Subaru boxes clever

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One of Subaru’s trademarks (along with all-wheel drive) is its use of flat-four engines. Instead of having four cylinders all in a line (like 99.9% of four-potters), this one (also known as a ‘boxer’, for reasons which will become clear) has them arranged into horizontally opposed pairs, making the layout more square (or box-like) instead of rectangular. Advantages include a lower center of gravity and lighter weight.

The newsworthy bit is that the company has just embarked upon the production of diesel engines, which just so happens to make them the first boxers in the world to be powered by the stuff. And sooner or later, they will be coming Stateside.

When they do, American drivers will be able to enjoy a diesel engine that will be smoother than most, since the boxer configuration cancels out a lot of vibration. Subaru claims that moving sound levels will be (ever so slightly) lower than a Rolls-Royce Phantom.

Taking the Legacy 2.0D as an example (on sale in Europe from February), its turbocharged engine produces a rather modest 150 horsepower, but more than compensates with a muscular 258 pounds-feet of torque. Better still, the car should be good for an average of at least 40 mpg. There’s no set time frame for this engine’s American debut, but the plans are in place.

-- Colin Ryan