This has to be one of the coolest “What ifs” in automotive history. What if instead of building the Viper, or even the Hellcat, Dodge was the mid-engine supercar company out of Detroit? Would such a thing even be possible? Well, in the 1980s Dodge built a fully functional Corvette killer but chose not to go into production.

Mid engine sports cars have been around for a long time. The French company “Djet” first launched a production rear mid-engine coupe in 1965. The more famous Lotus Europa was hot on its heels in 1966.

What is so great about a rear mid-engine car? With their low hoods, many drivers just think they look awesome. But as importantly, keeping the powertrain’s weight near the center of the car allows them to corner quicker. Having a slight bias toward the rear wheels helps them launch off the starting line faster too.

By the 1980s, Dodge was searching for ways to demonstrate its I4 engines’ power. Then it won a contract to provide pace cars for the Indy 500. The automaker designed a very efficient coupe body theoretically capable of 200 mph. It had Cosworth develop a 2.2-liter engine with two Garrett superchargers that made 440 horsepower. No, that’s not a typo, this thing was wound tight!

This mid-engine supercar, named the Dodge M4S was tested at 194.8 mph. That’s on-par with Corvette’s latest 1,000-horsepower twin-turbo ZR1. But in 1981. Back then, the front-engine Corvette only made 190 horsepower. If Dodge had gone into production with the M4S, it would have changed everything.

The Dodge M4S would serve as the Indy 500 pace car intermittently between 1984 and 1987. It also appeared as the hero car in Charlie Sheen’s 1986 action fantasy film “The Wraith.” Despite cult status the M4S always remained a concept car with just four built. But a car like this makes you wonder, What if?