Rear-engine, four-wheel-drive layout

R4 layout, the engine is located behind the rear axle.

In automotive design, an R4, or Rear-engine, Four-wheel-drive layout places the internal combustion engine at the rear of the vehicle, and drives all four roadwheels.

This layout is typically chosen to improve the traction or the handling of existing vehicle designs using the rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout (RR).

The R4 layout is very rare, only having been used on a small number of production vehicles. Notable vehicles with this layout include several high-performance Porsche sports cars, including the 959, the 911 Turbo since the introduction of the turbocharged version of the 993 series in 1995, and the 911 Carrera 4 introduced with the 964 series in 1989.

Some Volkswagen Kübelwagen (the rear-engined beetle-based military vehicle used by Germany in World War II) variants were produced with 4-wheel or all-wheel drive, including the Type 86, Type 87, Type 98. Also, some Vanagons/Microbuses came in 4WD Syncro version.

Examples

  • Porsche 959, rear-engine, four-wheel-drive, to speed of 197 mph to 211 mph
    Porsche 959, rear-engine, four-wheel-drive, to speed of 197 mph to 211 mph
  • Porsche 993 Turbo
  • Porsche 964
  • Volkswagen Transporter Syncro 4WD truck
    Volkswagen Transporter Syncro 4WD truck
  • Volkswagen Syncro 4WD Van
    Volkswagen Syncro 4WD Van
  • Volkswagen Syncro 4WD
    Volkswagen Syncro 4WD
  • Volkswagen Transporter Syncro 4WD
    Volkswagen Transporter Syncro 4WD
  • 1989 Volkswagen Caravelle Club Westfalia Syncro
    1989 Volkswagen Caravelle Club Westfalia Syncro
  • 1989 Volkswagen Caravelle Club Westfalia Syncro
    1989 Volkswagen Caravelle Club Westfalia Syncro
  • Volkswagen T3 Tristar Syncro (1990)
    Volkswagen T3 Tristar Syncro (1990)
  • WW2 Volkswagen Kübelwagen

References

  • Ludvigsen, Karl (2003). Porsche. Excellence Was Expected. Vol. 3. Cambridge, Mass.: Bentley Publishers. ISBN 0-8376-0235-1.
  • Taylor, Blaine (2004). Volkswagen Military Vehicles of the Third Reich. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-81313-0. OCLC 55534990.
  • Road Trippers, Syncro

External links

  • Porsche - 1989 Porsche 911 Carrera Coupé, Cabriolet, Targa, Speedster, and 4 Coupé
  • Porsche - 1989 Porsche Turbo 911 Coupé, Cabriolet, and Targa
  • Official website of Porsche
  • 993 Owners and information
  • Information on and about Porsche 993
  • Porsche 911 Carrera 2 (Generation 993) Exterior and Interior in Full HD 3D YouTube
  • -Driving Americas with VW Westfalia 4x4 Extreme Adventure, YouTube


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