Q: of the car? Yeah, but why'd they put the engine in the back? Why not the front?
A: I don't think the new beetle models have the engine in the back. but answering your question it is because when they developed those small cars were with the idea for working class families who couldn't afford to use big amounts of gas. When the engine is in the front the car pulling, but when is the back is pushing. this way the engine doesn't work too hard and so the burning of gas will be less, also the oil because the cooling system wouldn't use water, but air from the engine rotation, the more the car would run the more air will cool the engine.