RE: Subaru Reveals All-New Boxer Engine

[HowardB]

mitch78 said:

f111lover said:

Good to see development is still going on, my problem is the way Subaru have gone styling wise. No more sports saloons, no more frameless windows, trying to look like every other box on the road, they're just no longer different enough to interest me. Damn shame.

Looks pretty much like a sports saloon to me:



Does it really make a difference to your choice of car, whether the windows have frames or not?

Yes, in a word, yes! I like frameless windows, it is part of having something different, and a bit special.

Dear Santa,

what I want for Xmas is a hard core WRX that has 250+bhp, looks like an estate, and drives like a rally car. I don't want electric seats, I don't want electric handbrake, and I don't want the steering wheel to have twenty buttons on it that have nothing to do with driving!

Oh and a tow bar please

Simple really

thanks

[Alec]

mitch78 said:

Can anyone recommend a good Subaru specialist as close to Leeds as possible...

If you don't mind a little drive Chy Wright at Pennine Subaru is a super star, he made the engine discussed here http://bbs.22b.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_... 700+bhp on stock fuel. He's not that good on email but his number is 01422 845 007, his workshop is in Hebden Bridge.

[johnyb]

He built this too ;-)

[mitch78]

Alec said:

mitch78 said:

Can anyone recommend a good Subaru specialist as close to Leeds as possible...

If you don't mind a little drive Chy Wright at Pennine Subaru is a super star, he made the engine discussed here http://bbs.22b.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_... 700+bhp on stock fuel. He's not that good on email but his number is 01422 845 007, his workshop is in Hebden Bridge.

That's great, thanks!

[mitch78]

HowardB said:

mitch78 said:

Does it really make a difference to your choice of car, whether the windows have frames or not?

Yes, in a word, yes! I like frameless windows, it is part of having something different, and a bit special.

I know what you mean, but it hardly affects the drive, or even the look, when they're closed. I agree that they were better without frames, but I'd never rule out a car simply because it had them.

[kernow jon]

cymtriks said:

Some questions:

• Is a boxer engine actually any lower overall? The sump looks very deep (always an issue for those who swap Subaru engines into VWs) and the intake system looks high. Everyone says that height is one of the big advantages of a boxer layout, so is it true?

• Is there a problem fitting emissions equipment onto a boxer, it must be a bit of a squeeze just fitting an exhaust under each bank and weren't Porsche thinking of going to a V layout for exactly this reason (the rumoured V8 911)?

• If it is no lower and emissions are harder then why bother? Does anyone really care that much? After all no one else apart from Porsche makes boxer engines for cars, Alfa and Ferrari stopped over a decade or two ago, Citroen, VW and GM (the Corvair) stopped many years before that.

OK first off I am a boxer fan - when I was a biker I owned a number of Boxer engined BMWs good reliability and great stability. Now I own a Subaru Forester which has over 150K Miles on the clock and still sounds as smooth as a Swiss Watch. There are many Subarus outlasting 200K.
To your questions
Yes the Boxer engine is a lot lower than a conventional in line or even V engine. The bits that are high up are relatively very light ancillaries - air intakes, ignition electrics, altenator, power steering pump, air con.
The heavy bits, (crankshaft, pistons, cylinders, crankcases, cam shafts, flywheel) are low down with the weight evenly distributed right across the car.

Yes the Sump is deep - the oil level has to be below the level of the bottom of the cylinders, but it is not really a problem. Change the cambelt on a Subie and you will soon realise how low down the cylinder / crankshaft line really is.

I think the real problem, for car manufacturers, is an accountants problem - they, Boxer engines cost a lot more to produce.

Jon

[GravelBen]

mitch78 said:

HowardB said:

mitch78 said:

Does it really make a difference to your choice of car, whether the windows have frames or not?

Yes, in a word, yes! I like frameless windows, it is part of having something different, and a bit special.

I know what you mean, but it hardly affects the drive, or even the look, when they're closed. I agree that they were better without frames, but I'd never rule out a car simply because it had them.

It does make it much easier for the passenger to bail out quickly with a rifle.