Mid-engined cars occupy a fascinating paradox in the automotive world: the layout that engineers consider closest to ideal for handling is also the one you’ll almost never find in a showroom. Tucking the engine behind the occupants but ahead of the rear axle delivers near-perfect weight distribution, yet it devours cabin space and complicates packaging in ways that make accountants nervous. The result is a configuration reserved almost exclusively for sports cars — and a surprisingly short list of models that have actually sold in meaningful numbers.
