A diesel would be sweet but with that short of a wheel base, you would be limited to towing a popup camper.
I am pretty sure that they just cut out the 2nd door. That is why the wheel base is what it is. That wheel placement looks fine if the 4(2per side) doors are there, but with 2(1per side)looks like it needs a wheelie bar.
Another thing that makes it look awkward is the rear glass at an angle. If the window was square, it wouldn't look so out of proportion.
Don't get me wrong here. I would drive it, but sometime its the small things that can make a big project look goofy.