Rear-engine, four-wheel-drive layout

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

In automotive design, an R4, or rear-engine, four-wheel-drive layout places the 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, top speed of 197 mph to 211 mph
  Porsche 959, rear-engine, four-wheel-drive, top speed of 197 mph to 211 mph
• Porsche 993 Turbo
  Porsche 993 Turbo
• Porsche 964
  Porsche 964
• Porsche 911 Dakar
  Porsche 911 Dakar
• 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
  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. Template:ISBN. Template:Catalog lookup link.
• 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
• Information on and about Porsche 993
• Porsche 911 Carrera 2 (Generation 993) Exterior and Interior in Full HD 3D - YouTube
• Syncro -Driving Americas with VW Westfalia 4x4 Extreme Adventure - YouTube

Type	1940s		1950s										1960s										1970s										1980s										1990s
	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Roadster & sports cars																		912										912E	924																				Boxster (986)
	356																					914													944										968
																	911											911 / 930														911 (964)					911 (993)				911 (996)
GT																															928
Supercar																	904 / Carrera GTS		906 / Carrera 6																				959						959				911 GT1 Straßenversion

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