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44-516: The Mangusta uses a front mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout and was penned by Italian automotive designer Marcello Gandini. It’s powertrain, technical basis and components were largely provided by American manufacturer Ford Motor Company. It is powered by a 4.6 L DOHC Ford modular V8 engine and was offered with either a 5-speed manual transmission supplied by BorgWarner , or a 4-speed automatic transmission sourced from GM . In 1993 and 1994, Maserati technical director Giordano Casarini made

88-581: A European distribution deal for the Qvale Mangusta. Soon after, Stephenson and his colleagues began to consider the possibility of using the Mangusta platform to develop a high-performance halo car to grow the MG brand. On February 28, 2001, Stephenson and his colleague Peter Beale began negotiations with Qvale Modena to purchase Mangusta production assets. A contract was drawn, and on June 19 of that year,

132-488: A car sponsored by Tommy Bahama into the BF Goodrich Tires Trans-Am Series . Brian Simo and Qvale founder Bruce Qvale competed, Simo won the title by 12 points. The Mangusta went on sale for US$ 78,900 on January 20, 2000, with a single ordering option of 18-inch alloy wheels. As the Mangusta was being launched, Alejandro de Tomaso was independently pursuing another design project (which

176-492: A front-engine or rear-engine car. When the engine is in front of the driver, but fully behind the front axle line, the layout is sometimes called a front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, or FMR layout instead of the less-specific term front-engine; and can be considered a subset of the latter. In-vehicle layout, FMR is substantially the same as FR, but handling differs as a result of the difference in weight distribution. Some vehicles could be classified as FR or FMR depending on

220-637: A number of business trips to the United Kingdom and, while there, first saw the TVR Griffith . He was impressed by the style and sales success of such a low-production-volume car. Alejandro de Tomaso had meanwhile suffered a stroke in 1993. After a period of recovery, de Tomaso asked Casarini (whom he considered a trusted friend) what should be done with the De Tomaso company. Casarini suggested that De Tomaso make "an Italian TVR", pointing out

264-576: A partially completed right-hand-drive Qvale Mangusta was shown at the British Motor Show in October 2000 and was later sold as street legal in Europe. Eighteen cars were sold new in Europe. Overall, 284 cars were sold. Automotive journalists and testers praised the car for its performance and handling, and for the utility of the roto-top. Some build quality issues were noted on early cars, and

308-458: A problem in some cars, but this issue seems to have been largely solved in newer designs. For example, the Saleen S7 employs large engine-compartment vents on the sides and rear of the bodywork to help dissipate heat from its very high-output engine. Mid-engined cars are more dangerous than front-engined cars if the driver loses control - although this may be initially harder to provoke due to

352-405: A progressive and controllable manner as the tires lose traction. Super, sport, and race cars frequently have a mid-engined layout, as these vehicles' handling characteristics are more important than other requirements, such as usable space. In dedicated sports cars, a weight distribution of about 50% front and rear is frequently pursued, to optimise the vehicle's driving dynamics – a target that

396-557: A unique roof mechanism referred to as the "roto-top", designed by Gandini and inspired by the folding roof of the TVR Griffith. The roto-top features a center removable panel (similar to normal targa configurations) but also allows the rear section to electrically rotate (on a forward pivot) out of sight into a cavity behind the seats. This transforms the car into a full convertible . In the Mangusta's interior, most visible surfaces are covered in leather. Visteon Automotive Systems

440-401: A vehicle safer since an accident can occur if a vehicle cannot stay in its own lane around a curve or is unable to stop quickly enough. Mid-engine design is also a way to provide additional empty crush space in the front of the automobile between the bumper and the windshield, which can then be designed to absorb more of the impact force in a frontal collision in order to minimize penetration into

484-668: Is a commune in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France , France . It is notable as the signing-place in 1539 of the Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts discontinuing the use of Latin in official French documents, and as the birthplace in 1802 of French novelist Alexandre Dumas père . It is located 80 km (50 mi) NE of Paris via the RN2 facing Laon . Its nickname Petite villa sur la côte de Retz means Little villa by

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528-408: Is typically only achievable by placing the engine somewhere between the front and rear axles. Usually, the term "mid-engine" has been primarily applied to cars having the engine located between the driver and the rear drive axles. This layout is referred to as rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive , (or RMR) layout. The mechanical layout and packaging of an RMR car are substantially different from that of

572-604: The 1950s and 1960s, e.g. the AEC Reliance . The Ferrari Mondial is to date the only successful example of a true mid-engined convertible with seating for 4 and sports car/supercar performance. A version of the Lotus Evora with a removable roof panel is anticipated but no definite date is known. Like any layout where the engine is not front-mounted and facing the wind, the traditional "engine-behind-the-passengers" layout makes engine cooling more difficult. This has been

616-469: The 1960s and later Maserati when it was under De Tomaso ownership. Qvale agreed to fund the development of the car, with the agreement that the final product would be sold under the De Tomaso brand, as the De Tomaso Mangusta. The agreement between De Tomaso and Qvale was soured over licensing and distribution issues. Bruce Qvale, who was managing Qvale at the time decided to produce the car under

660-465: The De Tomaso project was given the internal code name "ETX". Soon after Casarini's communications with HSV, Ford Motor Company contacted him with the news that they would indeed be able to supply the Modular V8, along with transmissions, ancillaries, and electrical systems. Alejandro de Tomaso had been a fan of the design work done by Marcello Gandini , so Gandini was called to Modena to discuss

704-427: The Mangusta was designed by former Formula 1 designer Enrique Scalabroni, who had worked for Dallara , Williams F1 , and Scuderia Ferrari . Each chassis is formed of welded laser-cut steel sections, and was then galvanized by Vaccari & Bosi. Body panels were constructed of resin transfer moulding (RTM) plastic by Stratime Cappelo Systems of Villers-Cotterêts , France; this same company had provided bodywork using

748-615: The Qvale name after an investment of over US$ 30 million on the development of the car. In 1997, the Qvale Modena SpA company was established to produce the Mangusta. Bruce Qvale led the project of developing a production facility, which involved the renovation and modernization of a building in Modena. The building was "elegantly and comprehensively furnished, [with] marble everywhere", and certified ISO 9001 compliant. The chassis of

792-598: The RTM technology for the Alfa Romeo SZ and the Lotus Elan M100 . The panels were then painted by Italian company Rovercoat SpA before they were fitted to a car. The first simple mock-up of the chassis design was done by Casarini and Scalabroni assembling pieces of packing cardboard to show the basic layout. Scalabroni placed emphasis on high torsional rigidity of the chassis, which was particularly important as

836-532: The announcement was made that the deal was complete (with account reports indicating that the price was £7 million.) Under the MG Rover group, the Qvale Mangusta platform was developed into the MG XPower SV . Front mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout In automotive engineering , a mid-engine layout describes the placement of an automobile engine in front of the rear-wheel axles , but behind

880-521: The case of the Ferrari FF taking power from both ends of the crankshaft with two separate gearboxes. These cars use a traditional engine layout between driver and rear drive axle. Typically, they're simply called MR; for mid-rear (engined), or mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout cars. These cars use mid-ship, four-wheel-drive , with an engine between the axles. These cars are "mid-ship engined" vehicles, but they use front-wheel drive , with

924-534: The coast of Retz , as the town is situated next to the Forest of Retz , which covers 130 km (50 sq mi) of land. Villers-Cotterêts is famous in French law because of the Ordinance of Villers-Cotterêts of 1539 signed by king Francis I of France ('François Ier'), which made French the official language in the kingdom instead of regional languages like Occitan or the elite European lingua franca of

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968-498: The engine in front of the driver. It is still treated as an FF layout, though, due to the engine's placement still being in the front of the car, contrary to the popular belief that the engine is placed in front of the rear axle with power transferred to the front wheels (an RMF layout). In most examples, the engine is longitudinally mounted rather than transversely as is common with FF cars. Villers-Cotter%C3%AAts Villers-Cotterêts ( pronounced [vilɛʁ kɔt(ə)ʁɛ] )

1012-413: The engine placed between the driver and the front axle. This layout, similar to the above FMR layout, with the engine between driver and the front axle, adds front-wheel drive to become a four-wheel drive. An engineering challenge with this layout is getting the power to the front wheels past the engine - this would normally involve raising the engine to allow a propshaft to pass under the engine, or in

1056-562: The factory-installed engine (I4 vs I6). Historically most classical FR cars such as the Ford Models T and A would qualify as an FMR engine car. Additionally, the distinction between FR and FMR is a fluid one, depending on the degree of engine protrusion in front of the front axle line, as manufacturers mount engines as far back in the chassis as possible. Not all manufacturers use the Front-Mid designation. These cars are RWD cars with

1100-494: The final design would not have a structural roof. The design also emphasized safety : significant impact energy during a front-end collision is dissipated by lateral movement of the engine. In tests, the Mangusta chassis showed a torsional stiffness of 1450 kg/m/deg, which was more than four times the typical stiffness of an open car at the time. Both the front and rear suspension on the Mangusta uses double wishbones with coil springs and anti-roll bars . The Mangusta uses

1144-439: The fore and aft weight distribution by other means, such as putting the engine in the front and the gearbox and battery in the rear of the vehicle. Another benefit comes when the heavy mass of the engine is located close to the back of the seats. It makes it easier for the suspension to absorb the force of bumps so the riders feel a smoother ride. But in sports cars, the engine position is once again used to increase performance and

1188-485: The front axle. The mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive format can be considered the original layout of automobiles. A 1901 Autocar was the first gasoline-powered automobile to use a drive shaft and placed the engine under the seat. This pioneering vehicle is now in the collection of the Smithsonian Institution . Mounting the engine in the middle instead of the front of the vehicle puts more weight over

1232-471: The job of styling the new De Tomaso project. To show him the character and feel of the desired product, Gandini was driven around in a TVR Griffith. He was ultimately commissioned for the styling job, and was given the instruction that the folding roof mechanism on the De Tomaso be similar to the multi-position roof used by the Griffith. A prototype of the car was displayed at the 1996 Geneva Motor Show and

1276-457: The new Ford Modular 4.6 L V8, but discovered that Ford was not yet ready to sell it to manufacturers. Casarini learned that TVR was investigating the possibility of using differentials made by Australian company BTR Automotive in its cars. When communicating with a supplier for the differentials, he was directed towards Holden Special Vehicles (HSV), who indicated that they would be able to offer engines and transmissions. At this stage,

1320-443: The passenger compartment of the vehicle. In most automobiles, and in sports cars especially, ideal car handling requires balanced traction between the front and rear wheels when cornering, in order to maximize the possible speed around curves without sliding out. This balance is harder to achieve when the heavy weight of the engine is located far to the front or far to the rear of the vehicle. Some automobile designs strive to balance

1364-479: The positive design elements that made the Griffith attractive. Alejandro de Tomaso negotiated with the Maserati chairman to release Casarini to De Tomaso, so that work on the design could begin. Casarini intended to use an existing, inexpensive V8 engine that would reduce the purchase and maintenance costs of the car. In the tradition of De Tomaso cars, he wished to use a Ford V8 and explored the possibility of using

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1408-536: The potentially smoother ride is usually more than offset by stiffer shock absorbers . This layout also allows the motor, gearbox, and differential to be bolted together as a single unit. Together with independent suspension on the driven wheels, this removes the need for the chassis to transfer engine torque reaction. The largest drawback of mid-engine cars is restricted rear or front (in the case of front-mid layouts) passenger space; consequently, most mid-engine vehicles are two-seat vehicles. The engine in effect pushes

1452-597: The reaction to the unconventional styling was mixed. Lackluster sales figures in 2000 prompted Qvale to reduce the price of model year 2001 cars by nearly 10,000 USD , which the company announced on October 13, 2000. In the summer of 2000, after BMW had sold the MG Rover Group to the Phoenix Consortium , Bruce Qvale contacted one of the Consortium directors, Nick Stephenson, and proposed forming

1496-412: The rear passenger seats forward towards the front axle (if the engine is behind the driver). Exceptions typically involve larger vehicles of unusual length or height in which the passengers can share space between the axles with the engine, which can be between them or below them, as in some vans, large trucks, and buses. The mid-engine layout (with a horizontal engine) was common in single-decker buses in

1540-595: The rear tires, so they have more traction and provide more assistance to the front tires in braking the vehicle, with less chance of rear-wheel lockup and less chance of a skid or spin out. If the mid-engine vehicle is also rear-drive the added weight on the rear tires can also improve acceleration on slippery surfaces, providing much of the benefit of all-wheel-drive without the added weight and expense of all-wheel-drive components. The mid-engine layout makes ABS brakes and traction control systems work better, by providing them more traction to control. The mid-engine layout may make

1584-412: The superior balance - and the car begins to spin. The moment of inertia about the center of gravity is low due to the concentration of mass between the axles (similar to standing in the middle of a playground roundabout, rather than at the edge) and the spin will occur suddenly, the car will rotate faster and it will be harder to recover from. Conversely, a front-engined car is more likely to break away in

1628-693: The time, Latin . In 1914, the British Expeditionary Force fought a rearguard action here during the Retreat from Mons . On 1 September, the British 4th ( Guards ) Brigade who were covering the withdrawal of 2nd Division , came into contact with the leading units of the German III Corps on the edge of woodland near Villers-Cotterêts. The brigade lost more than 300 men in the encounter, but were able to break away and continue

1672-508: The withdrawal. Many are buried at Guards' Grave , a military cemetery maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission . An ancillary hospital to that of Royaumont was set up in the town and a silent documentary about it was made. La Plaine Saint-Rémy, Pisseleux, was an ancient commune that was merged with Villers-Cotterêts in 1971. The inhabitants are called Cottevreziens in French. The town

1716-527: Was called the De Tomaso Biguà, though it still needed development before it would reach full production. The company required capital to continue, and an initial appeal to the Italian government failed due to the declining health of Alejandro de Tomaso. Eventually, the company approached the Qvale family, who, led by Kjell Qvale , had been a North American importer for the original De Tomaso Mangusta in

1760-515: Was selected as the supplier for the interior electrical systems. In order to save maintenance costs, the interior shares many parts with the Ford Mustang SVT Cobra . The alloy wheels for the Mangusta were produced by Antera. When the Mangusta was transitioned from a prototype to production model, Carlo Gaino of Synthesis Design was contracted to perform any necessary adjustments to the design. Synthesis Design developed two cars: one

1804-482: Was the restyling of the production car, the other an evolution based on the reduction of production costs. The first De Tomaso Mangusta was completed on November 10, 1999. On January 6, 2000, at the Los Angeles Motor Show , Bruce Qvale announced the return of the De Tomaso brand to North America with the new Mangusta. Also announced was the Mangusta's entry into racing, with Qvale Motorsports entering

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1848-570: Was the start of Stage 4 in the 2007 Tour de France . The original château was built around 950 AD and was burnt to the ground twice before being rebuilt out of stone in the early 12th century. The front entrance is the only original remaining structure, which is listed with the Historic Monument Registry at the École des Beaux Arts. Francis I purchased the château from the de Noüe family to house his mistress Anne de Pisseleu d'Heilly . The Château de Noüe  [ fr ]

1892-518: Was to recycle the De Tomaso Pantera name). Because the De Tomaso company was being financially supported by Qvale at the time, this caused disharmony between Qvale and de Tomaso that ultimately resulted in the decision to discontinue their cooperation on the project. The De Tomaso Mangusta was renamed the "Qvale Mangusta", and production continued. Twenty-nine cars were manufactured for the purpose of crash-testing and homologation . Also,

1936-554: Was updated with 18th-century régence decoration by Gilles-Marie Oppenordt . The current owner is the Pépinières du Valois, an agricultural venture. In 1902 the city opened a Museum Alexandre Dumas to gather souvenirs about the family. In 1952 the museum moved to a local 19th century mansion that served as General Maunoury 's headquarters during the First World War. It has three rooms, each of them dedicated to one of

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