Mid-Mounted Madness – Hatchbacks With Attitude

Hatchbacks are known for their front-engine/front-wheel drive layouts. Mid-mounted engine layouts are usually the preserve of sports- and supercars. However, every so often a manufacturer rips the back seat out of a humdrum hatchback and slots in a motor where the rear passengers would normally sit. The mid-mounted madness has made for some hatchbacks with attitude. We took a look at the more memorable members of this exclusive club.

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Renault 5 Turbo

The Renault 5 Turbo was the very first of this very small segment. It was Renault’s answer to Italy’s Lancia Stratos on the world rally stage. The compact hatchback gained fame for its mid-engine layout, rear-wheel drive and turbocharged performance. Bertone’s Marcello Gandini gave it its cartoonish looks with pumped up rear wheel arches. It made a hero of rallying legend, and one time truck driver, Jean Ragnotti who flung the tail-happy hatch around with a deft touch through tricky rally stages.

• Power: 120 kW
• 0-100 km/h: ~6,0 seconds
• Top speed: 200 km/h

Peugeot 205 Turbo 16

Group B rallying was the flavour of the day in the early 1980s. All European automakers were keen to get in on the act. Group B rules only called for 200 road cars to be built. Hence cars like the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 were created. It featured a turbocharged inline four that was mid-mounted and sent power to an all-wheel drive system. It was the most successful car of the era as the only Group B machine to win back-to-back World Rally Championships. 

• Power: 294 kW
• 0-100 km/h: ~ 4,0 seconds
• Top speed: 200 km/h

Austin Metro 6R4

The Austin Metro 6R4 (6 – cylinder R – rally 4 – wheel-drive) was purpose-built to achieve international rally success for Austin Rover. The car was also built to compete in the famous Group B international rally category. It was based around a space frame chassis and featured a mid-mounted V6 engine. The naturally aspirated V6, which revved to 9 000 r/min, made it the only non-turbocharged car in its category. It was known for its agility and performance on various terrains but didn’t achieve the same level of notoriety as some of its rivals.

• Power: 300 kW
• 0-100 km/h: ~4,5 seconds
• Top speed: 200 km/h

Renaultsport Clio V6

The Clio V6 was a radical departure from the standard Clio. It rekindled the spirit of the 5 Turbo in the modern era. Instead of the inline-four turbo, the Clio, which was developed by Tom Walkinshaw Racing (click here to see other cars developed by the famous racing firm), featured a 3,0-litre V6 engine positioned behind the front seats. It looked great with massive, vented rear arches and howled a fantastic V6 sound, but the driving experience was… err, ‘interesting’ to say the least.

• Power: 186 kW
• 0-100 km/h: ~ 5.8 seconds
• Top speed: 246 km/h

Volkswagen Golf W12 (Concept)

In 2007 VW unveiled the radical W12-650. This concept was based around a Mk5 GTI, but only shared doors, bonnet and lights with its donor. VW engineers slotted a twin-turbo W12 engine from a Bentley Continental GT behind the driver. To handle all the power, the concept borrowed the rear axle and brakes from a Lamborghini Gallardo, the front brakes from an Audi RS4, and the gearbox of a Volkswagen Phaeton.

• Power: 478 kW
• 0-100 km/h: <4,0 seconds
• Top speed: ~323 km/h

Toyota Aygo Crazy (Concept)

The Aygo Crazy was supposed to be Toyota’s modern-day interpretation of a Group B machine. To match its ‘crazy’ styling Toyota UK junked its standard engine. A Toyota 1,8 VVT-i unit, that powered the final generation Celica and MR2 Roadster, was slotted into the rear of the cabin. Not satisfied with just a larger engine, it was fitted with a Toyota Motorsport turbo conversion. Power from the rear-mounted engine was sent directly to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox taken from the MR2 Roadster. Only one was made, although we did get behind the wheel when the car made its way to SA for a visit many years ago.

• Power: Estimated at 150 kW
• 0-100 km/h: ~ 5,7 seconds
• Top speed: ~200 km/h