| It's easy: Where the engine only drives the front | | | | automaker named Citroën made the FWD even |
| wheels. Even I said, "That's it? Are you sure?" In | | | | more popular by placing the flat twin engine in the |
| order to tell you the way it works, I have to | | | | front wheels. In 1954, an automobile manufacturer |
| include the history; so sit down, relax, & just read. | | | | by the name of Alfa Romeo was testing with his |
| It all started between the years of 1895 & 1898; | | | | first FWD car; it had the same layout as the |
| an automaker from Austria named Gräf & Stift | | | | Citroën model, but since it was based in Italy & |
| created a "mini car" that was powered by the | | | | Italy had some financial troubles after the war, |
| engine being in front of the vehicle instead of the | | | | this idea had failed, too. Five years later, the |
| back. This powered the front axle which made it | | | | British Motor Corporation released the Austin Mini; |
| known as "The First Front-Wheel Drive | | | | this vehicle was in actuality, the first car that had |
| Automobile". There are only two manufactured in | | | | a four cylinder engine that was installed obliquely |
| the whole world! | | | | & not like your average FWD engine would be |
| Anyway, when the actual automobiles first | | | | installed. This structure entitled the space for |
| started coming out, that's when the experiments | | | | passengers & luggage in the car. It eventually |
| started with the Front-Wheel Drive. A man | | | | caught on & now, that's the formation that we |
| named J. Walter Christie was actually working on | | | | have in our modern cars today. |
| a FWD car that he can promote & "show off" by | | | | Mini Cooper made this format popular by 1959; |
| competing with it at a variety of speedways in | | | | but by the 1960s, Simca (another manufacturer) |
| the United States. By 1912, he got confident | | | | decided to design it by keeping the engine & |
| enough to start manufacturing FWD for fire | | | | transmission in line, but transversely set up-which |
| engine tractors; but sales weren't as high as he | | | | is the layout that we use for our Front-Wheel |
| hoped for so he failed... unfortunately. | | | | Drive cars today. In 1978, the Corporate Average |
| In 1924, the Miller 122 racecar was one of the | | | | Fuel Economy had all American-Made |
| first vehicles to compete with Front-Wheel Drive. | | | | Economy-Efficient vehicles be made as FWD; and |
| Since the idea was still considered to be "out | | | | by 1982, Front-Wheel Drive was the basic form |
| there" with the automotive industry, no real | | | | for mid-sized cars in the United States. This |
| automotive manufacturer decided to pick up on | | | | eventually caught on with Japan manufacturers so |
| the idea. About five years later, the Birmingham | | | | all of their cars were beginning to be sold as FWD. |
| Small Arms Company (BSA) was determined | | | | When the mid-1990s rolled around, most |
| enough to produce a three-wheeler Front-Wheel | | | | American vehicle producers only sold a few cars |
| Drive vehicle. This only lasted until about 1936 | | | | that had Rear-Wheel Drive. |
| because sports cars & touring models finally | | | | As of today, most cars sold worldwide are FWD |
| became available to the public & that's what | | | | & only larger model cars such as Chevrolet & |
| consumers preferred to buy. By this time, all of | | | | Ford Trucks are beginning to have the option of |
| the foreign models included FWD & by the late | | | | RWD included with them; and even smaller cars |
| 1930s, the United States released the Cord 810 | | | | like the Ford Mustang include RWD since it has so |
| with the engine behind the transmission which | | | | much power! |
| offered better steering & better weight | | | | That's pretty much how it all started, how it |
| distribution. | | | | works, & everything else that you have to know. |
| When 1948 rolled around, some French | | | | |