A front attachment for harvesting corn for use in a self-propelled combine harvester includes harvesting devices for grasping and guiding the corn stalks, for picking the corn cobs and for conveying the picked corn cobs. The front attachment has intake conveyor mechanisms extending across the width thereof, snapping devices disposed downstream of the intake conveyor mechanisms in the direction of the crop flow embodying snapping rollers rotating opposite to the direction of travel and a cross conveyor equipped with opposing auger sections. The cross conveyor draws harvested corn cobs together in the center of the front attachment and feeds them from there to a feed rake. The intake conveyor mechanisms and/or the snapping rollers and/or the cross conveyor are driven by a driven mechanism of the combine harvester, which driven mechanism is connected to a steplessly variable transmission.