A drive unit for driving at least two axles of an all-wheel drive vehicle, having a housing (3), an input gear (5) meshing with an output gear (4) of a gear-shift transmission (2), a center differential (6) coaxially disposed relative to the input gear (5) and one of the axles. To yield maximum rigidity at minimum structural dimensions the input gear (5) is rigidly mounted to a cage (20) of the center differential (6), the cage (20) being journalled at one end in a first tapered roller bearing (35) seated in the housing (3). A further output member (28) of the center differential (6) extends from the opposite end of the cage (20) and is rigidly connected to an output gear (10; 40) journalled in a second tapered roller bearing (36) seated in the housing (3) and provided with a third tapered roller bearing (37) wherein the other end of the cage (20) is journalled.
