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5 Mid-Engine Machines Under $20,000
Stirling Moss’ victory in a Cooper T43 at the 1958 Argentine Grand Prix signaled the dawn of the mid-engine revolution in motorsport, and the balance of power quite literally shifted over the next decade. Putting the horse before the cart infiltrated nearly every racing series on earth, and by 1962, Frenchman René Bonnet had followed suit with the first mid-engine road car, the Djet. The mid-engine/rear-drive layout has generally been reserved for performance-minded machinery; no one ever thought grocery-getters of this ilk were the wave of the future. As such, mid-engine cars have tended to command big prices, as the Ferraris, Lamborghinis, McLarens, and Bugattis of the world will attest.
However, a handful of manufacturers over the years have gone a little more mass market with their mid-engine platforms, and today several fun performance cars can be had on a budget. We’re eschewing some of the usual suspects—your Porsche 914s and Boxsters, your Toyota MR2s and Fiat X1/9s—because they tend to get plenty of love. So here are five that don’t quite get the recognition they deserve, and in #3 (good) condition will carve up corners (or tight parking spaces) with the best of them, without carving up your wallet in the process.
1956–58 Heinkel Kabine
Inarguably the cutest mid-engine car on this list (and arguably ever), the Heinkel Kabine was the Isetta-inspired brainchild of Ernst Heinkel, who during WWII built bombers for the Luftwaffe. Barred from aircraft manufacture after the war, but armed with engineering knowledge, Heinkel one-upped the Isetta with a monocoque shell, which made his microcar a full 220 pounds lighter than its rival. Three-wheeled Type 153 models and four-wheeled Type 154 models were offered, each powered by a 204-cc one-cylinder four-stroke engine that was later reduced to 198 cc, with four forward gears and a reverse gear. All of the engines produced 10 horsepower. One other key difference from the Isetta, which avoided patent infringement, was that the Kabine’s steering wheel did not fold outward with the single front door when opened. In the classic car market, cute sells, and Heinkels in #2 (excellent) condition can sell in the mid-$20K to low-$30K range, but in #3 condition a 154 (four wheels) model is worth $16,400 and a 153 (three wheels) model is worth $19,900.
1967–74 Lotus Europa
No one has ever accused the Europa of being the sexiest Lotus, but there’s no denying the fun factor when driving one. With a backbone chassis derived from the front-engined Elan, a fiberglass body originally drawn up for a joint Lotus/Ford project that never got off the ground, a curb weight of around 1500 pounds and a height of just 42 inches, these Brits offer something just a bit different. For the most part, all variants easily fall under our $20,000 ceiling in #3 condition, with the Renault-powered SI and SII cars of 1967–71 being the cheapest in the mid-teens, and the later (and arguably better-looking) 1972–74 Europas with 105 hp from their 1.6-liter Lotus Twin Cam engines slotting in around $21,000.
1976–77 Lancia Scorpion
You’d be forgiven for not really knowing what a Lancia Scorpion is. They’re not nearly as ubiquitous as their Fiat X1/9 cousins (which also fall under $20,000), because only about 1800 ever made it to these shores. In Europe, they were badged as the Montecarlo, a nod to Lancia’s rally successes in the Principality, but since General Motors owned the name here, we knew them as Scorpions instead. Pininfarina designed and built them, in both coupe and targa body styles, though only the open cars came to America. Initial plans called for a 3-liter V-6 behind the seats, but the first oil crisis scuppered that notion and Euro cars got a 118-hp 2.0-liter four, while U.S. imports were powered by a 1.8 making just 81 horsepower. Not exactly mind-bending, but the cars were well balanced and a blast to flick around. Currently, their #3 value is $17,800.
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1980–84 Matra Murena
If you thought the Scorpion wasn’t quite obscure enough, try the Matra Murena on for size. Founded in 1945, Matra was a French conglomerate with its hands in all sorts of industries, and with the 1963 acquisition of Automobiles René Bonnet, it entered the car business. (Matra’s racing arm would hit its zenith with three successive outright victories at Le Mans in 1972/73/74.) Building on Bonnet’s revolutionary 1962 Djet, Matra introduced the 530, then the Bagheera, then the Murena for 1980, which would be the final new Matra road car built. An attractive plastic body sat over a galvanized steel frame, with unusual three-place front seating and a transversely mounted 1.6-liter four-cylinder amidships. With 91 horsepower on tap, the Murena hit 60 mph in under 12 seconds, with a top speed of 113 mph. And its #3 value is just $11,000.
1984–88 Pontiac Fiero
Fieros, man. One of the coolest cars to come out of General Motors in the 1980s was also one of its biggest failures. Thanks to penny pinching and quaking management, the Fiero didn’t get the mechanicals it deserved from the get-go, chief among them a worthy powerplant and the suspension to tame it. Instead, the little notchback coupe made do with the 92-hp 2.5-liter “Iron Duke” four and parts-bin components shared with the Chevette and Citation, among others. And yet it was still a hoot to drive. Pontiac made up ground in 1985 with the introduction of the GT and its 135-hp 2.8-liter V-6, and a year later a second body style, with elegant buttresses that created a fastback look, joined the fray. Production ceased after 1988, but not before 370,000 Fieros had been produced. Base cars, SEs, GTs, and Formula Fieros all fall well under our $20K ceiling, and good ones are still out there, with four- and five-speed transmissions, and the ’88s feature an upgraded suspension truly befitting of these neat little econo-rockets.
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What about the MR2?
I guess this shows where my heart has always been- I’ve owned two MR2’s and an X1/9 and I’ve been lusting after the Europa and the Beta Scorpion (and an NSX, of course) since forever. I’d probably have an NSX or one of the other two by now except that the ’89 MR2 SC I bought new refuses to wear out.
Matra also had succes in F2 and F1 (they also produced exocet alike rockets)
Murena had also a 2.2 chrysler engine with 110hp and a limited serie with 140hp.
I had 3 murena’s and later also a montecarlo (targa/ 2serie) the matra was superior to the lancia, and could beat a fiero (and golf gti)
You left out the Fiat X1/9. More fun to go fast in a slow car than slow in a fast car! Though my two Vipers are mid engine cars also and a lot of fun!
Did the author search the market for Matra Murena’s before writing this? They are practically non-existent in the U.S.
Since the article is referring to dollars, it’s presumably written for a market where this car can’t be had.
The author did indeed. Practically non-existent, sure, but not non-existent. They are obscure cars, as stated, and for those interested in niche corners of the hobby, there’s often a waiting game—sometimes a long one. Some people are happy to play it. For those who aren’t, there are plenty of MR2s, 914s, and X1/9s, any of which will delight with immediate effect.
Re the Fiero: There’s never been a good idea that GM couldn’t crap on.
I bought a new ’76/’77? X1/9 and tried racing an Asst DA of Boston’s Porsche, through hwy Boston traffic, LOL. My sis a Professor of Psychology spent the following decades of analysis on my crazy thought process. Those X 1/9’s were fun at a much lower cost. Was fun, driving around the NH/VT mountains. I learned their restraints. Blizzard of ’78 (100 yr storm) washed it away. I wasn’t there at the time of the ferocious storm, and sometimes wonder if it floated, being so light, ha!
I would have expected to see the Fiat X19 as well…..I first drove one in Italy and it essily outhandled my 912 back in 1976. It was then like driving a big go kart that cornered like it was on rails. I bought one for a few thousand a few years back in South Dakota, and it goes like hell in the canyons….high reving, not much torque, but a fun car to drive at the limit. Downside is crappy electrics and cheap plastic trim everywhere. But it will run all day at 6000 RPM and sip fuel…Faster than my SIATA Springs by a Mile and my 850 Spyder.not as fast as my small block C3. But cheap fun, and amazing handling.
I love love love the looks of that Lancia Scorpion, but the parts availability and weak motor would have me looking for an 88 Fiero Formula/GT with t-tops and a 5 speed instead.
Jeez I wish folks would read the ENTIRE intro by the author, instead of twitch thumb whining about cars excluded on purpose for the article 🤔😡. That said, I wonder how all save the Henkel and Fiero would respond to the turbo 4/5spd from the Cobalt SS and its Saturn twin? Went to uni with a pilot candidate that had an ’88 Fiero GT, was a blast to drive unless it snowed. Can absolutely see the 3.8 from a supercharged Bonneville applied there! The micro car? Let’s skip the half measures and drop in the 4banger and trans from a wrecked Hayabusa 😱. Scrape more than her head with that, mate! Good article, keep it up.