There are plenty of enthusiasts that consider an engine at the back to be in the wrong place, but it certainly hasn’t harmed the legendary Porsche 911. The iconic sports car has been with us for 60 years, but it’s not the only rear-engined car to enter our affections – as the classics on these pages reveal.
Another of our choices is one of the motoring world’s biggest sellers, and some are just plain quirky, but there’s nothing wrong with that. Indeed, we reckon there’s plenty here that could just tempt you into your next purchase…
PORSCHE 911
The reason we’ve gathered together this collection of cars is because it’s 60 years since the most famous of rear-engined models was revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show as the Type 901. Renamed as the 911 shortly after launch, no other sports car has lasted so long, and one thing that every iteration has had in common is the flat-six motor slung out back. The 128bhp 2.0-litre unit fitted to early cars wasn’t all that powerful and the layout led to a reputation for tricky handling, but both of those things would be addressed over the years.
The arrival of turbocharging in the 1970s delivered a huge increase in power and performance, while the 993 generation’s multi-link LSA
