YouTube Artist Turns Datsun 240Z into Mid-Engined Nissan Sports Car

However, that doesn't mean we can't explore the possibility of a major change. Somewhere in another universe or parallel dimension, American muscle cars became mid-engined in the 60s and Nissan followed with the 240Z.

If you Google "mid-engined Japanese cars," you'll find many of our stories up there. The mid-engined Nissan GT-R is something we've thought about for years, and it makes a lot more sense now, in the supercar era.

It's not like Japanese automakers are stranges to this phenomenon. They gave us the NSX, the Toyota MR-2, and the Honda S660. We know that's got a 0.66-liter engine, but it counts, right?

A mid-engined Z car was never considered but in his latest rendering, YouTube artist TheSketchMonkey tries to imagine a 240Z that puts the cart before the horse.

It's a difficult transformation to pull off. As the artist put it, if you mess up one line, it could scar you for life. Making a mid-ship sports car requires the cabin of the 240Z to be digitally moved further to the front. He then cleans up the design by getting rid of the chrome bumpers, adds the transparent headlight covers, and creates some stronger lines over the rear arches. Doesn't this now look a bit like the Ferrari Dino? It must be the era of the design or the paint color.

Final touches include the chin spoiler, perhaps inspired by American split-bumper muscle cars. There's no air scoop down the side, but perhaps the Datsun wouldn't need that much air. We'll remind you that the 2.4-liter inline-six that partially gave the car its name made 150 horsepower and 146 lb-ft (198 Nm) of torque.