The invention relates to a winch for a vehicle which is compact enough to be located at the rear of the vehicle without causing due limitation to the cross country ability of the vehicle and yet at the same time, provides a reliable winch for drawing a vehicle to be towed to it and enabling the coupling member to be physically secured to the vehicle when the cable is in the fully wound position. The winch comprises a housing, a drum rotatable about its axis within the housing, a cable having a coupling member at a bitter end thereof, said cable being adapted to wound upon said drum, characterized by the motor being disposed within the drum itself, a guide member being provided for movement relative to the winding surface of the drum for guiding the cable opening in the housing to a winding surface of the drum for lowering the cable thereon during winding without significant bunching of the cable and in that coupling includes a nesting portion which locates a nest in a corresponding cooperating portion carried by or within the housing when the cable is in the fully wound position.