Many don’t believe that four wheel drive vehicle was the same as the creation of vehicle itself. As we know it, Ferdinand Porsche designed and built a four-wheel driven Electric vehicle for the k. u. k. Hofwagenfabrik Ludwig Lohner & Co. at Vienna in 1899, presented to the public during the 1900 World Exhibition at Paris
Although clumsily heavy, the vehicle proved a powerful sprinter and record-breaker in the hands of its owner E.W. Hart. Due to its unusual status the so-called Lohner-Porsche is not widely credited as the first four-wheel driven automobile.
The first four-wheel drive car, as well as hill-climb racer, with internal combustion engine, the Spyker 60 H.P., was presented in 1903 by Dutch brothers Jacobus and Hendrik-Jan Spijker of Amsterdam. The two-seat sports car, which was also the first ever car equipped with a six-cylinder engine, is now an exhibit in the Louwman Collection (the former Nationaal Automobiel Museum) at the Hague in The Netherlands.
Daimler-Benz also has a history in four-wheel drive. In 1907 the Daimler Motoren Gesellschafthad built a four-wheel driven vehicle calledDernburg-Wagen, also equipped with four-wheel steering, that was used by German colonial civil servant, Bernhard Dernburg, in Namibia. Mercedes and BMW, in 1926, introduced a rather sophisticated four-wheel drive, the G1, the G4 and G4 following. The 1937 Mercedes-Benz G5 and BMW 325 4×4 featured full time four-wheel drive, four-wheel steering, three locking differentials, and fully independent suspension. They were produced because of a government demand for a four-wheel drive passenger vehicle. The modern G-series/Wolf such as the G500 and G55 AMG still feature some of the attributes, with the exception of fully independent suspension since it hinders suspension articulation. The Unimog is another Mercedes truck.
It was not until "go-anywhere" vehicles were needed for the military that four-wheel drive found its place. The Jeep, originally developed by American Bantam but mass-produced by Willys and Ford, became the best-known four-wheel drive vehicle in the world during World War II. Willys (since 1950 owner of the Jeep name) introduced the CJ-2A in 1945 as the first full-production four-wheel drive passenger vehicle. Possibly beaten by the 1938 GAZ-61.
The Land Rover appeared at the Amsterdam Motor Show in 1948, originally it was made with the dual purpose concept as for run off-road on the farm and also as a passenger car. Land Rover has a unique character which is its body frame made from rust resistant alloy called Birmabright, combination of aluminium and magnesium. At that time, Land Rover has already equiped with power take offs winch for any farming purpose.
Nowadays the modern 4x4 vehicles not only have the advantage on two-wheel drive automatic transfer to a four-wheel drive but alsohas the advantage and comfort level as a luxury sedan. Therefore, the current four-wheel drive and interest enjoyed by all people and also became a kind of lifestyle for most 4x4 enthusiasts community.
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