query: who invented the first front wheel drive car

pos: Front-wheel drive Front-wheel drive Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel-drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitudinal engine arrangement generally found in rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel drive vehicles. Most FWD layouts are front-engined. Rear-engined layouts are possible, but rare. Historically they fall into three categories: Experiments with front-wheel-drive cars date to the early days of the automobile. According to various sources, sometime between 1895 and 1898 Gräf & Stift built a "voiturette" with a one-cylinder De Dion-Bouton engine fitted in

neg: Jean-Albert Grégoire and built by Henri Chapron. All the cars mentioned previously were front-wheel-drive cars. Grégoire also designed a couple of rear-wheel-drive machines, the first an electric car with the machinery in the mid-engine position and a gas turbine car the experimental Socema-Gregoire with a front-power-unit and rear-drive layout. Jean-Albert Grégoire Jean-Albert Grégoire (7 July 1899 in Paris – 19 August 1992) was one of the great pioneers of the front-wheel-drive car. He contributed to the development of front-wheel-drive vehicles in two ways. The first way was in developing and promoting the Tracta joint (designed by his friend Pierre Fenaille), which was,

neg: Alvis Car and Engineering Company suspension. Alvis was a pioneer of front-wheel drive vehicles. While J. Walter Christie had designed the first front-wheel drive race car, which he drove in the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup, the next notable front-wheel drive race car was the supercharged Alvis 12/50 racing car designed by G. T. Smith-Clarke and W. M. Dunn, which was entered in the 1925 Kop Hill Climb in Princes Risborough in Buckinghamshire on 28 March 1925. Two months later (on Saturday, 30 May 1925), Harry Arminius Miller's Miller 122 front-wheel drive car was entered in the 1925 Indianapolis 500. The initial Alvis aero-engines were licence-built Gnome-Rhone

neg: Front-wheel drive the English car company, had produced the front-wheel-drive roadster, Lloyd 650. The two-stroke, two-cylinder motor was mounted transversely in the front and connected to the front wheels through four-speed synchronised gearbox. The high price and lacklustre performance had doomed its production. Only 600 units were produced from 1946 to 1950. In 1954, Alfa-Romeo had experimented with its first front-wheel-drive compact car named "33" (not related or referred to sports car similarly named "33"). It had the same transverse-mounted, forward-motor layout as the modern front-wheel-drive automobiles. It even resembled the smaller version of its popular Alfa Romeo Giulia. However, due to

neg: Car layout using the rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout (RR). For example, the Porsche 911 added all-wheel drive to the existing line-up of rear-wheel drive models in 1989. Drivetrain layout Car layout The layout of a car is often defined by the location of the engine and drive wheels. Layouts can roughly be divided into three categories: front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive. Many different combinations of engine location and driven wheels are found in practice, and the location of each is dependent on the application for which the car will be used. The "front-engine, front-wheel-drive" layout (abbreviated as FF layout) places both

neg: Citroën Traction Avant Citroën Traction Avant The Citroën Traction Avant () is an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1934 to 1957. Approximately 760,000 units were produced. This Traction Avant pioneered mass production of two revolutionary features still in use today: four-wheel independent suspension, and front-wheel drive. The Traction Avant, French for front-wheel drive, was designed by André Lefèbvre and Flaminio Bertoni in late 1933 / early 1934. The Traction Avant pioneered front-wheel drive on the European mass car market, along with DKW's and Adler's 1930s models. Front-wheel drive had just appeared for the first time through luxury vehicle manufacturers

neg: Front-wheel drive the financial difficulties in post-war Italy, the 33 never saw the production. Had Alfa-Romeo succeed in producing 33, it would precede the Mini as the first "modern" European front-wheel-drive compact car. In 1955, one of the first Japanese manufacturers to utilize front-wheel drive with a transversely installed engine was the Suzuki Suzulight, which was a small "city" car, called a "kei car" in Japanese. In 1959 Austin Mini was launched by the British Motor Corporation, designed by Alec Issigonis as a response to the first 'oil crisis', the 1956 Suez Crisis, and the boom in bubble cars that followed. It

neg: Bugatti Type 53 Bugatti Type 53 The Bugatti Type 53 was a four-wheel drive racing car built by Bugatti in 1932. The Type 53 was one of the first racing cars to attempt to drive all four wheels, though Ettore Bugatti himself had designed multi-engine all wheel drive vehicles early in his career. The Type 53 used the () engine from the Type 50 road car fitted to the chassis of the Type 51 racer. It was originally conceived by Giulio Cappa, who created a front wheel drive Grand Prix car in 1926. Cappa's associate, Antonio Pichetto, handled the development of the car

neg: Front-wheel drive Francs (circa $600) each. J. Walter Christie of the United States patented a design for a front-wheel-drive car, the first prototype of which he built in 1904. He promoted and demonstrated the vehicle by racing at various speedways in the United States, and even competed in the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup and the French Grand Prix. In 1912 he began manufacturing a line of wheeled fire engine tractors which used his front-wheel-drive system, but due to lack of sales this venture failed. The next successful application of front-wheel drive was the supercharged Alvis 12/50 racing car designed by George Thomas Smith-Clarke

neg: Front-wheel drive Ruxton (200 cars in 1929), and the Cord L-29 of 1929. Neither automobile maker was particularly successful on the open market. Alvis Cars introduced a front-wheel-drive commercial model of the Alvis 12/50 in 1928, but it was not a success either. The first successful consumer application came in 1929. The BSA (Birmingham Small Arms Company) produced the unique front-wheel-drive BSA three-wheeler. Production continued until 1936 during which time sports and touring models were available. In 1931 the DKW F1 from Germany made its debut. Buckminster Fuller adopted rear-engine, front wheel drive for his three Dymaxion Car prototypes. Other German car

neg: Economy car its 1970s level of industrialisation. It was a utilitarian front-wheel-drive supermini with Fiat standard transverse engine and end-on gearbox. It featured mostly flat body panels and flat glass. Also in 1980, the all new hatchback and front wheel drive third generation Ford Escort Mark III (Europe) was launched. Previous Escorts were saloon/sedans with front engine and rear wheel drive. In 1981 Ford launched the American version of the Ford Escort. In 1982 GM launched their first front-wheel-drive supermini, the Opel Corsa/Vauxhall Nova in Europe. In 1983 Fiat launched the next step forward in small car design, the Fiat Uno. It

neg: Car layout Car layout The layout of a car is often defined by the location of the engine and drive wheels. Layouts can roughly be divided into three categories: front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive. Many different combinations of engine location and driven wheels are found in practice, and the location of each is dependent on the application for which the car will be used. The "front-engine, front-wheel-drive" layout (abbreviated as FF layout) places both the internal combustion engine and driven wheels at the front of the vehicle. This is the most common layout for cars since the late 20th century.

neg: Rear-engine, front-wheel-drive layout Rear-engine, front-wheel-drive layout A rear-engine, front-wheel-drive layout is one in which the engine is between or behind the rear wheels, and drives the front wheels via a driveshaft, the complete reverse of a conventional front-engine, rear-wheel-drive vehicle layout. The earliest example of the form appeared in 1932, with the design and construction of the prototype "Maroon Car" by chief designer Harleigh Holmes at Coleman Motors, an established builder of Front- and All-Wheel-Drive vehicles based in Littleton, Colorado. The car had front-wheel drive and was powered by a rear-mounted V-8 engine. Only one was built and the vehicle was never placed

neg: Four-wheel drive in Formula One Special was the first car featuring both four-wheel drive and an air-cooled engine to start a Formula One race. Four-wheel drive in Formula One Four-wheel drive (4WD) has only been tried a handful of times in Formula One. In the World Championship era since 1950, only eight such cars are known to have been built. The first 4WD F1 car was the Ferguson P99-Climax, and it remains the most famous example as a result of its twin claims to fame – not only the first 4WD car, but also the last front-engined car ever to win a Formula 1 event.

neg: Toyota Tercel In this new front-wheel-drive design, the first for Toyota, the engine is mounted longitudinally. The transmission is mounted under the floorpan, as is the case in a rear-wheel-drive car. Unlike a rear-wheel-drive car, the transmission has a ring and pinion gear on the front part of the transmission, underneath the engine. The engine, transmission and differential are located a little to the side from the centre line of the car, but still roughly in the centre. Halfshafts then extend from the transmission to the front wheels. In August 1980, the Tercel (and Corsa) underwent a facelift, with considerable changes to

neg: History of the bicycle limited its top speed. One attempt to solve both problems with a chain-driven front wheel was the dwarf bicycle, exemplified by the Kangaroo. Inventors also tried a rear wheel chain drive. Although Harry John Lawson invented a rear-chain-drive bicycle in 1879 with his "bicyclette", it still had a huge front wheel and a small rear wheel. Detractors called it "The Crocodile", and it failed in the market. John Kemp Starley, James's nephew, produced the first successful "safety bicycle" (again a retrospective name), the "Rover," in 1885, which he never patented. It featured a steerable front wheel that had significant caster,

neg: Four-wheel drive front wheels. Spyker is credited with building and racing the first ever four-wheel drive racing car, the "Spyker 60 HP" in 1903. Bugatti created a total of three four-wheel-drive racers, the Type 53, in 1932, but the cars were notorious for having poor handling. Miller produced the first 4WD car to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, the 1938 Miller Gulf Special. Ferguson Research Ltd. built the front-engine P99 Formula One car that actually won a non-World Championship race with Stirling Moss in 1961. In 1968, Team Lotus raced cars in the Indy 500 and three years later in Formula 1

neg: Škoda Favorit 781 range of supermini cars that was made from 1987 to 1995. It was Škoda's first car to follow the European trend of locating the engine at the front, mounted transversely, and was also their first car to use front-wheel drive. The Favorit was premiered in July 1987 at the Brno Engineering Fair. This latest Favorit eventually succeeded the ageing rear-engined, rear-wheel drive Škoda 105/120 "Estelle", and was a considerable move towards the modern mainstream in design terms thanks to its Bertone-designed hatchback body and front-wheel drive. However, the Favorit initially took a long time to get to market -

neg: Drive shaft may involve a more sophisticated form of universal joint. Modern light cars with all-wheel drive (notably Audi or the Fiat Panda) may use a system that more closely resembles a front-wheel drive layout. The transmission and final drive for the front axle are combined into one housing alongside the engine, and a "single" drive shaft runs the length of the car to the rear axle. This is a favoured design where the torque is biased to the front wheels to give car-like handling, or where the maker wishes to produce both four-wheel drive and front-wheel drive cars with many shared

neg: Front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout low centre of gravity reducing the effect. The air-cooled flat twin engine of the Citroën 2CV was also mounted very low, in front of the front wheels, with the transmission behind the axle line and the differential between the two. This became quite popular; cars using this layout included the German Ford Taunus 12M and the Lancia Flavia and Fulvia. This is the standard configuration of Audi and Subaru front-wheel-drive vehicles. In 1979, Toyota introduced and launched their first front-wheel-drive car, the Tercel, and it had its engine longitudinally mounted, unlike most other front-wheel-drive cars on the market at that

neg: Autobianchi Primula another front-wheel drive car, the Austin 1800. This convinced Fiat to develop the drive concept further. In 1969 the first Fiat with a front-mounted transverse engine, the Fiat 128, was launched, along with two new front-wheel drive Autobianchis: the Autobianchi A112, smaller than the Primula, and the larger Autobianchi A111. The 128 secured Fiat the Car of the Year title in 1970, with A112 coming second. Autobianchi Primula The Autobianchi Primula is a supermini economy car manufactured between 1964 and 1970 by the Italian automaker Autobianchi, a now defunct subsidiary of the Fiat Group. The Primula was Fiat's first model

neg: Brass Era car experimental designs and alternative power systems would be marginalised. Although the modern touring car had been invented earlier, it was not until Panhard et Levassor's "Système Panhard" was widely licensed and adopted that recognisable and standardised automobiles were created. This system specified front-engined, rear-wheel drive internal combustion engined cars with a sliding gear transmission. Initially the high-wheel motor buggy (resembling the horse buggy of before 1900) was in its heyday, with over 75 makers, including Holsman (Chicago), IHC (Chicago), and Lincoln Motor Car Works but were only gradually abandoned, in favor of the more advanced runabouts, tonneaus and other more

neg: Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout In automotive design, an FR, or front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout is one where the engine is located at the front of the vehicle and driven wheels are located at the rear. This was the traditional automobile layout for most of the 20th century. Modern designs commonly use the front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout (FF). The first FR car was an 1895 Panhard model, so this layout was known as the "Système Panhard" in the early years. The layout has the advantage of minimizing mechanical complexity, as it allows the transmission to be placed in-line with the engine output shaft, spreading

neg: Car layout Some early front-wheel drive cars from the 1930s had the engine located in the middle of the car. A rear-engine, front-wheel-drive layout is one in which the engine is between or behind the rear wheels, and drives the front wheels via a driveshaft, the complete reverse of a conventional front-engine, rear-wheel-drive vehicle layout. This layout has only been used on prototype and concept cars. The "front-engine, rear-wheel drive" layout (abbreviated as FR layout) is one where the engine is located at the front of the vehicle and driven wheels are located at the rear. This was the traditional automobile layout

neg: DIRAVI than hydraulic actuation. Citroën engineer Paul Magès invented the system as part of its effort to engineer a practical high horsepower, front wheel drive car - a new type of vehicle at the time. This DIRAVI system is an addition to the integrated Citroën hydropneumatic suspension and braking system. These all drew power from an engine driven pump and hydraulic accumulator. This unique Citroën power operated self centring steering system is fitted to Citroën SM, Citroën CX (most), Citroën XM (early Left Hand drive V6), Maserati Quattroporte II and Maserati Khamsin. The steering wheel is connected to the hydraulic control

neg: Autobianchi A111 a fastback saloon and hatchback, the 1964 Primula was Fiat's first front-wheel drive production car. It had pioneered the transverse-engined front-wheel drive layout with the transmission and clutch to the left of the engine, which today is almost universally used on front-wheel drive cars. The brainchild of Dante Giacosa this mechanical layout had been developed for the Fiat "123", an experimental project undertaken to test various unconventional engine and transmission layouts for a mid-sized 1100 replacement; when Fiat's management endorsed the traditionally laid out (front-longitudinal engine, rear-wheel drive) 124 instead, it had spawned the innovative Autobianchi Primula. To replace the

neg: Zero-turn mower the use of a single hand for steering. In 1949, Warrensburg, MO resident Max Swisher invented the very first commercially available zero-turn mower and called it the "Ride King". It was a three-wheeled machine - one drive wheel in front and two in the rear. The patented system utilized the front wheel as the drive wheel that also was able to turn an amazing 360 degrees. The wheel was driven by the motor in the same direction 100% of the time. In order to reverse and/or utilize the zero turn capabilities, you simply turn the steering wheel 180 degrees and

neg: Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout of its competitors (aside from the rear-engined Porsches), from Ferraris to Aston Martins, were traditional front-engined, rear wheel drive grand tourers. The Pontiac Fiero was a mid-engined sports car that was built by the Pontiac division of General Motors from 1984 to 1988. The Fiero was the first two-seater Pontiac since the 1926 to 1938 coupes, and also the first and only mass-produced mid-engine sports car by a U.S. manufacturer. Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout In automotive design, a RMR or Rear Mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout (now simply known as MR or Mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout) is one in which the rear wheels

neg: Škoda 1000 MB than 700 kg, and the overall fuel consumption was not to exceed 6-7 litres per 100 kilometres (33-38mpg). The next step was to produce the car as a four-door saloon, which would be built using monocoque construction. Like most leading car manufacturers dating from before the Second World War, Škoda always built their cars using the traditional and well-proven front-engine and rear-wheel drive layout. However, Škoda decided to look at two alternative options. Their first option was to go for the more modern front-engine and front-wheel drive layout, and their second option was to use the rear-engine and rear-wheel drive

neg: Mid-engine, four-wheel-drive layout of torque that can be supplied to the rear wheels before wheelspin occurs. Because the engine is not in the front, the car can be designed with a minimum amount of frontal area perpendicular to the wind, greatly increasing aerodynamic efficiency. A computer-controlled four-wheel-drive differential system allows a car to both accelerate and corner more quickly, since it can vary the amount of torque going to the front and rear wheels, and therefore vary how much the car behaves like a front- or rear-wheel-drive car. This means that through a fast corner the car is able to display more “neutral”

neg: Front-wheel drive was the first production front-wheel-drive car with a watercooled inline four-cylinder engine mounted transversely. This allowed eighty percent of the floor plan for the use of passengers and luggage. The majority of modern cars use this configuration. Its progressive rate rubber sprung independent suspension, low centre of gravity, and wheel at each corner with radial tyres, gave a massive increase in grip and handling over all but the most expensive cars on the market. It used GKN designed constant-velocity joint drive shaft universal joints. The transversely mounted engine combined with front-wheel drive was popularized by the 1959 Mini; there the

neg: Four-wheel drive in Formula One first appearance at the Dutch Grand Prix, where Jackie Stewart tried the car out but opted to use his MS80, as he would for the rest of the season. The car was still present at all the remaining races as a spare, and at Silverstone Jean-Pierre Beltoise gave the car its first race and came home ninth, six laps behind Stewart's two-wheel drive Matra (but three laps ahead of Miles's Lotus 63). By the next time the car raced, the front differential had been disconnected and the car effectively ran as an over-weight MS80 with inboard front brakes, memorably giving

neg: Four-wheel drive to the public during the 1900 World Exhibition in Paris. The vehicle was a series hybrid car, that used an electric hub motor at each wheel, powered by batteries, which were in turn charged by a gasoline-engine generator. It was clumsily heavy and due to its unusual status the so-called "Lohner-Porsche" is not frequently given its credit as the first four-wheel-driven automobile. The world's first four-wheel drive car directly powered by an internal combustion engine, and the first with a front-engine, four-wheel-drive layout was the Dutch "Spyker 60 H.P." Commissioned for the Paris to Madrid race of 1903, it was

neg: Front-wheel drive beside the engine driving the front wheels through an offset final-drive and unequal-length driveshafts, combined with MacPherson struts and an independently located radiator — subsequently became common with competitors and arguably an industry standard. The Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard drove a mass changeover of cars in the U.S. to front-wheel drive. The change began in 1978, with the introduction of the first American-built transverse-engined cars, the Plymouth Horizon and Dodge Omni (based on the European designed Simca Horizon), followed by the 1980 Chevrolet Citation and numerous other vehicles. Meanwhile, European car makers, that had moved to front-wheel drive decades

neg: Audi Front decision to badge it instead as an Audi was led by marketing considerations. The 920 neatly slotted into the Auto Union range between the larger and more costly Horch models and the slightly smaller cheaper cars produced by Wanderer. Under these circumstances, the description of the rear wheel drive 920 as a replacement for the front wheel drive Audi Front UW 225 is not unchallenged. Audi Front Initially presented early in 1933, the Audi Front UW 220 was Europe’s first car to combine front-wheel drive with a six-cylinder engine. It remained in production for slightly under two years before being

neg: Lotus Elan kickback were not insurmountable." This was the only front-wheel-drive vehicle made by Lotus. Every model made since the M100 Elan, such as the Lotus Elise, has been rear-wheel drive. The M100 Elan's cornering performance was undeniable (on release the Elan was described by Autocar magazine as "the quickest point to point car available"). Press reaction was not uniformly positive, as some reviewers found the handling too secure and predictable compared to a rear-wheel-drive car. However, the Elan's rigid chassis minimised roll through the corners and has led to many critics describing it as 'the finest front wheel drive [car] bar

neg: Automotive industry in the United Kingdom front-wheel drive, considerably later than their continental rivals. For instance, the arrival of the front-wheel drive Volkswagen Golf hatchback in 1974 came four years before any of the four British-based carmakers had launched an equivalent car. By the time the first small British-built hatchback, the Vauxhall Chevette, was launched in 1975, the French Renault 5 had already been in production for three years. However, British Leyland's larger Austin Maxi had been sold with a hatchback and front-wheel drive since its 1969 launch, although it sold similar-sized cars like the Morris Marina and Triumph Dolomite alongside it as a rear-wheel drive

neg: Austin Motor Company BMC had spent 10 years developing a new range of front-drive, transverse-engined models, while most competitors had only just started to make such changes. The big exception to this was the Austin 3-litre. Launched in 1968, it was a rear-wheel drive large car, but it shared the central section of the 1800. It was a sales disaster, with fewer than 10,000 examples being made. BMC was the first British manufacturer to move into front-wheel drive so comprehensively. Ford did not launch its first front-drive model until 1976 (in Britain), Ford-Germany in 1962 with the Taunus 12M(P4)), while Vauxhall's first front-drive

neg: Toyota Tercel inclinometer above the radio and air conditioner that measures the tilt of the car. The new Tercel 4WD was built from existing pieces in the Toyota inventory. The engine, transaxle and front-wheel-drive system were from the existing Tercel. The coil-sprung, live rear axle was taken from the rear-wheel drive Corolla. The only part specifically designed for the new Tercel 4WD was the transfer case, built into the transmission. This gives the driver greater versatility than was possible on a purely front-wheel-drive vehicle, as it provides three different power arrangements. Normally, the car is operated with front-wheel drive. When the driver

neg: Economy car injection pump technology. Also in that year, Ford of Europe (produced by the merging of Ford national operations in Europe) launched their first front-wheel-drive small car, the Ford Fiesta, having gained experience from the Ford of Germany 1960s European midsized Ford Taunus P4 and Ford of Brazil Ford Corcel. GM Europe (Vauxhall/Opel) introduced their first European market front-wheel-drive car, the Opel Kadett D/Vauxhall Astra, Golf-sized car in 1979 by Opel in Germany and 1980 by Vauxhall in the UK. In 1980, Fiat introduced the Giugiaro designed Mk 1 Fiat Panda. It was originally designed to be produced in China at

neg: Four-wheel drive in Formula One Four-wheel drive in Formula One Four-wheel drive (4WD) has only been tried a handful of times in Formula One. In the World Championship era since 1950, only eight such cars are known to have been built. The first 4WD F1 car was the Ferguson P99-Climax, and it remains the most famous example as a result of its twin claims to fame – not only the first 4WD car, but also the last front-engined car ever to win a Formula 1 event. Fred Dixon and Tony Rolt considered the possibility of using 4WD in circuit racing, and with Harry Ferguson keen

neg: Honda Element 5500 rpm and of torque at 4500 rpm. Drive is either front-wheel drive or optionally, 4 wheel drive — via a hydraulically actuated on demand system that engages with front wheel slippage, marketed as "Real Time" 4 wheel drive. The Element has a towing capacity of 680 kg, or 1500 lbs. With projected first year sales of 50,000, the Element sold 67,478 units in 2003 in the U.S. By 2010, just over 14,000 were sold, and by December 2010, shortly before its discontinuation, production totaled approximately 325,000. In 2007, the Element won the Dogcars.com "Dog Car of the Year" award

neg: Front mid-engine, front-wheel-drive layout of the driver's compartment but fully behind the front axle line also qualifies as "mid-engine". Front mid-engine, front-wheel-drive layout In automotive design, a Front Mid-engine, Front-wheel-drive layout (sometimes called FMF or just MF) is one in which the front road wheels are driven by an internal-combustion engine placed just behind them, in front of the passenger compartment. In contrast to the Front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout (FF), the center of mass of the engine is behind the front axle. This layout is typically chosen for its better weight distribution (the heaviest component is near the center of the car, lowering its moment

neg: Jeep Wagoneer (SJ) quite fuel-efficient for its day. There were 3-speed manual and automatic transmissions, and either was offered in 2WD rear-wheel-drive, or part-time four-wheel-drive without center differential, but with manually locking front hubs. The Warn hubs were utilized to engage or disengage the front wheels, to switch the drive-train between two-wheel or four-wheel drive mode. Like on the original Willys Wagon, independent front suspension instead of a rigid front axle was again offered to give the Wagoneer a more car-like ride and handling. The original Wagoneer featured independent front suspension (IFS) as standard on the rear-wheel drive models and was optional on

neg: Front mid-engine, front-wheel-drive layout Front mid-engine, front-wheel-drive layout In automotive design, a Front Mid-engine, Front-wheel-drive layout (sometimes called FMF or just MF) is one in which the front road wheels are driven by an internal-combustion engine placed just behind them, in front of the passenger compartment. In contrast to the Front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout (FF), the center of mass of the engine is behind the front axle. This layout is typically chosen for its better weight distribution (the heaviest component is near the center of the car, lowering its moment of inertia). Since the differences between the FF and MF layouts are minor, most people

neg: Jean-Albert Grégoire Jean-Albert Grégoire Jean-Albert Grégoire (7 July 1899 in Paris – 19 August 1992) was one of the great pioneers of the front-wheel-drive car. He contributed to the development of front-wheel-drive vehicles in two ways. The first way was in developing and promoting the Tracta joint (designed by his friend Pierre Fenaille), which was, until manufacturing techniques had progressed sufficiently to allow the successful manufacture of the constant velocity joints commonly in use today, the preferred choice of most manufactures of vehicles that had driven front wheels. Tracta joints were used by many of the pioneers of front-wheel drive, including DKW

neg: Front-wheel drive vehicles in their operations outside North America). GM was even later with the 1979 Vauxhall Astra/Opel Kadett. Captive imports were the US car makers initial response to the increased demand for economy cars. The popularity of front-wheel drive began to gain momentum, with the 1981 Ford Escort, the 1982 Nissan Sentra, and the 1983 Toyota Corolla. Front-wheel drive became the norm for mid-sized cars starting with the 1982 Chevrolet Celebrity, 1982 Toyota Camry, 1983 Dodge 600, 1985 Nissan Maxima, 1986 Honda Legend, and the 1986 Ford Taurus. By the mid-1980s, most formerly rear-wheel-drive Japanese models were front-wheel drive, and by

neg: Cord (automobile) early Oldsmobile Toronados, whose GM stylists later stated they were trying to capture the "feel" of the Cord's design, also featured hidden headlamps. "Servo" shifting was accomplished through a bendix electro-vacuum pre-selector mechanism (a type of electromechanical shifting). This was the first American front-wheel drive car to be offered to the public, beating the Ruxton automobile by several months, in 1929. The brainchild of former Miller engineer Carl Van Ranst, its drive system borrowed from the Indianapolis 500-dominating racers, using the same de Dion layout and inboard brakes. Built in Auburn, Indiana, the Cord was the first front-wheel-drive car to

neg: 1978 in motoring front-wheel drive hatchback, the Horizon, which was the first car of its kind to be built in Britain, similar in concept to the Volkswagen Golf launched in West Germany four years earlier. It gave buyers a modern alternative to the ageing rear-wheel drive Avenger saloons and estates, which continued in production despite falling directly into the category of cars that the Horizon might be expected to replace. This meant that the carmaker was in the unusual position of offering rear-wheel drive saloons and estates as well as a front-wheel drive hatchback at the same time. While the British Ryton plant

neg: Nissan Violet , beginning with the 1984 model year. European market cars were generally fitted with very long gearing, making the car one of the most fuel economic in its class. It was first sold in Britain from January 1982, alongside the similar-sized rear-wheel drive Bluebird saloons and estates, which later also switched to front-wheel drive. This meant that Nissan was in the position of offering traditional rear-wheel drive saloons and estates alongside similar-sized front-wheel drive cars including hatchbacks, as this market sector was in a period of transition in the early 1980s. Nissan-Datsun New Zealand occasionally imported later generation Violets and

neg: Glas Isar appeared at the 1957 Frankfurt Motor Show was a prototype which in the event differed significantly from the car that entered production the next year, in that it used front wheel drive. In most other respects, notably regarding the two cylinder boxer engine and the overall shape of the car, only minor stylistic changes differentiated the cars that went into production in 1958 from the 1957 prototypes. The front wheel drive prototype was unstable, however, because of the way the engine was set far ahead of the front axle, and high above the front-wheel drive power train, in what was

neg: Citroën Traction Avant 30 Traction Avants drove from Los Angeles to New York City without incident. . Citroën Traction Avant The Citroën Traction Avant () is an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1934 to 1957. Approximately 760,000 units were produced. This Traction Avant pioneered mass production of two revolutionary features still in use today: four-wheel independent suspension, and front-wheel drive. The Traction Avant, French for front-wheel drive, was designed by André Lefèbvre and Flaminio Bertoni in late 1933 / early 1934. The Traction Avant pioneered front-wheel drive on the European mass car market, along with DKW's and Adler's 1930s

neg: Peugeot 204 mid-sized front-wheel-drive European passenger cars. The engine had a distinctive design; the gearbox and differential were located directly below the engine block. This design helped Peugeot produce its first front-wheel-drive car. The 204 was also the first Peugeot to be equipped with disc brakes, albeit only on the front wheels. The car proved to have good handling, decent performance, and excellent fuel economy. The compact engine and the transverse engine combined with a body wider than the class average to provide a level of interior space comparable to larger cars such as Peugeot's own 404: both cars were Pininfarina designs.

neg: Acura RLX the interior have been made including a new front seat design, steering wheel, wood trim, and an added Espresso interior color option. RLX features AcuraWatch suite of safety features as standard, including an Acura first- Traffic Jam Assist and blind spot monitoring. The front-wheel-drive RLX receives a new 10-speed automatic. US sales began during November 2017. Acura RLX The Acura RLX is an executive car manufactured by Honda and sold under their Acura division, released in 2013. Succeeding the Acura RL, the RLX offers two versions, a front-wheel drive base model equipped with Acura's Precision All-Wheel Steer (P-AWS) four-wheel steering

neg: Nissan Violet and the 1981 Rallye Côte d'Ivoire. A front-wheel drive Stanza was introduced in 1981 — the first middle-class Datsun to be of that configuration, and the first Japanese car in the category built to the principles which had been established in Europe for this class since a few years back. In Europe, front-wheel drive and a liftback design were becoming the norm in this segment, although more traditional Japanese buyers still preferred the rear-wheel drive Bluebird. It remained on sale in Britain until 1986, after which Nissan sold the first British-built Bluebird as its only product in this market sector.

neg: Ford of Europe when the Escort switched to front-wheel drive and a hatchback from the traditional rear-wheel drive saloon. 20 years of Cortina production came to an end in October 1982 with the launch of the new Ford Sierra. The new car retained the traditional rear-wheel-drive chassis, perhaps surprisingly at the time when a front-wheel drive system was becoming almost exclusive in this sector of car. But in place of its predecessor's conventional, square styling was Sierra's ultramodern aerodynamic styling that was way ahead of its time compared to the competition. Initial sales were disappointing, but demand soon increased and the Sierra was

neg: Rear-engine, front-wheel-drive layout mechanical link between engine and wheels, or even the generated engine power and drive motor output, as the generator tends to run at a constant speed and is used to maintain battery charge rather than power the motor directly. Rear-engine, front-wheel-drive layout A rear-engine, front-wheel-drive layout is one in which the engine is between or behind the rear wheels, and drives the front wheels via a driveshaft, the complete reverse of a conventional front-engine, rear-wheel-drive vehicle layout. The earliest example of the form appeared in 1932, with the design and construction of the prototype "Maroon Car" by chief designer Harleigh

neg: Ford Taunus the 1952 model. All cars are called 12M, though both engines are continued (the car with the bigger engine is called "Taunus 12M 1.5 litre"). Body styles were the same as in the 1952 model. The new Ford Taunus 12M P4 was similar in size, but a completely new car based on the Ford Cardinal project. New body, new V4 engine, front wheel drive. The first Ford car with front wheel drive (second is Ford Corcel, third is Ford Fiesta). Engines: Body styles were two door sedan, four door sedan, two door coupé, two door station wagon and sedan delivery.

neg: Downsize (automobile) transition of GM to front-wheel drive. Although the company had produced front-wheel drive vehicles since 1966, the 1980 X-cars were the first front-wheel drive GM vehicles outside of the luxury car segment. Replacing the Chevrolet Nova, the Chevrolet Citation (alongside the Buick Skylark, Oldsmobile Omega, and Pontiac Phoenix) shed 20 inches of length, six inches of wheelbase, and 800 pounds of curb weight. While nearly matching the Chevrolet Vega in exterior size, the interior dimensions closely matched the previous-generation X-platform sedans. While its A-platform counterpart continued through 1996, the X-platform was discontinued in 1985, replaced by several different designs. To

neg: Renault 5 Turbo rear-wheel drive and rear-mid-engined instead of the normal version's front-wheel drive and front-mounted engine. At the time of its launch it was the most powerful production French car. The first 400 production 5 Turbos were made to comply with Group 4 homologation to allow the car to compete in international rallies, and were manufactured at the Alpine factory in Dieppe. Many parts later transferred to the alpin 310, such as suspension or wheel set. Once the homologation models were produced, a second version named Turbo 2 was introduced using more stock Renault 5 parts replacing many of the light alloy

neg: Smart Fortwo Noble from being exhibited at the Bologna Motor Show, but importer Martin Motors violated that injunction and put the car on display. In May 2009, a Greek judge ruled against Daimler, allowing the Noble to be sold in Greece. The judge cited that "if a vehicle varies in its technical specification, then any external similarities are irrelevant." This was in reference to the Noble being a front-engine, front-wheel-drive car, while the Fortwo is a similar sized rear-engine and rear-wheel-drive car. Smart Fortwo The Smart Fortwo (stylized as "smart fortwo") is a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-seater hatchback city car manufactured and marketed

neg: Mid-engine, four-wheel-drive layout in the centre of the car, which in the case of an M4 layout, distributes power to both front and rear axles. The centre differential contained within many 4 wheel drive cars is similar to the conventional differential in a 2 wheel drive car. It allows torque to be distributed to both drive axles whilst allowing them to spin at different speeds, which vastly improves the cornering of a 4 wheel drive car on surfaces with high grip such as tarmac. However, unlike the differentials on the drive axles which are configured to provide torque equally to both wheels, the

neg: Isuzu Piazza Isuzu Piazza The Isuzu Piazza is a small, sporty 3-door liftback coupé which was manufactured by Isuzu from 1981 to 1992 in two generations. The Isuzu Piazza was marketed as the Isuzu Impulse in North America and as the Holden Piazza in Australia. The first generation Impulse was a rear-wheel drive car, and in the United Kingdom it was the first widely available Isuzu passenger car. The second generation was available as front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. It was the basis for the Gemini Coupe, or Geo Storm as it was known in the US market. As of 2010, the

neg: Isuzu Piazza 2004 11 years after The Impulse RS discontinued. Isuzu Piazza The Isuzu Piazza is a small, sporty 3-door liftback coupé which was manufactured by Isuzu from 1981 to 1992 in two generations. The Isuzu Piazza was marketed as the Isuzu Impulse in North America and as the Holden Piazza in Australia. The first generation Impulse was a rear-wheel drive car, and in the United Kingdom it was the first widely available Isuzu passenger car. The second generation was available as front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. It was the basis for the Gemini Coupe, or Geo Storm as it was known

neg: Constant-velocity joint of the earliest means of transmitting power between two angled shafts, was invented by Gerolamo Cardano in the 16th century. The fact that it failed to maintain constant velocity during rotation was recognized by Robert Hooke in the 17th century, who proposed the first constant velocity joint, consisting of two Cardan joints offset by 90 degrees, so as to cancel out the velocity variations. This is the "double Cardan", shown below. Many different types of constant-velocity joints have been invented since then. Early front wheel drive systems such as those used on the Citroën Traction Avant and the front axles

neg: Transaxle Transaxle A transaxle is a major automotive mechanical component that combines the functionality of the transmission, axle, and differential into one integrated assembly. Transaxles are near universal in all automobile configurations that have the engine placed at the same end of the car as the driven wheels: the front-engine/front-wheel drive; rear-engine/rear-wheel drive; and mid-engine/rear-wheel drive arrangements. Many mid- and rear-engined vehicles use a transverse engine and transaxle, similar to a front-wheel drive unit. Others use a longitudinal engine and transaxle like Ferrari's 1989 Mondial t which used a "T" arrangement with a longitudinal engine connected to a transverse transaxle. Front-wheel

neg: Touring car racing and mountings, while some top-flight GT cars are purpose-built tube-frame racing chassis underneath a cosmetic body shell. More recently, there has been an increasing push to make GT cars closer to the road cars with the GT3 set of regulations. Many touring car series, such as the BTCC and the now-defunct JTCC distinguish themselves from sports car racing by featuring front-wheel drive, four-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive cars with smaller engines. Most sports car championships only allow rear-wheel drive cars. While touring cars generally have a lower technical level than sports cars, there are some exceptions. The Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters

neg: Vauxhall Viva of the front-wheel-drive Opel Kadett. By that time it was dated in comparison with more modern rivals like the Volkswagen Golf. Production ceased at a time when European manufacturers were making the transition from rear-wheel-drive saloons to front-wheel-drive hatchbacks in the family car market. The passing of the Viva marked a significant moment for Vauxhall. The HC Viva had been the penultimate car to be completely designed by the Luton-based company, the 1972 Victor FE range being the last UK designed Vauxhall. That car was replaced in 1978 by the Opel Reckord-based Carlton, so the passing of the Viva in

neg: Autobianchi A111 Autobianchi A111 The Autobianchi A111 is a 4-door saloon family car produced from 1969 to 1972 by Italian car manufacturer Autobianchi, a subsidiary of the Fiat group. Despite rather modest dimensions, at roughly 4 metres long, it was the largest Autobianchi ever made, as the brand specialized in small cars. A modern front-wheel drive construction like the Fiat 128 launched concurrently, it was based on the revolutionary Autobianchi Primula, Fiat's first "experiment" with the transverse engine front-wheel-drive setup. In 1957 Autobianchi produced the Bianchina, an upmarket version of the Fiat 500, and the Primula small family car. Offered both as

neg: Mazda MX-5 California. The Californian team proposed a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, codenamed Duo 101, in line with the British roadster ancestry, but their Japanese counterparts favored the more common front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout or the rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. The first round of judging the competing designs was held in April 1984, with designs presented on paper only. The mid-engined car appeared to offer favorable qualities, although it was known at the time that such a layout would struggle to meet the noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) requirements of the project. It was only at the second round of the competition in August

neg: Alfa Romeo Juan Manuel Fangio secured Alfa's second consecutive championship in 1951. In 1952, Alfa Romeo experimented with its first front-wheel drive compact car, "Project 13–61". It had the same transverse-mounted, forward-motor layout as the modern front-wheel drive automobile. Alfa Romeo made a second attempt toward the late 1950s based on Project 13–61. It was to be called Tipo 103 and resembled the smaller version of its popular Alfa Romeo Giulia. However, due to the financial difficulties in post-war Italy, the Tipo 103 never saw production. Had Alfa Romeo produced it, it would have preceded the Mini as the first "modern" front-wheel

neg: Four-wheel drive electric motor. Transfer of power is managed automatically by internal electronics based on traction conditions and need, making this an all-wheel-drive system. The 4RM system used in the Ferrari FF in 2011 is unique in that it has a rear transaxle with secondary front transaxle connected directly to the engine. The car operates primarily as a rear-wheel drive vehicle. Clutches in the front transaxle engage when the rear wheels slip. Drive to the front wheels is transmitted through two infinitely-variable clutch packs which are allowed to 'slip' to give the required road wheel speeds. The front transaxle has three gears,

neg: Nissan Cherry in sales, which saw it sell just over 6,000 cars in 1971 and more than 30,000 the following year. Although its successor was launched in 1974, such was the original model's popularity on the UK market that it was not replaced there until 1976. Originally, before combining with Nissan Motors, the Prince Motor Company plan of development was to mass-produce a front-engine, front-wheel drive car, but after the Prince and Nissan merger of 1966, the Cherry was released in 1970 as Nissan's first front-wheel drive car. In Asian markets there was also a "Cherry Cab" cabover truck model (C20), which

neg: Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout a transverse front-wheel-drive layout. Some manufacturers, such as Alfa Romeo, Lancia, Porsche (944, 924, 928) and Chevrolet (C5 and C6 Corvettes), 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 transaxle since the transmission and axle are one unit. In Australia, FR cars remained popular throughout this period, with the Holden Commodore and Ford Falcon having consistently strong sales, though Ford has regularly threatened to replace the Falcon with a front-wheel-drive car. In Europe, front-wheel drive was popularized

neg: Škoda Yeti front wheel drive with the 103 kW two litre diesel and six speed manual (currently as all wheel drive only) and six speed DSG with the 125 kW two litre diesel and all-wheel drive (so far six speed manual only). As for the equipment, the facelifted Yeti became the first Škoda car to offer rear view parking camera. It is automatically activated when reverse gear is engaged: it displays the space behind the car and indicates the driving line, based on the vehicle width. List of features was extended by – among others – keyless system for locking/unlocking doors and

neg: Motorized wheelchair electric-powered wheelchair was invented by George Klein who worked for the National Research Council of Canada, to assist injured veterans after World War II. Powerchair design may be categorized by drive system/chassis, battery, controller, seat, and use. Powerchairs are generally four-wheeled or six-wheeled and non-folding, however some folding designs exist and other designs may have some ability to partially dismantle for transit. Four general styles of powerchair drive systems exist: front, centre or rear wheel drive and all-wheel drive. Powered wheels are typically somewhat larger than the trailing/castoring wheels, while castoring wheels are typically larger than the castors on a

neg: Economy car in 1993, Fiat launched the boxy and conservatively styled but very well packaged front wheel drive Fiat Cinquecento that could accommodate four adults that was only slightly larger than an Austin Mini. It eventually replaced the first Fiat Panda and also the aged rear engined rear wheel drive 1970s Fiat 126, as the smallest car in the Fiat range. But the real breakthrough in small car design was the 1993 Renault Twingo which was a revolution in styling by being the first 'one box' small car to reach production. (The early pre-production Citroën AX supermini launched in 1987 was a

neg: Kaiser-Frazer two new cars at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. The Kaiser was of an advanced front wheel drive design while the Frazer was an upscale conventional rear wheel drive car. The production costs and the limited time available prevented the front wheel drive design from entering production, so the new 1947 Kaiser and Frazer shared bodies and powertrains. Being some of the first newly designed cars on the market while the "Big Three" were still marketing their pre-war designs, the Kaisers and Frazers made an exciting entrance. Kaiser and Frazer continued to share bodies and engines through

neg: History of the automobile the classic era as wings, running boards, and headlights were gradually integrated with the body of the car. By the 1930s, most of the mechanical technology used in today's automobiles had been invented, although some things were later "re-invented", and credited to someone else. For example, front-wheel drive was re-introduced by André Citroën with the launch of the "Traction Avant" in 1934, though it had appeared several years earlier in road cars made by Alvis and Cord, and in racing cars by Miller (and may have appeared as early as 1897). In the same vein, independent suspension was originally conceived

neg: Chevrolet Citation 1976, the company produced its first prototypes of the cars intended to replace the X-Body; the Chevrolet Nova replacement was intended to be called the "Condor". Intended for a 1978 model release (alongside the downsizing of the mid-size car line), the X-body was delayed until the 1980 model year due to parts supply issues; GM parts suppliers were trying to adjust to the large-scale production of a front-wheel drive car. During the delay, the Chevrolet Condor name was changed to Chevrolet Citation. As Chevrolet introduced the Citation as its first front-wheel drive vehicle, the exterior footprint of the 1980 Citation

neg: Subaru 1000 Subaru 1000 The Subaru 1000 was the first front wheel drive Subaru produced by Fuji Heavy Industries that was in the Japanese government "compact car" classification starting in 1966. Previous Subaru models such as the Subaru 360 and the Sambar had been rear-engined, rear wheel drive kei cars. It was the first production Subaru to use a boxer engine. In 1960, Subaru management decided to introduce a successor to the prototype Subaru 1500 with a new code name A-5 with a four-cycle air-cooled horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine displacing 1500 cc, driving the front wheels in a compact car platform. It

neg: Volkswagen Golf Mk1 German Rally Championship in a Golf GTI Mk1. The bright green Golf, sponsored by Rheila, was nicknamed the "Rheila Frosch" (Rheila Frog). In its final iteration it was powered by a Oettinger 16-valve engine. Volkswagen Golf Mk1 The Volkswagen Golf Mk1 is the first generation of a small family car manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen. It was noteworthy for signalling Volkswagen's shift of its major car lines from rear-wheel drive and rear-mounted air-cooled engines to front-wheel drive with front-mounted, water-cooled engines that were often transversely-mounted. Successor to Volkswagen's iconic Beetle, the first generation Golf debuted in Europe in May 1974

neg: Volkswagen Golf Mk1 Volkswagen Golf Mk1 The Volkswagen Golf Mk1 is the first generation of a small family car manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen. It was noteworthy for signalling Volkswagen's shift of its major car lines from rear-wheel drive and rear-mounted air-cooled engines to front-wheel drive with front-mounted, water-cooled engines that were often transversely-mounted. Successor to Volkswagen's iconic Beetle, the first generation Golf debuted in Europe in May 1974 with styling by Giorgetto Giugiaro's ItalDesign. Volkswagen began producing prototypes of possible Beetle replacements as far back as the early 1950s, and may have received design proposals from Porsche earlier than that. All of

neg: Full-size Ford in 26 years. A modification of a Volvo large-car platform, the D3 chassis introduced several major design changes to full-size Ford cars. In place of body-on-frame construction, the D3 became the first full-size Ford in North America to adopt unibody construction; rear-wheel drive was replaced by front-wheel drive (with all-wheel drive as an option). For the first time since the 1931 Model A, no V8 engine was available, with a V6 as the exclusive engine (making its first appearance in the full-size line). In all-wheel drive models (from 2005 to 2007), an automatic transmission was replaced by a CVT. Officially

neg: Firing order where the pulleys for the accessories (such as the alternator and water pump) are, and the rear of the engine is where the flywheel is, through which the engine connects to the transmission. The front of the engine may point towards the front, side or rear of the car. In most rear-wheel drive cars, the engine is longitudinally mounted and the front of the engine also points to the front of the car. In front-wheel drive cars with a transverse engine, the front of the engine usually points towards the right-hand side of the car. One notable exception is Honda,

neg: Ruxton (automobile) Ruxton (automobile) The Ruxton was a front-wheel drive automobile produced by the New Era Motors Company of New York, New York, United States, during 1929 and 1930. The car was the brainchild of William Muller and was built in the Board Machine plant in Philadelphia, Moon Motor Car factory in St. Louis, Missouri, and Kissel Motors of Hartford, Wisconsin, who also produced the car's transmission unit. While employed in the engineering department of the Budd Body Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Muller convinced his employer to invest in developing a front wheel drive prototype automobile. Budd would then sell the rights

neg: Car layout F4 layout) places the engine at the front of the vehicle and drives all four roadwheels. This layout is typically chosen for better control on many surfaces, and is an important part of rally racing as well as off-road driving. Most four-wheel-drive layouts are front-engined and are derivatives of earlier front-engine, rear-wheel-drive designs. The "mid-engine, four-wheel drive" layout (abbreviated as M4 layout) places the engine in the middle of the vehicle, between both axles and drives all four road wheels. Although the term "mid-engine" can mean the engine is placed anywhere in the car such that the centre of gravity

neg: Front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout Front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout In automotive design, an FF, or front-engine, front-wheel-drive (FWD) layout places both the internal combustion engine and driven roadwheels at the front of the vehicle. Historically, this designation was used regardless of whether the entire engine was behind the front axle line. In recent times, the manufacturers of some cars have added to the designation with the term front-mid which describes a car where the engine is in front of the passenger compartment but behind the front axle. Most pre-World War II front engine cars would qualify as front-mid engine, using the front-mid designation, or on the

neg: Minivan designers and produced in somewhat different form as the Ford Aerostar. In the late 1970s Chrysler began a six-year development program to design "a small affordable van that looked and handled more like a car". The automaker introduced the first American-market minivans in 1983, the front-wheel-drive 1984 Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager. The Renault Espace began development in the 1970s as a project of Chrysler UK. The project reached French manufacturer Matra, who brought the idea to Renault, introducing the Espace in 1984. For the 1984 model year, the front-wheel-drive Chrysler minivans were introduced. Two months prior to sales of

neg: Toyota MR2 Toyota MR2 The Toyota MR2 is a two-seat, mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports car manufactured in Japan and marketed globally by Toyota from 1984 to 2007 over three generations: W10 (1984–1989), W20 (1990–1999) and W30 (2000–2007). It is Japan's first mid-engined production car. Conceived as a small, economical and sporty car, the MR2 employed straightforward design elements, including fully independent MacPherson strut front and rear suspensions, four wheel disc brakes, and transverse-mounted inline-four engines. The name MR2 stands for either "mid-ship, run-about, 2-seater" or "mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-seater. The MR2 derived from a 1976 Toyota design project with the goal of a car

neg: Trabant West German Lloyd automobile, a similarly sized car with an air-cooled, two-cylinder four-stroke engine. The Trabant had a front, transversely-mounted engine and front-wheel drive in an era when many European cars were using rear-mounted engines or front-mounted engines with rear-wheel drive. Its greatest drawback was its largely unchanged production; the car's two-stroke engine made it obsolete by the 1970s, limiting exports to Western Europe. The Trabant's air-cooled, engine—upgraded to in 1962–63—was derived from a pre-war DKW design with minor alterations during its production run. The first Saab car had a larger (764 cc), water-cooled, two-cylinder two-stroke engine. Wartburg, an East

neg: Cadillac Fleetwood rear wheel drive D-body that the Cadillac Brougham had used previously. It was one of the first American front wheel drive vehicles to be returned to rear-wheel drive. At overall, the Fleetwood was the longest production car made in the United States. All Fleetwoods [except for the commercial chassis] had standard antilock brakes, traction control, and dual front airbags. In 1994, Cadillac used the Corvette-derived LT1 engine to make along with the new 4L60E automatic transmission. Between 1993 and 1996, the Fleetwood commercial chassis was used instead of the DeVille for most funeral coaches and limousines produced during these years.

neg: Ford D3 platform Motor Company adopted steel suspension arms (in place of aluminum) and similar material cost-saving measures. In contrast to the Volvo P2 architecture, Ford adopted a common 112.9 wheelbase for each D3 variant (three inches longer than a Volvo S80, two inches shorter than a Ford Crown Victoria). In place of the inline-5 and inline-6 engines used by Volvo, Ford adopted its own Duratec V6 engines. As with the P2 platform, front-wheel drive is standard, with Haldex all-wheel drive (shared with the S80/XC90) fitted as an option. As the first front-wheel drive full-size car platform produced by Ford, the D3 platform

neg: Quattro (four-wheel-drive system) all transverse-engined cars with the Haldex Traction LSC four-wheel drive system, the EDL only controls the front wheels, and not the rear. In vehicles equipped with EDL on the front wheels only, the car will not move if both front and one of the rear wheels loses traction. Again, due to limitations of Electronic Differential Lock (see quattro IV description above), in off-road conditions it is enough for one front and one rear wheel to lose traction and the car will not move. The Haldex Traction system is more reactive than preventative, in that there must be a difference in

neg: Suzuki Suzulight Suzuki Suzulight Suzulight was the brand used for the kei cars built by the Suzuki Motor Corporation from 1955 to 1969. They were Suzuki's first entry into automotive manufacturing, having previously only produced motorcycles. The Suzulight sedans and light vans all had transversely mounted engines and front-wheel drive. The Suzulight Carry trucks and vans were the first to use the Carry label, still around today. Introduced in April 1955, "SF" stood for "Suzuki Four-wheel car". Work had begun in January 1954, with a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive and rear-engined design also considered. The first Suzuki was closely based on the Lloyd 400,

neg: Suzuki Suzulight resources on two different brand names. Suzuki Suzulight Suzulight was the brand used for the kei cars built by the Suzuki Motor Corporation from 1955 to 1969. They were Suzuki's first entry into automotive manufacturing, having previously only produced motorcycles. The Suzulight sedans and light vans all had transversely mounted engines and front-wheel drive. The Suzulight Carry trucks and vans were the first to use the Carry label, still around today. Introduced in April 1955, "SF" stood for "Suzuki Four-wheel car". Work had begun in January 1954, with a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive and rear-engined design also considered. The first Suzuki was

neg: Izuogu Z-600 status of the car. Izuogu Z-600 The Izuogu Z-600 prototype was the first indigenous Nigerian car, and the first automobile of indigenous all-African technology. It was the brainchild of engineer Ezekiel Izuogu. Launched in 1997, the car caused a stir in the Nigerian media, and was touted by the then Nigerian chief of Staff General Oladipo Diya. The prototype was equipped with a self made 1.8L four cylinder engine that got 18mpg and allowed the car to achieve a top speed of 140 km/h (86 mph). Front Wheel Drive (FWD) was chosen over Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) because a transmission

neg: Fuldamobil the war. By October 1949, a new chassis had been started. A notable aspect of the front axle design was the incorporation of a negative scrub radius. Now recognised as a major advance in driving safety, this provides an inherent stabilising effect on slippery road surfaces or when brakes are applied unevenly to wheels on either side of the car. Although now a feature on the majority of front wheel drive cars and about a third of all rear wheel drive cars, the Fuldamobil is credited with being the first car in the world to feature this innovation. The steel,

neg: Automobiles Lambert Automobiles Lambert Lambert was a French automobile manufacturer established by Germain Lambert in 1926 at Mâcon. In commercial terms it never progressed beyond marginal viability and it withdrew from auto-making towards the end of 1953. The company was in no way connected and should not be confused with the earlier Paris based business A. Lambert & Cie which had produced cars between 1902 and 1906. Lambert’s first car, in 1926, featured an engine bought in from . A front-wheel drive model with the same Ruby engine followed in 1931. From 1933 a front wheel drive single cylinder cycle car was

neg: Ford EXP on the fourth-generation Mustang; beginning work on a "design of tomorrow", the goal was to shift the Mustang from rear-wheel drive to front-wheel drive, increasing fuel efficiency; in place of the Fox platform, the Mustang was to become a counterpart of the Mazda MX-6. At the time, General Motors was considering a similar redesign of the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird by 1990. By the mid-1980s, as the public learned of the planned front-wheel drive Mustang, it spawned a negative reaction from buyers and dealers, leading Ford to reconsider the decision. However, as the front-wheel drive car was significantly far

neg: Twin-Traction Beam Twin-Traction Beam Twin-Traction Beam (TTB) is an independent suspension system for front drive axles in four-wheel drive Ford F-Series trucks and sport utility vehicles. Twin-Traction Beam was invented by John A. Richardson and Donald G. Wheatley covered by US patent 3,948,337 issued April 6, 1976. Patent name was “Independent front suspension for front wheel drive” which was assigned to Ford Motor Company. The Dana Holding Corporation manufactured the TTB axle for Ford. It uses a universal joint in the center that allows the wheels to move independently of each other. The differential is offset to the driver's side, and a