Red marquis: /* History */

2010-04-30T07:45:43Z

History

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	This design reached its ultimate extent starting with [[Dante Giacosa]]'s elaboration of it for [[Fiat]]. He connected the engine to its gearbox by a shaft and set the [[Differential (mechanical device)\|differential]] off-center so that it could be connected to the gearbox more easily. The axleshafts from the differential to the wheels therefore differed in length, which would have made the car's steering asymmetrical were it not for their torsional stiffness being made the same. Now most small and small/medium sized cars built throughout the world use this arrangement.		This design reached its ultimate extent starting with [[Dante Giacosa]]'s elaboration of it for [[Fiat]]. He connected the engine to its gearbox by a shaft and set the [[Differential (mechanical device)\|differential]] off-center so that it could be connected to the gearbox more easily. The axleshafts from the differential to the wheels therefore differed in length, which would have made the car's steering asymmetrical were it not for their torsional stiffness being made the same. Now most small and small/medium sized cars built throughout the world use this arrangement.

	The [[Lamborghini Miura]] used a transverse, mid-mounted 4.0 litre [[V12 engine\|V12]], a configuration that was unheard of in 1965, although now more common (e.g. [[~~Noble_Automotive_Ltd#Noble_M12\|~~Noble M12]], [[Toyota MR2]], [[Fiero\|Pontiac Fiero]], [[X1/9 \| Fiat X1/9]])		The [[Lamborghini Miura]] used a transverse, mid-mounted 4.0 litre [[V12 engine\|V12]], a configuration that was unheard of in 1965, although now more common (e.g. [[Noble M12]], [[Toyota MR2]], [[Fiero\|Pontiac Fiero]], [[X1/9 \| Fiat X1/9]])

	The Land Rover LR2 Freelander, along with all Volvo models from 1998 on (including V8 models), employ a transversely-mounted engine in order to increase passenger space inside the vehicle. This has also allowed for improved safety in a frontal impact, due to more front to back engine compartment space being created. The result is a larger front [[crumple zone]]. <ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.autozine.org/html/Volvo/S80.html \| title= Volvo S80 \| accessdate=2007-10-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.landrovercary.com/lr2-safety.htm \| title= LR2 Safety Features \| accessdate=2007-10-11}}</ref>		The Land Rover LR2 Freelander, along with all Volvo models from 1998 on (including V8 models), employ a transversely-mounted engine in order to increase passenger space inside the vehicle. This has also allowed for improved safety in a frontal impact, due to more front to back engine compartment space being created. The result is a larger front [[crumple zone]]. <ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.autozine.org/html/Volvo/S80.html \| title= Volvo S80 \| accessdate=2007-10-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web\|url=http://www.landrovercary.com/lr2-safety.htm \| title= LR2 Safety Features \| accessdate=2007-10-11}}</ref>

Red marquis at 07:45, 30 April 2010

2010-04-30T07:45:11Z

New page

{{dablink|This article is about the '''placement alignment''', or '''layout''', of the [[internal combustion engine]] ''within'' the [[chassis]] or [[Monocoque|body]] of a [[motor vehicle]].}}

A '''transverse engine''' is an [[engine]] in which the [[crankshaft]] is oriented side-to-side relative to the length of the vehicle. This is also sometimes called an '''east-west engine'''. Most modern [[front wheel drive]] vehicles use this engine orientation (with the exception of some [[Audi]]s), while most [[rear wheel drive]] vehicles use a front-to-back [[longitudinal engine|longitudinal]] arrangement.

==History==
The first car known to use such an arrangement was a 1911 front-wheel drive car with a clutch at each end of the engine, driving the front wheels directly. The first successful transverse-engine cars were the two-cylinder [[DKW]] "Front" series of cars, which first appeared in 1931. After the Second World War, [[Saab Automobile|SAAB]] used the configuration in their first model, the [[Saab 92]], in 1947. The arrangement was also used for [[Borgward]]'s [[Goliath]] and [[Hansa]] brand cars and in a few other German cars. However, it was with [[Alec Issigonis]]'s [[Morris Mini]] that the design gained acclaim, in 1959.

This design reached its ultimate extent starting with [[Dante Giacosa]]'s elaboration of it for [[Fiat]]. He connected the engine to its gearbox by a shaft and set the [[Differential (mechanical device)|differential]] off-center so that it could be connected to the gearbox more easily. The axleshafts from the differential to the wheels therefore differed in length, which would have made the car's steering asymmetrical were it not for their torsional stiffness being made the same. Now most small and small/medium sized cars built throughout the world use this arrangement.

The [[Lamborghini Miura]] used a transverse, mid-mounted 4.0 litre [[V12 engine|V12]], a configuration that was unheard of in 1965, although now more common (e.g. [[Noble_Automotive_Ltd#Noble_M12|Noble M12]], [[Toyota MR2]], [[Fiero|Pontiac Fiero]], [[X1/9 | Fiat X1/9]])

The Land Rover LR2 Freelander, along with all Volvo models from 1998 on (including V8 models), employ a transversely-mounted engine in order to increase passenger space inside the vehicle. This has also allowed for improved safety in a frontal impact, due to more front to back engine compartment space being created. The result is a larger front [[crumple zone]]. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.autozine.org/html/Volvo/S80.html | title= Volvo S80 | accessdate=2007-10-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.landrovercary.com/lr2-safety.htm | title= LR2 Safety Features | accessdate=2007-10-11}}</ref>

Transverse engines have also been widely used in buses. In the United States they were offered in the early 1930s by [[Twin Coach]] and used with limited success in [[Dwight Austin]]'s [[Pickwick]] Nite-Coach. Transverse bus engines first appeared widely in the [[Yellow Coach]] 719, using Dwight Austin's V-drive; they continued in common use until the 1990s, though shorter V-configuration engines in a straight in "T-drive" configuration became common in the 1960s. They were also used in the British [[Leyland Atlantean]] and in many transit buses and nearly all [[double decker bus]]es. They have also been widely used by [[Scania]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scania.com/news/press_releases/2005/q4/n05048en.asp | title= Scania at Busworld 2005: New range of Scania buses and coaches | accessdate=2007-10-11}}</ref>, [[MAN SE|MAN]], [[Volvo Buses|Volvo]] and [[Renault]]'s bus divisions.

==Position placement of transverse engines==
Engines may be placed in two main positions within the motor car:
* Front-engine transversely-mounted / Front-wheel drive
* Rear mid-engine transversely-mounted / Rear-wheel drive

==Common types of transversely placed engines==
Space allowed for engines within the front wheel wells is limited to the following:
* [[Straight-two engine|Inline-two]], [[Straight-three engine|Inline-three]], [[Inline-four]], [[Straight-five engine|Inline-five]], [[V4 engine|V4]] and [[V6 engine|V6]] engines, some manufacturers have squeezed in inline sixes and V8s.

==See also==
* [[Longitudinal engine]]

[[Category:Engine technology]]
[[Category:Engine technology]]
[[Category:Automotive technologies]]

Transverse engine - Revision history

Red marquis: /* History */

Red marquis at 07:45, 30 April 2010