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Subaru celebrates 50 memorable years of boxer engines

By Kenny Yeo - on 16 May 2016, 10:23am

Subaru celebrates 50 memorable years of boxer engines

(Image source: Car Throttle)

Japanese automaker Subaru is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its iconic boxer engine.

Boxer engines differ from more typical inline or V engines in that its pistons are horizontally-opposed. This allows boxer engines to be built more compact, allowing automakers to mount them lower in the engine bay for better weight distribution and lower center of gravity. This is why they are sometimes referred to as "flat" engines.

In addition, because the pistons are horizontally-opposed, any inertia is canceled out and engine vibrations are reduced. This improves car handling.

The first Subaru car to use a boxer engine was the Subaru 1000. A small two-door compact car that was powered by a 1-liter 4-cylinder boxer engine that made 54hp.

Subaru's boxer engines are also famous for powering the company's hot turbocharged WRX sedans. From 1995 to 1997, Subaru won three World Rally Championship manufacturers' championship on the trot thanks to its fearsome boxer engine powered Imprezas.

Toyota approached Subaru for its expertise in boxer engines to provide the power plant for the two companies' FT-86/BRZ joint venture. The Toyota FT-86 and Subaru BRZ are powered by the same 2-liter flat-four engine that makes 200hp.

Most recently, Subaru announced that its latest all-new 2017 Impreza will continue using the company's signature boxer engine.

For Subaru enthusiasts, they can look forward to the new Levorg WRX STi which will go into production soon. This hot stationwagon will be powered by the same 305hp 2.5-liter turbocharged boxer unit found in the older Impreza WRX STi.

Source: Carscoops

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