very difficult to do so. On the other hand, lifting and twisting the other 12 inch weight will be much easier to do. This is because the barbell has a larger polar moment of inertia than the other weight, even though they both weigh the same.

Note: The added traction that is achieved over the rear wheels as Jeri Vette mentioned is another advantage in addition to the improved polar moment of inertia that I described.

Sub Driver

First, 50/50 is not ideal weight distribution. Second, I recommend you use Google to research the advantages of mid-engine platforms. There is a reason all of the top performing race cars are mid-engine.

Bodageta1995

Thanks for the replies.

lwise4

PORSCHE Nuff said?

Shaka

Learn what polar moment of inertia means.

Sin City

Mid engine cars have more personality and uniqueness in the driving experience than front engine cars.

It's like Front Wheel drive cars vs rear wheel. You could say "what's the difference? Its still a car" but obviously there is a difference.

ojm

The amount of HP on sport/muscle cars is purely wasted in 99.999% of driving. I really don't get the rational to build faster cars where the heck are you going to use that raw power?
Let's say we use the power with no restraints how many people would you kill , how long before your dead, how long before your jailed., BUT they are a cool status symbol.

Yarbie

No advantage, mid engine means the cars will eventually sell for more than most can afford and then the Corvette goes away for good. Mary Barra hates ICE and wants all GM products to be electric only and self driving. These cars are the last of a dynasty.

Keep em cuz they'll be gone soon.

K-TownMike

What a stupid post.

smithers

Go to the grocery store and grab a shopping cart. Get some heavy stuff, like a couple large cases of bottled water. Put them in the cart. Move them around and see how the different placement effects how easy it is for you to steer the cart. You’ll quickly notice that putting the weight toward the back of the car makes it a lot easier to steer. This works the same in a car.

The whole 50/50 weight distribution being the best is a common belief that isn’t quite accurate. Most mid engine cars are more like 40/60. The lighter front end makes the car turn in and rotate better. More weight in the rear is better for traction.

Thats a pretty simplistic take on the differences between front and mid engine cars. But it should be easy to understand for anyone who isn’t a physics wiz haha

Warp Factor

The cars have a throttle pedal, not just an "all or nothing" switch.

harley2

Get a Moped, you don't need MC!

punky

They make the Boxster for guys who are concerned about too much power.

MitchAlsup

a 50/50 weight distribution is ONLY optimal when a) both axles use the same sized tire, and b) you are cornering at constant speed.

More weight on the back gives the larger rear tire more traction,
less weight on the front gives the steering better feel,
lower polar moment means it is easier to rotate the car into a turn and stop rotating the car out of a turn.

Then there is better view out the front windshield,.....

Themack

The same reason Formula 1, F15's and F22's have engines in the back. right in front of the rear "axle"

The "pendulum" both have axis on the front axle and rear axle, the same as flight control surfaces for pitch and yaw on jet fighters with rear horizontal stabliator or vertical stabilator. When the weight is empasized on the rear turning "axle" which bears the majority of g-forces in forward motion, it becomes better controlled and allows for more rate pitch, yaw, and bank angles.

F1 has around 45/55 front/rear. Usually have around 3G's sustained, with peaks of 5.

F15/F22 has around 35/65 front/rear. Anything over 3g sustained requires exponentially more control. Can see up to 7.5 sustained and bursts of 9g minor substained.

Shaka

Read post 7.

Shaka

Oh brother. This forum is too much.

Asleep@thewheel

Just me personally, I've never driven a car with "too much HP" nor flown a fighter with "too much thrust".

With neither did I ever use that excess power 99.999% of the time. But, when I did use it...nirvana. To each his own.