History of Subaru Engine

[ekimyerac]

In the "How to keep your Subaru Alive" book it talks about how Subaru borrowed the technology from Porsche for the engines. I thought I read somewhere that when Porsche wanted to water cool their engines that they came to Subaru. Is there any truth to this and where could I find it.

 

Michael Carey, KD7GHZ

[subyrally]

subau engines were designed after the old porche engines back in the day. but subaru was the one that started the watercooling of engines in the equasion.

[555Ron]

The boxer engine first appeared in Subaru's parent companies planes. Forced to be split apart after Japanese defeat, 6 of the companies formed together (6 stars) and created the 360. Hardcore Subaru fans will never admit the car was copied off the VW/Porsche... well, at least i'm still in denial.

[Dr. RX]

The boxer engine first appeared in Subaru's parent companies planes. Forced to be split apart after Japanese defeat, 6 of the companies formed together (6 stars) and created the 360. Hardcore Subaru fans will never admit the car was copied off the VW/Porsche... well, at least i'm still in denial.

WOW, I never knew that, I thought that prior to WWII, Fuji Heavy Industries was know as Nakajima. In WWII, all Nakajima planes were powered by radial engines. After Subaru was formed, there was an private airplane similar to a Cessna, that was powered by a Subaru engine, but that was after those engines were used in the cars. Opposing piston engines are not the trade mark of Porsche, the original Volks Wagon (1938) was powered by a flat 4 designed by Dr. Ferry Porsche, but there were others in the world prior to that, they just never got the notority that Porsche did. To maintain a low center of gravity, the boxer is a good choice, I believe that is why Subaru choose it, not because Porsche and VW were using one.