Patent ID: 7000726

Claim:
An engine positioning structure for a rear wheel drive automobile, the automobile having a longitudinal axis and having a passenger compartment with a floor panel and an engine compartment in front of the passenger compartment, the two compartments being separated by a dash panel, with an engine mounted in the engine compartment driving the rear wheels, the engine positioning structure comprising: means for positioning the engine so that a rotation axis of the engine is at a position higher than the height of the floor panel of the passenger compartment; means for positioning a rear end part of the engine behind a general plane of the dash panel; a cowl which is provided at the upper part of the dash panel, the cowl having a closed cross-section structure extending in a widthwise direction relative to the longitudinal axis; a part of the cowl having a reduced closed cross-section at the center part of the widthwise direction where the size of the closed cross-section is rearwardly reduced in the longitudinal direction; and the rear end of the engine being mounted within the part of the cowl having a reduced closed cross-section.