Treat Yourself To Some Affordable, Mid-Engine Fun | The Online Automotive Marketplace | Hemmings (2024)

The first mass-produced, mid-engine sports car to come from an American manufacturer, the Fiero stirred up a lot of excitement on its arrival in 1984. Its original mission was to serve as a fuel-efficent, fun-to-drive commuter car, and so it was powered by a 2.5-liter, fuel-injected Tech IV four-cylinder engine, coupled with a four-speed transmission. Innovative composite body panels kept dents and rust at bay.

This example shows just under 24,000 miles, and was purchased by the seller from the son of the original owner. American Racing five-spoke alloys, wearing BFGoodrich tires, have been substituted for the originals. The coupe was being offered through a Hemmings Classified Ad, with an asking price of $16,000.

hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1984-pontiac-fiero-morgantown-pa-2749591

Pontiac unlocked the performance potential of its Fiero coupe with the launch of the V-6-powered GT in 1985. Boasting 140 hp, the fuel-injected, 2.8-liter V-6 was mated with a five-speed Getrag transmission. A fastback restyle arrived in late 1986, with flying buttresses inset with glass, aerodynamic front and rear fascias, and diamond-spoke alloy wheels that gave the coupe an exotic look.

According to the seller, this example is believed to have covered 48,000 miles since new, and remains in “excellent” condition. We found in in the Hemmings Classified Ads, with an asking price of $13,900.

hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1986-pontiac-fiero-denver-co-2761053

Hot on the heels of Pontiac, Toyota launched its wedgy, two-seat middie in 1985. Its 1,587cc twin-cam inline-four engine was rated at 112 hp, making the lightweight coupe fairly quick by contemporary standards. Lift-out T-tops and distinctive alloy wheels set the little Toyota apart.

This example was listed in Hemmings Classified Ads with an asking price of $17,500. According to the selling dealer, equipment includes air conditioning and an AM/FM/cassette player. In photos, its condition belies the 180,000 miles on its odometer — but then, that’s not unusual for a 1980s Toyota.

hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1987-toyota-mr2-lake-mary-fl-2735500

Toyota’s mid-engine sports car got bigger, softer, and more powerful for 1990. U.S. versions got a 2.2-liter twin-cam four that made 130 hp, helping to offset the car’s additional 400 pounds, and were equipped with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic.

According to the seller, this five-speed is a 22,000-mile example that has been loved and cared for by its one owner since new. The stripes are described as period correct, and professionally installed. We found this MR2 as a Hemmings Make Offer listing, with a $28,995 asking price,

hemmings.com/listing/1991-toyota-mr2-508910

The third generation of the MR2 was designed from the ground up as a folding-roof convertible, sold here as the MR2 Spyder. An all-alloy, 1.8-liter, twin-cam four provided 138 hp, and for the first time could be coupled to an SMT automated manual transmission, or a five-speed manual.

This example, offered with an asking price of $24,800 as a Hemmings Classified Ad, displays just 4,540 miles from new. Its equipment includes air conditioning, power windows and door locks, a five-speed manual, an AM/FM/CD player, ABS, a tilt steering wheel, and more. The only extra-cost options are a carbon-fiber dashboard and floormats.

hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/2001-toyota-mr2-spyder-naperville-il-2677748

Sold exclusively in Japan when new, the kei-car Honda Beat was powered by a three-cylinder, 660-cc, fuel injected engine rated at 63 hp, plenty to handle the two-seater’s 1,700-pound curb weight. The only transmission available was a five-speed, while air conditioning, power windows, a front stabilizer bar, and halogen headlamps were standard equipment.

This example shows 33,685 miles from new, and wears a set of white Volk Racing Wheels. We found it as a Hemmings Classified Ad listing, with an asking price of $14,500.

hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1991-…

The fiberglass-bodied Europa was a trailblazer, being not only Lotus’s first mid-engine car, but also the first British production car with a mid-engine layout. The Europa Series 2, introduced in April 1968, added a number of key refinements, including opening electric windows, adjustable seats, and a polished wooden dashboard. A few S2s were federalized for export to the United States, and equipped with a modified version of the Renault 16TL’s 1,565 cc four.

This example has been modified with an upgraded Weber carburetor and intake manifold, and exhaust header. The seller notes that the odometer shows 17,134 miles, though there’s no indication that this is total mileage. We found this Lotus through a Hemmings Classified Ad, with and asking price of $24,500.

hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/lotus/europa/2566812.html

Sold in its native land as the Montecarlo, but rebadged as the Scorpion here to keep GM’s lawyers from the door, Lancia’s seldom-seen mid-engine coupe featured coachwork by Pininfarina and a twin-cam four derived from Fiat’s 124 unit. Modifications for sale in the U.S. included pop-up headlamps, 5-mph bumpers, and emissions controls that cut the engine’s output to 81 hp.

According to the seller, this example has an upgraded interior, as well as an exhaust header and an upgraded exhaust and cold-air intake. Total mileage is reported as 63,464. We found it as a Hemmings Classified Ad, with an asking price of $20,996.

hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1976-lancia-scorpion-reading-pa-2780100

Created as the successor to Fiat’s rear-engine 850 Spider, the X1/9 shook up the world of affordable sports cars when it was launched in 1972. Behind the seats lay a carbureted, 1.3-liter, SOHC four tied to a four-speed gearbox, later upgraded to a fuel-injected, 1.5-liter four and five-speed. Bertone took over production of the car from Fiat in 1982.

According to the seller, this example showed just 15,000 miles when it was subjected to a full, nut-and-bolt restoration that included a bumper delete and aftermarket wheels. We found it among the Hemmings Classified Ads, with an asking price of $29,900.

hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1987-bridgeport-ct-2703741

The successor to Porsche’s “entry-level” 912, the 914 was created in a joint venture with Volkswagen and introduced to the public in late 1969. The 914 was constructed and trimmed by Karmann, while the much more costly, six-cylinder 914-6 variant was finished by Porsche. For 1974, the 914 was offered with a 1.8-liter four, or, as here, a 2.0-liter four, mated to a five-speed manual.

This 37,000-mile example is presented as an all-original car, and is being offered with its original bill of sale, owner’s manual, and service receipts. Factory options include chrome bumpers, a vinyl-covered roll bar, and 5.5-inch alloy wheels. According to the seller, this 914 has new tires, and has been recently serviced. We found it in the Hemmings Classified Ads, with an asking price of $22,995.

hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1974-…

Porsche once more tapped into its mid-engine legacy with the 1996 introduction of the Boxster, Zuffenhausen’s first all-new sports car in nearly 20 years. Though it was intended as an “entry level” product, the Boxster was equipped with a six-cylinder, water-cooled, 2.5-liter engine making a healthy 201 horsepower. Known internally as the 986, the roadster was available with the Tiptronic five-speed automatic transaxle with shift buttons on the steering wheel, or a five-speed manual.

This example, found in the Hemmings Classified Ads, is a two-owner car that has covered just 18,000 miles since new. Both the paintwork and the interior are original to the car, as are the paint-matched fiberglass tonneau covers, front spoiler, and rear wing. The original window sticker and bill of sale are included.

hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/1999-porsche-boxster-elkhart-in-2772487

The second generation of the Boxster provided the basis for the new Cayman coupe, which first went on sale in 2005. A 295-hp, 3.4-liter flat-six was the only engine offered, until a base model with a 245-hp version of the six was added to the lineup in the summer of 2006. The new coupe benefitted from the second-generation Boxster’s upgrades, including new front-end styling and a variety of engine and chassis upgrades.

This example, found through the Hemmings Classified Ads, is a Cayman S equipped with the Tiptronic S five-speed transmission. Features include an upgraded sound system, automatic climate control, self-dimming mirrors, and rain-sensing wipers.

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/listing/2008-…