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{{Short description|Automobile layout}} |
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In ] design, an '''FR''', or '''Front-engine, ]''', layout places the ] in the front of the vehicle and drive wheels at the rear. This was the traditional automobile layout for most of the 20th century. This layout is typically chosen for its simple design and weight distribution. Placing the engine at the front gives the vehicle a traditional long hood (in British English "bonnet"). Placing the drive wheels at the rear allows ample room for the transmission in the center of the vehicle. |
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{{Multiple issues| |
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{{original research|date=January 2023}} |
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{{more references|date=January 2023}} |
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{{Single source|date=April 2019}} |
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}} |
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] |
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A '''front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout''' '''(FR)''', also called '''Systeme Panhard'''<ref name="R-MH">{{cite web |title=The Nostalgia of Forgotten Gods: Panhard & Levassor, France, 1886-1967 |url=https://roarington.com/media-house/stories/the-nostalgia-of-forgotten-gods-panhard-and-levassor-france-1886-1967 |website=Roarington |access-date=26 August 2024 |language=en}}</ref> is a ] with an engine in front and ], connected via a ]. This arrangement, with the engine straddling the front axle, was the traditional automobile layout for most of the pre-1950s automotive mechanical projects.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sae.org/technical/papers/2006-01-1339|title=Development of a New Hybrid Transmission for RWD Car|publisher=www.sae.org|access-date=2008-01-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090207074723/http://www.sae.org/technical/papers/2006-01-1339|archive-date=2009-02-07|url-status=dead}}</ref> It is also used in trucks, pickups, and ] ]es and ]es. |
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The first FR car was an 1895 ] model, so this layout was known as the "Systeme Panhard" in the early years. Most cars used the FR layout until the 1980s, exemplified by the ], ], and vehicles from ] and ]. The ] of the 1970s and the success of small ] cars like the ] and ] led to the widespread adoption of that layout. |
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=={{anchor|FMR layout|FMR}}Front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout== |
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Some manufacturers, such as Volvo, retained this layout but moved the gearbox from behind the engine to between the rear wheels, putting more weight over the driven axle. This configuration is often referred to as a ] since the transmission and axle are one unit. |
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[[File:Automotive diagrams 03 En.png|thumb|upright=1.25|FMR |
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layout, the engine is located behind the front axle]] |
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A '''front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout''' '''(FMR)''' places the engine in the front half of the vehicle but ''behind'' the front axle, which likewise drives the rear wheels via a driveshaft. Shifting the engine's ] rearward aids in front/rear ] and reduces the ], both of which improve a vehicle's ].{{citation needed span|While the mechanical layout of an FMR is substantially the same as an FR car, the classification of some models of the same vehicle may vary as either FR or FMR depending on the length of the engine (e.g. 4-cylinder vs. 6-cylinder) and its center of mass in relation to the front axle.|reason=It is a boldface potentially contentious claim without any support.|date=January 2023}} |
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Right after the ] of 1973 and the 1979 ], a majority of American FR vehicles (station wagons, luxury sedans) were being phased out for the FF layout - this trend would spawn the SUV/van conversion market. Chrysler went 100% FF by 1990; only GM and Ford retained FR for their luxury and performance vehicles. |
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FMR cars are often characterized by a long hood and front wheels that are pushed forward to the corners of the vehicle, close to the front bumper. ]-style ]s often have FMR layouts, as a rear engine does not leave much space for rear seats. |
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GM phased out its FR luxury cars after the 1996 model year, and its ] (]/]) in 2002; to date, no FR passenger cars are sold by GM in the United States and Canada with the exception of the 2004 ] (imported from Australia), ]/] and the ]/]. |
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==Gallery== |
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Today, most cars are FF, though the limitations of that layout are beginning to become apparent. Many of the newest models have adopted ], and some, like the ] are switching back to the FR layout. Most ] and ] have always been FR. |
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<gallery> |
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File:1968 AMC AMX yellow 390 auto md-er.jpg|The 390 cid V8 engine in a FR 1968 ] functionally straddles its front axle, with the centerline of the shock towers basically bisecting the center of the air cleaner |
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Recently, a new layout called '''FM''' for '''Front-midships''' has appeared. An FM car places the engine in the front like an FR car, but pushed back enough that the engine's ] is to the rear of the front axle. This aids in weight distribution and handling. Typical FM cars are high performance models such as the ], ], ], ], ], ], and the ]. |
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E-Type Jag 4.2-litre engine 2022.jpg|The straight-6 DOHC ] clearly sits behind the front axle of an FMR ] |
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GMLT5.JPG|All ] from the second through the seventh generation are FMR. Only ancillary aspects of this ] engine may lie above the front axle. |
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Dodge Viper Motorraum.JPG|An FMR ] showing its 8.4 L V10 positioned behind the car’s front axle |
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F_599_007.JPG|The ] V12 engine sitting behind the ]'s front axle. |
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</gallery> |
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==See also== |
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==See also== |
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* ] |
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*] |
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* ] |
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==References== |
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* ] |
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{{reflist}} |
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* ] |
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* ] |
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{{Automobile configuration}} |
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* ] |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Front-Engine, Rear-Wheel Drive Layout}} |
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FMR cars are often characterized by a long hood and front wheels that are pushed forward to the corners of the vehicle, close to the front bumper. 2+2-style grand tourers often have FMR layouts, as a rear engine does not leave much space for rear seats.
The 390 cid V8 engine in a FR 1968 AMC AMX functionally straddles its front axle, with the centerline of the shock towers basically bisecting the center of the air cleaner
The straight-6 DOHC XK engine clearly sits behind the front axle of an FMR Jaguar E-Type
All Chevrolet Corvette from the second through the seventh generation are FMR. Only ancillary aspects of this Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1's engine may lie above the front axle.
An FMR Dodge Viper showing its 8.4 L V10 positioned behind the car’s front axle
The F140 C V12 engine sitting behind the Ferrari 599's front axle.
