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Revision as of 17:54, 24 January 2023 by 2601:196:180:8d80:a034:3394:fb39:12ef (talk) (→Gallery: Image leaves one guessing)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) Automobile layout | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources. Find sources: "Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (April 2019) |
A front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout (FR) is an automotive design with an engine in front and rear-wheel-drive, connected via a drive shaft. This arrangement, with the engine straddling the front axle, was the traditional automobile layout for most of the 20th century.It is also used in high-floor buses and school buses.
The FR layout was largely displaced in the late 20th century by the front-engine, front-wheel-drive (FF) and all-wheel drive (AWD) layouts.
Front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout
A front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout (FMR) places the engine in the front of the vehicle but behind the front axle, which likewise drives the rear wheels via a driveshaft. Shifting the engine's center of mass rearward aids in front/rear weight distribution and reduces the moment of inertia, both of which improve a vehicle's handling. 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.
Characteristics
- 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.
Gallery
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All Chevrolet Corvette from the second generation (model year 1963) through the seventh generation (model year 2019) have FMR. Only ancillary aspects of this Chevrolet Corvette ZR-1's engine may lie above the front axle.
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Dodge Viper showing its 8.4l V10 positioned behind the car’s front axle
See also
References
- "Development of a New Hybrid Transmission for RWD Car". www.sae.org. Archived from the original on 2009-02-07. Retrieved 2008-01-11.