Longitudinal engine

internal combustion engine in which the crankshaft is oriented along the long axis of the vehicle, front to back

A longitudinal engine is an engine mounted in a vehicle so that the engine's crankshaft is parallel with the vehicle, front to back. The majority of rear wheel drive vehicles use a longitudinal engine design. where the engine's crankshaft axis is parallel to the vehicle. Many modern front wheel drive vehicles use a transverse engine mounting design.

Longitudinal inline 6 in a Rover 2300

Placement of longitudinal engines change

Engines may be placed in three main positions within the car:

  • front engine mounted - the engine is mounted under the hood, over the front axle
  • rear engine mounted - the engine is mounted where the trunk would normally be, over the rear axle
  • mid engine mounted - the engine is mounted between the front and rear axles, where the rear seats would be located