Although several car manufacturers use inline and V-type internal combustion engines, some prefer to opt for a slightly more exclusive engine. Brands like Subaru and Porsche often use a boxer engine, also known as a flat engine, in their vehicles. We have compiled a complete guide that will answer all your questions regarding how the boxer engine works and why these manufacturers prefer this type of engine. Read on and find out.
What is a Boxer Engine
A Boxer engine is a multi-cylinder engine, also called an opposed cylinder or flat engine. In a boxer engine, the movement of the pistons is done in a single plane, with the cylinders arranged on either side of the crankshaft. The boxer engine is a 180° V engine.
The expression “flat” refers to engine operation. The pistons of the boxer engine move in the cylinders horizontally and not vertically or diagonally as in an in-line or V engine. This gives it a flattened look in the engine compartment. The term Boxer refers to the movement of the pistons, which is reminiscent of the movement of the arms of a professional boxer.
History of Boxer Engine
This type of engine was invented in 1897 by German engineer Karl Benz. It was then used in various vehicles in the 20th century, such as the first Ford Model A, C and F built between 1903 and 1905.
The Boxer engine has continued to enjoy quite remarkable success over the years, especially under the hood of the very first Volkswagen (the Beetle), but also in the Volkswagen Type 2 (Transporter, Kombi, Microbus) and Karmann-Ghia. Even General Motors used it for the Chevrolet Corvair between 1960 and 1969. If you want to know some interesting facts about General Motors, give this guide a read.
Porsche also traced the engine’s history and embedded a 35-horsepower four-cylinder engine in his 356-001. The first 911 featured a flat-six engine. Also, the FF-1 by Subaru was the model that used a boxer engine which produced 65 lb-ft of engine torque and 61 horsepower.
Same as on the Subaru side, this is the only type of engine offered by the manufacturer. Toyota also borrows this configuration to power its sporty GR86, which it markets in partnership with Subaru. For further exploration of car enthusiasts, here are some fun facts about Toyota. Today, it is mainly Porsche, Toyota and Subaru that continue to use boxer engines. Here are more details about generations of Porsche 911.
Operation of Boxer Engine
The key element that makes the Boxer engine stand out is its flattened configuration which causes the pistons to move left to right instead of up and down inside their combustion chamber. The synchronisation of their movement is also different from that of a conventional heat engine in that the two opposing pistons work together.
For example, in the case of a 4-cylinder boxer engine, the first two pistons will be in the intake phase at the same time, while the other two will be in the compression phase. It is therefore a symmetrical movement.
A flat engine is recognised by the absence of cylinder heads installed on the top of the engine. These will rather be placed at each end, one on the left, the other on the right. The other distinction is that even though it is a 4-cylinder engine, a Boxer still requires two-cylinder heads, unlike the inline engine which only requires one.
Pros and Cons of Boxer Engines
There are certain advantages and disadvantages of the boxer engine. Some of them are:
Pros of Boxer Engine
The advantages of a boxer engine include:
Sharper Handling
The great quality of these engines is the possibility of reducing the engine’s height and lowering the centre of gravity of the car, which improves stability. The length in the longitudinal direction can also be reduced compared to one with in-line cylinders.
Smoother Accelerations
This type of engine is compact, lightweight and positioned symmetrically and low in the frame. This ensures smoother and more direct power delivery.
Great Balance
Pistons move side-to-side, a better-balanced configuration by nature, so they induce less vibration, generate better performance and decrease wear on moving parts.
Cons of Boxer Engine
These are the possible cons of using a boxer engine.
Engine Size
The size and design of the boxer engine are quite complicated. It sits wide on the engine bay, making it difficult to find the space for critical parts, such as the steering rack. Besides, a flat engine can also obstruct airflow, which ultimately damages the engine.
Complexity
Unfortunately, the repair work is quite laborious due to the engine design. It is necessary to remove the entire vehicle, even for minor repairs. The complexity of the work translates into a high repair cost for the car owner.
Home Serviceability
In addition, a flat engine needs a lot of maintenance to run smoothly. The layout of a boxer flat-4 and the flat 6 engine is more complicated than an inline engine. For this, you will have to use special equipment, which only service stations have. And the cost of its production is relatively high, which ultimately affects the price of the car.
With this, we conclude our guide on the boxer engine. Boxer engines are not completely outdated Porsche 911 is still powered by the 3.0-litre turbocharged flat-six engine. If you are looking for a used Porsche for sale in the UAE, check out the listing.
You can also find a boxer engine in different models of Subaru. Here is the listing of second-hand Subaru for sale. Besides, people interested in buying cars with other engine types can check out a range of used cars in the UAE available at competitive market rates.
To know more about car parts, stay in touch with the UAE’s leading auto blog.
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