Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout explained

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.[1] It is also used in trucks, pickups, and high-floor buses and school buses.

Front mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout

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 center of mass rearward aids in front/rear weight distribution and reduces the moment of inertia, both of which improve a vehicle's handling.

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.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Development of a New Hybrid Transmission for RWD Car. www.sae.org. 2008-01-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20090207074723/http://www.sae.org/technical/papers/2006-01-1339. 2009-02-07. dead.