Subaru diesel boxer to debut in Geneva
We reported on Subaru's development of a boxer diesel way back in September, when Hiroyuki Ikeda, Subaru's Europe President, made the announcement at the Paris Motor Show. Now, we have a fixed date on when the oil-burner will be unveiled: March 6th, in Geneva.You can read Subaru's press release after the jump, but be forewarned, it's sparse on technical details. They're mainly pushing the advantages of the boxer design to lower the center of gravity, reduce vibrations and produce sounds similar to Beelzebub gargling a Harley. Well, maybe not the last one.
Click the pic for a high res image.
[Source: Subaru]
PRESS RELEASE
SUBARU 'BOXER' TURBO DIESEL IN GENEVA WORLD PREMIERE
The world's first horizontally-opposed turbo diesel engine – offering exceptional refinement and smoothness – makes it debut at the 77th Geneva International Motor Show next month on the Subaru stand.
The Japanese all-wheel drive specialist – renowned for producing cars with outstanding chassis dynamics and active safety – will be displaying an entire drivetrain at the 'show.
Subaru believes passionately in its 'boxer' engines which are more compact than in-line units and provide a much lower centre-of-gravity.
This reduces body roll for safer cornering and also enhances handling precision such as during a sudden lane-change manoeuvre on a motorway.
Due for its first vehicle application early next year, the Subaru 'boxer' turbo diesel is a highly rigid unit with low levels of noise and vibration.
Not only does this eliminate the need for a balancer shaft which counters uneven combustion pressures and general roughness, but Subaru's first diesel is as compact as its petrol sisters and combines unusually strong pulling power at low engine speeds with high-rev throttle-response.
Both the engine and symmetrical all-wheel drive drivetrain will be unveiled as part of Subaru's press conference at the 'show on March 6 at 10.15 am.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
NoNameDenton 4:41PM (2/08/2007)
I would have to see finals numbers, but looks like it will be a competetior for the Germans. Lets hope the American car makers take a cue and start developing diesels for their cars and light vehicles (I mean other then for the light duty pick ups and SUVs).
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Mat 4:42PM (2/08/2007)
Interesting. I wonder what they'll use it in and what the HP and MPG numbers will be.
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Accordsforall 4:51PM (2/08/2007)
Hmmmm
Since Toyota has a 8% stake (will increase to over 50% in a coupla months) I wonder if Toyota is chomping at the bit.. to get their hands on this...
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dan spalinger 4:51PM (2/08/2007)
Mmmm...how long till we see this engine in Toyotas given their ever closer ties...not long I imagine...
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MikeW 4:58PM (2/08/2007)
Left left right right, left left right right, left left right right...
a boxing4 firing order
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Farris 5:16PM (2/08/2007)
MikeW, they can change the firing order of the engine...it doesn't have to be LLRR. My old VW SuperBeetle was LRLR, and with diesel, it would probably make sense to do the same. I know that if my TDI New Beetle (...I'm a Beetle fan...) were a boxer with an LLRR firing order, I probably wouldn't have bought it.
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Dolan Halbrook 5:23PM (2/08/2007)
Can't wait to see this end up in an Outback or a Legacy. That would pretty much be my perfect car.
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adam 6:21PM (2/08/2007)
All Subaru engines are arranged longitudinally -- and, to my knowledge all Toyota cars are transverse/FWD at the moment. So a Subaru diesel would have to be reserved for the Toyota pickups and full-size SUVs or RWD Lexus models.
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masarak 5:32PM (2/08/2007)
#3, 4:
Toyota already has their own diesels selling in other countries. There's just not enough demand for them in the U.S. Toyota would make plenty of profit from this technology by just buying more Fuji stock and sitting back and letting Subaru sell its awd boxers all over Europe and Asia.
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MikeW 6:00PM (2/08/2007)
All even firing boxing4 engines fire L L R R.
Label the cylinders A&B as the first pair opposed, and C&D as the second pair.
Since B is 180 degrees of crank angle and 180 degrees spatial displaced from A, those two always fire in 360 degree intervals. So if the crank throws of C&D matched A&B, then in 180 degrees of crankshaft rotation there would be no cylinder in firing position. So the throws of A & C are 180 degrees apart, (for non big bang operation) and the firing is left left right right.
and that is where Subaru's constant pulsation exhaust manifold comes in (but not in the US)
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Kumar 11:05PM (2/08/2007)
Mmmmm....outback with a diesel. I went subie since VW wouldn't bring an AWD rabbit here (or the A3 with the base engine and 4motion). It will be even better with a diesel in it when I upgrade to the next version of the outback/legacy in 2010.
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mikomi 6:31PM (2/08/2007)
@8 Masarak
Yes, Toyota has diesels but they could use a lot of improvement. I personally would love to see an Isuzu diesel in a Hilux, I find Isuzu diesel engines to be more reliable, than Toyota's diesels. And for the record, my SUV has Toyota 3L Turbo Intercooled Diesel and I love it, but could use a little more oomph.
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Barney 6:35PM (2/08/2007)
The horizontally-apposed diesel "in cars". There are bigger diesels built that way. I don't know if Toyota would drop their own diesels for this one. The 1.4 Turbo charged in my 1985 is undistructable.
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thesawzall 6:58PM (2/08/2007)
Might make a great engine swap for any old VW buses. Running biodiesel might make the hippies happier.
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Accordsforall 6:58PM (2/08/2007)
Hmmm
A 3L motor of any size should do just fine. Depending on the vehicle its pulling around..
If ya sayin ya motor in ya SUV needs more power.. then dump the SUV and find the motor.. in another vehicle
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MikeW 7:47PM (2/08/2007)
http://www.superbeetles.com/performance101/images/jan2.jpg
http://www.superbeetles.com/performance101/images/mar4.jpg
http://www.superbeetles.com/performance101/images/jan6.jpg
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bernie 8:30PM (2/08/2007)
This is the first cool thing Sube's done in a while. This thing will be a torque monster. I hope the EPA wakes up and let's us enjoy engines like this in the states.
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TheChaz 2:00AM (2/09/2007)
#10 "and, to my knowledge all Toyota cars are transverse/FWD at the moment"
Actually, the JDM Toyota Crown limousine uses a longitudinally front-mounted engine with rear-wheel drive.
http://www.autozine.org/html/Toyota/Crown.html
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Dandy 8:39AM (2/09/2007)
They could do so much with a line of diesels, kudos to them. Like a non-turbo in the Impreza line, turbodiesel in the legacy/forrester/outback, maybe even the tribeca. 250ft/lbs off idle in a extremely reliable car with fulltime awd would make a fantastic daily driver. I'd sell my roomates left arm for a 200hp / 300ft/lb turbodisel concept impreza (minus the huge wing). That thing would be an amazing everyday practical car. With 35mpg in the city! :)
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iowasubie 11:37AM (2/09/2007)
I think they were going for 150HP for this engine? Maybe that was before the addition of a turbo though. Great news for subie fans/drivers. I'm really looking forward to this engine.
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