Rear-engine design
In automobile design, a rear-engine design layout places the engine at the rear of the vehicle. The center of
gravity of the engine itself is behind the rear axle. This is not to be confused with the center of gravity of the
whole vehicle, as an imbalance of such proportions would make it impossible to keep the front wheels on
the ground.
Rear-engined vehicles almost always have a rear-wheel
drive car layout, but some are four wheel drive. This layout
has the following features:
Packaging: since there is no need for a
transmission tunnel, the floor can be flat.[1]
Rear traction: having the engine located over the
driven wheels increases downward pressure,
which is helpful for grip on loose surfaces,
although can be prone to oversteer.[2] Rear-engine position / Rear-wheel drive
Simplicity of manufacture: the engine is near the
driven wheels, and the transmission can be
merged with the differential to save space.
This layout was once popular in small, inexpensive cars and light commercial vehicles. Today most car
makers have abandoned the layout although it does continue in some expensive cars,[3] like the Porsche
911. It is also used in some racing car applications,[4] low-floor buses, some Type-D school buses, and
microcars such as the Smart Fortwo. Some electric cars feature both rear and front motors, to drive all four
wheels.[5]
Notable rear-engined cars
Benz Patent-Motorwagen
BMW 600, 700, and i3
Chevrolet Corvair[6]
Davrian
DMC DeLorean
Dune buggies such as the Meyers Manx
Fiat 500, 600, 850, 126 and 133 Smart Fortwo's three-cylinder
FMR Tg500 engine officially sits behind
Hillman Imp the rear axle.
Hino Contessa
Mercedes-Benz 130/150/170H
Mitsubishi i and Mitsubishi i-MiEV
NSU Prinz
Porsche 356, 911 generations, and 959
Puma (car manufacturer)
Renault 4CV, Dauphine, Floride, Caravelle, R8, R10 and the 3rd generation Twingo
Renault Alpine A106, A108, A110, A310 and GTA/A610
SEAT 600, 850 and 133
Simca 1000
Škoda 1000/1100MB,MBX, 100/110, 110R, 105/120/125, 130/135/136, Garde, Rapid
Smart Fortwo, Roadster and 2nd generation Smart Forfour
Stout Scarab
Subaru 360, Subaru R-2, 1st generation Subaru Rex
Suzuki Fronte 360, Fronte 71 and 72, Fronte Coupé, Fronte LC20, Fronte 7-S / SS10 / SS20
and Cervo SS20 / SC100
Tata Nano, Tata Pixel and Tata Magic Iris
Tatra 77, 87, 97, 600, 603, 613, 700
Tesla Roadster, some versions of the Model S, and Model 3
Tucker 48 'Torpedo'
Volkswagen Type 62 and Type 82 Kubelwagen, the Kommandeurswagen and
Schwimmwagen
Volkswagen Beetle, type 3 'pontoon', Karmann Ghia and type 4 (411/412), as well as the VW
Microbus / Transporter and type 181 'Thing'
ZAZ Zaporozhets series.
See also
Front-engine design
Mid-engine design
References
1. "1965 Chevrolet Corvair" (http://significantcars.com/cars/1965chevrolet3/). Retrieved
16 March 2019.
2. "What Is Rear Engine Layout And Know How Is It Beneficial?" (https://carbiketech.com/rear-
engine-layout-beneficial/). Retrieved 16 March 2019.
3. Threewitt, Cherise. "10 Affordable Rear Engine Cars" (https://www.autobytel.com/car-buying-
guides/features/10-affordable-rear-engine-cars-130270/). Retrieved 16 March 2019.
4. Wong, J. Y. (2008). Theory of Ground Vehicles. Hoboken NJ: Wiley. p. 560. ISBN 0-471-
35461-9.
5. Adams, Eric. "The Secrets of Electric Cars and Their Motors: It's Not All About the Battery,
Folks" (http://www.thedrive.com/tech/17505/the-secrets-of-electric-cars-and-their-motors-its-n
ot-all-about-the-battery-folks). Retrieved 16 March 2019.
6. Golseth, Andrew. "Why Is The Chevrolet Corvair Such An Overlooked Classic?" (https://petro
licious.com/articles/why-is-the-chevrolet-corvair-such-an-overlooked-classic). Retrieved
16 March 2019.
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