Those who once believed, a rear engine with front-wheel drive is pretty much the most senseless thing there is, will now disabused. But then one has probably not thought of a corresponding four-wheel drive. Together with the rear-wheel drive this still obviously make sense. As so often in these days, the company Steyr Daimler Puch in Graz (Austria) ensure protect for the producers of two-wheel-driven.

Externally it is visible at the larger distance of the wheels from the body. From back to front is a drive shaft. There must disappear spare wheel and tank. The latter is now back above the transmission and uses the space so well that now 70 liters fit in. Normal, the synchro in front has at the cardan shaft a viscous coupling. As an optional extra that is missing and the all-wheel is shiftable 100-percent.

The normal transporter transmission is unchanged except for the missing reverse gear and a few measures to ensure the lubrication even at high inclined positions. In driving direction front is flanged an underdrive housing at which via an additional shaft are realized an underdrive and a synchronized reverse gear. As both have the same short transmission, so it can be driven very slowly backwards.

Who has forgotten to order limited slip differentials front and rear when appointed the new car, can be a nasty surprise with partial black ice. Just as with selectable four-wheel, the two 100 percent locks are turned on via under pressure from the engine. Indicator lights signal the latching. Especially on rough ground the front lock should be turned off necessarily.

Cars without selectable all-wheel have the viscous coupling. Their hard filling with viscous liquid provides at different rotational speeds, front and rear for increased pressure and thus for greater engagement. The entire construction could be called automatically switching on front-wheel drive. But even normally it connects the two axles quite good. However, attempts on the lifting platform the front axle with driven rear axle to stop with corresponding gloves can end painful, but never successfully.

The picture above shows a very special model. It is a TriStar Synchro with headlights of the Carat equipment, four-door, especiallymore comfortable interior black bordered sliding windows and a lattice-like bumper. If you accordingly zoom in, you can even see backgrounds of the rear window heating. 04/08