Mazda Motor Corporation

Mitsuji Echigo

Naomune Moriyama

Reiji Kikuchi

Masaya Watanabe

Osamu Kameda

Hitoshi Akutagawa

Hideaki Akahoshi

Hisaaki Katsuka

A power train includes a transmission disposed in a transverse direction of a vehicle, in which an engine crankshaft extends. The power train has a wheel drive shaft, disposed in alignment with a transmission shaft, a front differential, having differential output shafts aligned with the transmission shaft, and a speed reduction gear, disposed between the transmission shaft and differential input shaft. The speed reduction gear has an input gear, having an axis of rotation placed parallel to the transmission shaft. The transmission shaft is one of input shaft and output shaft, having axes of rotation which are placed parallel to the engine crankshaft. The wheel drive shaft and differential output shaft are aligned with the one of the transmission input and output shafts. The speed reduction gear, connected to the one of the transmission input and output shafts, is preferably parallel to both of the transmission input and output shafts.

Power train for automotive vehicle

In the case where a steering shaft and an exhaust pipe are arranged in the longitudinal direction of vehicle body across a front axle in the four-wheel-drive motor vehicle of transversely-disposed engine type, such are arranged by utilizing a dead space between a front differential and a directional change gear. This arrangement can meet the required road clearance and other requirements, while preventing interference with differential, etc.

Four-wheel-drive motor vehicle of transversely-disposed engine type

A motor vehicle with a transversely-disposed engine wherein a differential gear of a power plant is mounted transversely in the forward position of an engine, and a steering member is disposed in the upper position of an output shaft of the engine as well as in the rearward position of the engine. The advantages obtained in this arrangement are a reduced weight loaded on front wheels, a simplified steering system and a facilitated layout of the steering member. Knuckle arms are provided with long arm portions with which tie rods are connected. These tie rods are connected with the steering member at the center thereof. Accordingly, the tie rods can be long enough while necessary steering angle of the front wheels can be obtained. Thus, the toe angle fluctuation can be restrained and the steering rigidity can be improved.

Motor vehicle with a transversely-disposed engine

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Yokohama, Japan

Mitsuji Echigo