9 highlights from the history of Subaru’s boxer engine
Posted on 14-05-2016 to 6:00 pm by willeme – 35 Comments”
There is a birthday, hooray! Today it is exactly fifty years ago that Subaru’s first boxer engine was sold and that should be celebrated…
It is always a bit of an outsider, Subaru. They do just everything a little different. The achievements are well-known: four wheel drive, unseemly doors, indestructible technique, stricken in age, design and of course the boxer engine. It has now been 50 years ago that Subaru this type of engine to purchase. We recognize the roar, all of the well-known Impreza’s with spoilers and Legacy’s with caravans. To get in the mood, check out this video (via) to see why Subaru is so stubbornly hold to this type of engine. To the party, listen to, present, we like what we are thinking at the 9 highlights from the history of Subaru’s boxer engine. Get not press, the best Impreza’s (the yellow one on picture is a S202 STI) come in another article yet to bid…
1966: Subaru 1000
This was the first Subaru with a boxer engine. It was a competitor of the Toyota Corolla and Datsun B10 (Sunny). Where almost all the Japanese brands went for a four-cylinder in-line engine chose Subaru for the boxer engine layout. Now because of the driveability, but the reason in 1966 was much simpler. Subaru built all of the 360 (Kei-car), but the desire was to create a middle class car to the building where 4-5 people as well in comfort could sit. The engine had the front come as well as front wheel drive. The boxer engine was chosen because of its compact design. Air cooling was considered, but because of emission requirements, and loopkarakteristiek was chosen for liquid cooling. 32 years before Porsche also achterkwam… at first it was the Subaru 1000 only available as 2-door sedan, a year and a half later, there was also a 4-door version and a station wagon.
1971: Subaru FF-1 1300G
In 1970, it was Tohoku Electric Power Co Inc. with a separate request to a local Subaru dealer. This Japanese energy company had a fleet of old Willy’s Jeeps that were used by technicians to poorly accessible areas to enter. Due to the absence of trivial attributes, such as a roof and decent heating and overall comfort was asked, or Subaru, on the basis of the FF-1 1300G a four-wheel drive version could create. And that’s how it started. The layout of the 1300G (an evolution of the 1000) was ideal for (switchable!) all-wheel drive. There are successful tests with it done and there were half a dozen wagons delivered to Tohuku for a comprehensive (and successful) test. To large-scale mass production would not lead. The 1300 G series came to a end and would be replaced.
1972: The Subaru Leone
In september, 1972 was the day, you could have the dealer run-in and a Subaru Leone ordered with all-wheel drive, boxer engine and unseemly doors. Something where Subaru still long to hold. AWD was not standard, but they were 10(!) year earlier than the brand with the four rings. The Leone was available with a number of variants (station wagon, sedan, and coupe), and various types of motor (all four-cylinder boxers) with a choice in transmission (AWD/FWD and manual gearbox or automatic transmission). Of the Subaru Leone, there are 3 generations built. Anyway, Subaru is not the first with all-wheel drive. This honor went to the Jensen with the FF, although there are very few copies of his built (about three hundred pieces), and the system is not flawless worked.
With the 2nd generation Subaru Leone was also participated in several Rallies. Noriyuki Koseki has built some of the Leone Turbo’s to rallyspecificatie and did with various rally events. The first four-wheel drive rally car had seven stars, and not four rings. Later, Koseki’s activities taken over by Prodrive. Koseki would be in the early 90s, another business start-up: Subaru Technica International.
1989: Subaru Legacy
Then finally comes the long-awaited model to the Leone. The Legacy was the answer to the ever-evolving Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. For the Legacy developed Subaru are second generation boxermotoren. On the low-end after all the Legacy’s all-wheel drive.
The Legacy RS Turbo was chosen as the basis for to take part in the Group A WRC. In 1993 they got a new sponsor, namely cigarette manufacturer ‘555’. In addition to the Martini and Alitilia uitdossingen, this is one of the best liveries on a rally car. The Legacy WRC has only a few rally’s can shine more with the blue-and-gold look, because after a few rallies, the Legacy replaced by its new little brother, the Impreza.
1991: six-cylinder boxer
A motor point is definitely a highlight, because few blocks walk so pretty vibration free as a six-cylinder boxer engine from Subaru, a BMW six-in-line to be discussed. The first comes in 3.3-litre form in the SVX. Now a bargain, but new stervensduur and not really be called a success. The Legacy is there also in 1999, a six-cylinder version, which to date have always delivered in word (not in NL). Blemish on the blazon is the B9 Tribeca. Technically an interesting car with only a 3.6-litre six-cylinder boxer, but in terms of styling was Andrew Zapetinas too far wrong. The marketers saw how ugly the Tribeca was and showed only pictures of the back on advertising! With the facelift, the B9, coding, and the ugly nose, but the suffering had already been done. Also, a last wanhoopspoging to a Saab 9-6X to beach miserably.
1992: Subaru Impreza
The Leone will get a successor in the form of the Impreza. Subaru is a very modern sedan. The Impreza receives the EJ boxermotoren of the Legacy and compared with the Leone a lot more sophisticated (if also). The Impreza is of course mainly known to us petrolheads because of the fast versions. Of only this generation, there are too many to mention, but the one we need to explain and that is the Impreza GT Turbo. Yes, there were a lot of faster and heavier versions, but the Impreza GT Turbo, took about 50 mille, in guilders! Think for a moment that an equally fast Cosworth RS Cosworth, Celica GT-Four or Delta Integral double took and you’ll understand why everyone and his mother in the 90’s and a Impreza GT Turbo had.
1996-1997: Subaru Outback and Forester
In 1996, introduced Subaru the Outback version of the Legacy. Actually not more than a Legacy with greater ground clearance and chunky bumpers, but in combination with the four-wheel drive and low gearing, you could in difficult terrain still reasonably off the feet. This car would be the basis for stories of success as the Audi A6 Allroad, Volvo XC70 and all other ‘tough’ versions of normal station wagons. Next to an Outback version of the Legacy, there was also one of the Impreza, which in the us until recently, never provided. Today, however, only called it the Subaru XV.
A year later the Forester. A little weird thing. Because it is certainly not an off-road vehicle, but also not a station wagon. That in 2016 that actually applies to all bestsellers (Tiguan, CX-5, Quashqai etc) is remarkable. The Forester was a big hit and is now, along with the Impreza and Legacy of one of the three pillars on which Subaru to rest. Next good versions, there are also Turbo and STI versions of the Forester. Just as practical as a regular Forester, but at the stop light, you can easily use a Boxster or a Golf GTI like to drive. Always fun. Favorietje among the owners of a track or caravan. The current Forester was the first with the new (3rd) generation boxermotoren.
2008: Boxer Diesel
This in itself was very special, because as it is known is Subaru in Europe is not really big, partly due to a lack of diesel engines. In place of an Opel diesel in GM involving developed Subaru all his first own diesel , of course, a boxer. The Boxer Diesel delivers 150pk and 350nm. The development seems to be a little quiet, because these numbers are all 8 years of the same. However, it seems that the engine slightly more efficient and especially more reliable. Typical.
BRZ:
An outcast in the Subaru family. But it is absolutely a highlight and there is a boxer, so he’s in this overview. In collaboration with Toyota-developed Subaru the BRZ, a small rear-wheel drive in the spirit of the Toyota Corolla Sprinter Trueno GT-Apex (AE86). The engine is developed by Subaru, with some parts of Toyota coming (fuel injection system). The boxer engine is partly to blame for the brilliant rijdgedrag of the BRZ and GT86. In the Netherlands unfortunately a bit on the expensive side, but in the States you have a BRZ for less than a V6 Mustang. Really a success is it not, at the moment, but maybe they should still come with the STI variant…
Subaru knew they will not easily deviate from the concept that they are convinced that it is the best. First is the budget spent on the drivetrain and build quality. Then comes a beautiful design and appearance dashboard. In the Netherlands it seems that it is not always easy to tackle. The roads are perfect, cars are always well maintained and the worst what we have here with a car to do, there is a heavy cart or caravan behind to hang. This audience has a Subaru his own niche. In the rest of the world the circumstances are not always good and there you can see that the qualities and more are addressed and there is much more to be sold. On to the next 50 years!