During a starting operation or a low-speed drive of a vehicle on a slope, the drive control of the invention sets a gradient-corresponding rotation speed Nθ as a rotation speed of an engine to output a required driving force against a longitudinal vehicle gradient θfr (step S110), and sequentially sets a low-μ-road correction rotation speed Nlow upon identification of a low-μ-road drive condition, a vehicle speed difference-compensating rotation speed Nv based on a vehicle speed V, and a brake-based correction rotation speed Nb based on a brake pressure Pb (steps S120 through S250). The drive control sets a target engine rotation speed Ne* based on these settings (step S260) and subsequently sets a target throttle opening THtag (step S270). The operation of the engine is controlled with the greater between the target throttle opening THtag and a required throttle opening THreq corresponding to an accelerator opening Acc (step S290). This arrangement effectively prevents an unexpected slide-down of the vehicle along the slope.