Sorry for rambling first post.

The question is, what's the evidence to suggest that mounting the engine 'mid engine'd' is a bad idea?

Would love a Ford GT if someone would buy me one

Mid-engine'd is one of the best option for weight distribution. In the Puma, the engine would actually end up pretty central. The reason I am thinking mid engine'd is because it's more simple for me to do (personally I think), cheaper and less transmission loss over front engine RWD or 4WD. The car is a a big toy really, I don't need it to quiet/comfortable, just surprising