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Sunday, February 1, 2015

This is No Punching Bag: The Boxer Engine

The heart and soul of every Subaru vehicle is the boxer engine. It was patented in 1896 and has been also been used by Volkswagen and Porsche. It is named so because the pistons have a horizontal movement, akin to boxers throwing punches. The cylinders are positioned 180 degrees apart from each other, in two banks on either side of the crankshaft. This results in a smooth, shudder-free drive.

The boxer engine has many benefits. First of all, the flat layout enables the engine output to flow directly into the transmission, which results in better fuel economy. This makes Subarus arguably the most fuel efficient all-wheel drive (AWD) vehicles. Compared to other engines, the boxer engine can also be mounted lower in the vehicle, giving it a lower center of gravity, which leads to the vehicle being more responsive, especially when cornering or performing evasive actions. It also has a safety feature which allows it to drop below the passenger compartment in case of a frontal accident.

Subaru has been using the boxer engine for over 45 years, and will, no doubt, continue to do so. All aspects of the boxer engine combine to provide a more stable, safer, and a more enjoyable experience on the road while allowing better vehicle control. 

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