Innovative Features
By discarding the usual running-boards and expanding the cabin to the full width of the car, as well as using a long wheelbase, the Scarab offered a spacious interior. Space was further maximized by placing the engine directly over the rear axle and moving the driver far forward, so that the steering wheel was almost directly above the front wheels. Passengers entered through a single, large common door, and encountered a flexible seating system, that could be configured in almost any arrangement imaginable, except for the driver, whose seat was fixed. Rivaling the seating in modern MPVs, such as the Chrysler Voyager or Renault Espace, there was even a small card table which could be fitted anywhere among the passenger seats if so required. Interiors were appointed in leather, chrome, and wood. Design elements also worked in a stylized ancient Egyptian "scarab" motif, including the car's emblem. Visibility to the front and sides was similar to that of an observation car, although rearward vision was almost nil and there were no rear-view mirrors.
The innovations did not end with the car's layout and body design. In an era where almost everything on the road had rigid axles with leaf springs, the Scarab featured independent suspension using coil springs on all four corners, providing a smoother, quieter ride. The rear-engine-induced weight bias coupled to the coil spring suspension endowed the Scarab with very good handling and traction. The rear swing axle suspension with long coil spring struts was inspired by aircraft landing gear. The Scarab suspension would itself inspire the later Chapman strut used by Lotus from their Lotus Twelve model of 1957.
The Ford flathead V8 drove the rear wheels via a custom Stout-built three-speed manual transaxle. The engine was reversed from its normal position, mounted directly over the rear axle and with the flywheel and clutch facing forwards. The transmission was mounted ahead of this, reversing and lowering the driveline back to the axle. This unusual layout would later be repeated by the Lamborghini Countach.
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