I often wonder about the crap some of them write. Today's gem is Driven's piece about the Subaru Forester X Sport. Remarkably, Driven says, "The X Sport is powered by a 2.5-litre horizontally-opposed direct injection boxer engine". I wonder how Subaru has configured that.
tamarillo,
Jan 12, 8:51am
What's wrong with that? Driven tends to be copy paste it's true but I can't see what the problem is with that text. do enlighten.
bwg11,
Jan 12, 9:30am
Well, to me a "boxer" is a flat engine with a central crankshaft with horizontal cylinders and cylinder heads on the outer end of the cylinder, like a Subby, whereas a horizontally opposed engine is like a TS3 Commer for example, with horizontal cylinders but the pistons almost meet in the middle (no cylinder head(s)), and two crankshafts or rockers connected to a central crankshaft above or below the cylinders. So to me, a "horizontal boxer" is just fine but a horizontally opposed boxer rather difficult.
tamarillo,
Jan 12, 9:37am
Hmmm, have to say their words makes sense to me and sense making is the test. Cylinders are horizontal, opposed banks, and boxer is slang name. I reckon this is stolen from Subs own press material anyway!
bwg11,
Jan 12, 9:42am
Sorry tamarillo, but to me their words scream ignorance. Perhaps I'm pedantic.
tamarillo,
Jan 12, 9:55am
From Subs website: Engine: 2.5-litre horizontally-opposed direct injection Boxer engine. Pedantic! yes I share that but honestly think the words are fit for purpose in that it is merely publicity material. But we can agree to differ thank god.
ronaldo8,
Jan 12, 10:08am
No, not pedantic, just wrong. It is a horizontally opposed boxer, the pistons move horizontally and are opposed or opposite to each other in their movement resulting in perfect counterbalance. They are as pairs opposed in direction and therefore also inertia.
bwg11,
Jan 12, 10:23am
After consulting wiki, I concede - my bad. I was not aware of the distinction between a horizontally opposed engine and a horizontally opposed PISTON engine. The Subby is a horizontally opposed engine, but not a horizontally opposed piston engine although it is a piston engine.
apollo11,
Jan 12, 10:24am
This is how I understand it too.
intrade,
Jan 12, 3:57pm
wait for comedian cadogan he is quite good actually in explaining f--kups. he said he is a train engineer . As in locomotives
Thanks desmodave. The marketing departments have a lot to answer for. The Ferrari Berlinetta 180 degree V12, which was called a "Boxer" when it wasn't. The Subby which was a "Boxer" as also described as "horizontally opposed", which to me it wasn't. The Subby is a 180 degree V4, Boxer. How you can accurately describe flat cylinders with parallel centre lines as "horizontally opposed", I don't know. Advertising and journalistic license?
One could argue, that the flat engine, boxer or not, description of being "horizontally opposed", was created by Subaru's Marketing department, as was the Berlinetta "Boxer", by Ferrari, and that the only true "horizontally opposed engine" is a "horizontally opposed piston engine", is the likes of the TS3 Commer, while the Subby, being a piston engine, and claimed to be horizontally opposed is not a "horizontally opposed piston engine". As I stated previously, the Subby is a 180 degree V4 Boxer. Perhaps Wiki needs amending - mechanical truths before advertising jargon?
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