Among the problems discovered by inspectors were "four undercarriage frame cracks including at the drive axle, at the cross member for the motor mounts, and at the differential and over the right front steering axle, " according to a letter sent by Berwick to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Administrator Anne Ferro.

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It was assembled featuring the classic V12 engine, a de Dion rear axle and right-hand drive, and it has pontoon-fender coachwork done by Scaglietti.

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The additional front-wheel drive called for a newly designed front axle: unlike the series production vehicle with AMG V8 engine, which has a double wishbone axle, the SLS AMG E-CELL features an independent multi-link suspension with pushrod damper struts.

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Helping Komatsu persuade the mine operator to switch was a new drive system that instead of the conventional mechanical axle and cogs uses rear-wheel-mounted electrical motors.

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The motors, he said, are at each axle to help deliver all-wheel drive.

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The car is notable both for its four motors (a pair at each axle integrated with max-efficiency gears to drive all four wheels at the same time) and its prowress: 526 horsepower and 649 pound-feet of torque, with a 0-60 mph time of 4 seconds.

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From the side view silhouette, classic rear-drive sport sedan proportions are conveyed by an extended dash-to-axle length, short overhangs, large-diameter wheels, sharply-tapered greenhouse, and short rear deck.

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