ransaxle

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In the automotive field, a transaxle is a major mechanical component that combines the functionality of the transmission, the differential, and associated components of the driven axleinto one integrated assembly. Transaxles are near universal in all automobile configurations that have the engine placed at the same end of the car as the driven wheels: the front-engine, front-wheel drive layout, rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout and rear mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout arrangements. Many mid- and rear-engined vehicles use a transverse engine and transaxle, similar to a front wheel drive unit. Others use a longitudinal engine and transaxle like Ferrari's 1989 Mondial twhich used a "t" arrangement with a longitudinal engine connected to a transverse transaxle, a design the company continues to this day. Front-wheel drive versions of modern Audis, from the A4 upwards, along with their related marques from the Volkswagen Group (which share the same automobile layout) also use a similar layout, but with the transaxle also mounted longitudinally.
Contents

1 Front-engine, rear-wheel drive transaxles 2 Rear-engine, rear-wheel drive transaxles 3 Four-wheel drive 4 See also 5 References

[edit]Front-engine,

rear-wheel drive transaxles

Csonka transaxle from 1908.

Front-engine, rear-wheel drive vehicles tend to have the transmission up front just after the engine, but sometimes a front engine drives a rear-mounted transaxle. This is generally done for reasons of weight distribution, and is therefore common on sports cars. Another advantage is that as the driveshaft spins at engine speed it only has to endure the torque of the engine, instead of that torque multiplied by the 1st gear ratio. This design was pioneered in the 1934 koda Popular, and then in the 1950 Lancia Aurelia, designed by the legendary Vittorio Jano. Since this placement of the gearbox is unsuitable for a live axle (due to excessive unsprung weight), the rear suspension is eitherindependent, or uses a de Dion tube (notably in the Alfa Romeos). Rare exceptions to this rule were the Bugatti T46 and T50 which had a three speed gearbox on a live axle. The Nissan GT-R is unique in that it uses a rear transaxle with an AWD layout, the transaxle in this case also contains the differential sending power back to the front wheels via a separate driveshaft. Notable Front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout vehicles with a transaxle design include:

1898-1910 De Dion Bouton 19141939 Stutz Bearcat 19291936 Bugatti Type 46 19341944 koda Popular and koda Rapid 19461952 koda Tudor and koda 1101 19501958 Lancia Aurelia 19511956 Pegaso Z-102 19571970 Lancia Flaminia 19611963 Pontiac Tempest 19641968 Ferrari 275

1963-1968 Ferrari 330 19681973 Ferrari Daytona 19721987 Alfa Romeo Alfetta 19741987 Alfa Romeo GTV/Alfa Romeo GTV6 19761988 Porsche 924 19761991 Volvo 300 series 19771985 Alfa Romeo Giulietta 19781995 Porsche 928 19821995 Porsche 944 and Porsche 968 19841987 Alfa Romeo 90 19851992 Alfa Romeo 75 19891991 Alfa Romeo SZ 19922003 Ferrari 456 19962005 Ferrari 550/575M 1997up Chevrolet Corvette 19971999 Panoz Esperante GTR-1 1997-2002 Plymouth Prowler 1998-2005 Shelby Series 1 2003-2006 Chevrolet SSR 2003on Aston Martin DB9 2004on Ferrari 612 Scaglietti 2004on Maserati Quattroporte 2005up Aston Martin V8 Vantage 2006up Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano 2008-up Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione 2009up Lexus LF-A 2010-up Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG

[edit]Rear-engine,

rear-wheel drive transaxles

Volkswagen and later Porsche made extensive use of transaxles in their rear (and mid) engined vehicles, including:

1934-1936 Mercedes-Benz 150H 1960-1969 Chevrolet Corvair

19481965 Porsche 356 1963present Porsche 911 19651969, 1976 Porsche 912 19691976 Porsche 914 (mid-engined) 19751989 Porsche 930 19382003 Volkswagen Beetle 19551974 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia 1950present Volkswagen Type 2 19611973 Volkswagen Type 3 19681974 Volkswagen Type 4

Rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout is also the preferred layout for Dune Buggy, Sandrail, and most other non-truck based race cars used in off-road racing.[citation needed]

[edit]Four-wheel

drive

All Audi cars with longitudinal engines and their 'trademark' quattro four-wheel drive (4WD) system, along with their related marques from the Volkswagen Group which share the samelayout, utilise a transaxle. This is mounted immediately behind the front-mounted engine (again, longitudinally) and contains the 'gearbox' (manual, automatic, DSG, or CVT), along with both the centre differential, and the front differential and final drive unit. Other 4WD applications include:

19841986 Ford RS200 mid-engined, with the gearbox in the front; 2007on Nissan GT-R front-engined, with the gearbox in the rear.