Transverse engine. A transverse engine is an engine mounted in a vehicle so that the engine's crankshaft axis is perpendicular to the direction of travel. Many modern front-wheel drive vehicles use this engine mounting configuration. Most rear-wheel drive vehicles use a longitudinal engine configuration, where the engine's crankshaft axis is
How Four-Wheel Drive Works Many people think that 4×4 means all 4 wheels are driven at the same time — but this isn’t necessarily the case. When your vehicle negotiates a bend in the road, the differential in the axle compensates for the fact that the outside wheel travels farther than the inside wheel does. The difference between all-wheel drive, front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive seems more confusing than it actually is. Most modern cars are front-wheel drive, putting power to the wheels that are also steering the car. The same reasoning is applied to all-wheel-drive-equipped vehicles where power is distributed to all four wheels. e3RTQ.