The most common engines in modern cars are in-line and V-shaped. Boxer motors are used much less frequently, mainly on Porsche and Subaru models. What is the reason for such inattention, and what are the advantages of the boxer engine?
Design options
This motor differs from its counterparts in that the cylinders in it are arranged not vertically or at an angle, but horizontally, i.e. in opposite directions from each other. Hence the name - boxer or horizontally boxer engine.
There are two design options for such motors. First, the pistons move towards each other and have a common combustion chamber. These engines are two-stroke. Their advantages include high gas exchange quality, a simpler design compared to in-line or V-shaped motors. Similar devices were used on military equipment, in particular, on Soviet T-64 tanks, which could operate on different types of fuel: kerosene, gasoline, diesel fuel. To transfer the tank to another view, it was enough to move the special lever on the high-pressure fuel pump and set the required ignition angle. The engine was equipped with two turbines: a supercharger, which increased power, and a gas one, which exhausted gases to the outside. The disadvantages of such opponents are the same as those of two-stroke engines: higher fuel losses through the exhaust pipe. As you might guess, decent dimensions are added to this, because two crankshafts are required for pistons moving towards them. The second option is more common. That is what we most often mean when we mean the boxer engine. Relatively speaking, this is a V-shaped motor, the cylinders of which they decided to expand at an angle of 180 degrees. It is used both on automobiles (Porsche, Audi, Subaru), and on motorcycles (Dnipro, Ural). We will talk about him below.
Advantages and disadvantages
So, the benefits. The main advantage of this engine layout is a lower center of gravity, which improves the handling of the car. Also, the opposition player compares favorably in terms of size and weight. It is noticeably shorter and lower than in-line engines. Another advantage is the excellent balance, which is ensured by the arrangement of pistons that neutralize each other's vibration. The shift of the center of gravity of the power unit to the center of the car makes it possible to make the turn more accurate and stable. This is especially important for sports models, where handling is not just in the first, but in the very first place. There are pluses in frontal collisions. Since the boxer engine is located low, then in a collision it will move under the cab, and not into the passenger compartment. So the presence of such a motor speaks in favor of car safety.
Does the boxer engine have flaws? Yes, and quite substantial. It was they who became the reason that such motors were not widely used. Opposites have a small length and height, but their width is much greater than that of engines, where the cylinders are in a row or in the form of the letter V. This creates a lot of problems for designers. The engine compartment should be such that the boxer engine fits into it in width. In this case, you need to compactly position the steering and steered wheels. Another issue is the availability of nodes for maintenance. If the oil in the engine can still be changed independently, then the remaining operations can only be performed by a specialist. Even changing the spark plugs in the engine by yourself is not recommended, because you can easily damage the cylinder head. These shortcomings make boxer engines more expensive to manufacture and maintain. And this, in turn, affects the price of the car.
As you can see, this type of device has enough advantages and disadvantages. However, their competitors are also imperfect. Therefore, when choosing a car, decide whether the complexity and high cost of servicing the power unit is important to you. It is possible that good handling of the car will pay back these costs with interest.