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A rear engine, front wheel drive layout is one in which the engine is behind the rear wheels, but drives the front wheels via a driveshaft, like a conventional front-engine rear-drive vehicle traveling in reverse.
Although uncommon in todays' cars, this drive layout has been used in the past, by Buckminster Fuller in his Dymaxion car, which was able to turn within its wheelbase due to rear-wheel steering.
There is some interest in developing the idea for use in cars of the future, as evidenced by the patent application http://www.WikiPatents.com/gb/2351051.html of inventor–engineer Michael Basnett at Rover Group (GB), who proposes a front transaxle design, rear flat engine architecture.
According to the patent, the layout is designed to be advantageous in terms of crash performance by increasing the front crumple zone, in allowing greater styling freedom, in enhanced ride via reduced noise, vibration, and harshness, and in lowered center of gravity providing improved handling, braking and roll characteristics.
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