Front-engine, four-wheel-drive layout

F4 layout

In automotive design, an F4, or Front-engine, Four-wheel-drive layout places the internal combustion engine at the front of the vehicle and drives all four roadwheels. This layout is typically chosen for better control on many surfaces, and is an important part of rally racing as well as off-road driving.

Most four-wheel-drive layouts are front-engined and are derivatives of earlier front-engined, two-wheel-drive designs.

This layout is also the drive train of choice for off-road pickup trucks and SUVs. It allows these vehicles to get the most traction without sacrificing precious cargo or passenger room. The center differential is often not present in these vehicles, meaning the 4WD system does not allow any difference in front and rear axle speeds. For normal road driving, these vehicles are shifted into 2WD mode, preventing damage to the transfer case; though full-time systems cannot go to 2WD mode.

Car design

Car classification	Antique City car Classic Compact Compact executive Compact MPV Compact SUV Crossover SUV Custom Hot rod Lead sled Lowrider Street rod T-bucket Economy Executive Family car (large) Full-size Grand tourer Hot hatch Kei Leisure activity vehicle Luxury Microcar Mid-size Mini MPV Mini SUV Minivan / Multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) Muscle luxury Pony Sport compact Sport utility vehicle (SUV) Sports car Subcompact Supercar Supermini Truck Ute Van Voiturette

Body styles	2+2 Baquet Barchetta Berlinetta Brougham Cabrio coach Cabriolet / Convertible Coupé Coupé de Ville Coupé utility Drophead coupe (Convertible) Fastback Hardtop Hatchback Landaulet Liftback Limousine Multi-stop truck Notchback Panel van Phaeton Pickup truck Quad coupé Retractable hardtop Roadster Runabout Saloon / Sedan Sedan delivery Sedanca de Ville (Coupé de Ville) Shooting-brake Spider / Spyder (Roadster) Station wagon Targa top Torpedo Touring car Town car (Coupé de Ville) T-top Vis-à-vis

Specialized vehicles	Amphibious Driverless (autonomous) Hearse Gyrocar Roadable aircraft Taxicab Tow truck

Propulsion	Alternative fuel Autogas Biodiesel Diesel Electric (battery NEV) Ethanol (E85) Fuel cell Gasoline / petrol (direct injection) Homogeneous charge compression ignition Hybrid (plug-in) Hydrogen Internal combustion Liquid nitrogen Steam

Drive wheels	Front-wheel Rear-wheel Two-wheel Four-wheel Six-wheel Eight-wheel

Engine position	Front Mid Rear

Layout (engine / drive)	Front / front Mid / front Rear / front Front / rear Rear mid / rear Rear / rear Front / four-wheel Mid / four-wheel Rear / four-wheel

Engine configuration (internal combustion)	Boxer Flat Four-stroke H-block Inline Reciprocating Single-cylinder Straight Two-stroke V (Vee) W engine Wankel

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