In a free-wheeling vehicle drive system in which the free-wheeling function is cut in and cut out entirely in response to normal driving operation of acceleration and deceleration, at least the signal corresponding to engine acceleration, which may be provided by the accelerator pedal, is subjected to delay before it may set a flipflop establishing the free-wheeling function. The braking signal, which may conveniently be derived from the brake-light switch, can likewise be advantageously delayed in its resetting of the flipflop in order that brief touching of the brakes should not disable free-wheeling. A more refined system which cuts in free-wheeling only after acceleration of the engine followed by the establishment of an idling condition of the engine can be used without the necessity of providing an overrunning clutch, since the control of a normal clutch connecting or separating engine and drive train can provide free-wheeling. The use of both slow-acting engagement of the clutch and an overriding fast-action engagement, and the taking account of engine speed, engine temperature, downward road slope and rapid changes of position of the accelerator pedal, can provide a sophisticated and nevertheless natural control of free-wheeling over a wide variety of driving conditions.