It’s something we love. We do, too.
Flat engines, also known as boxer engines, are internal combustion engines with horizontally-opposed pistons. This idea dates back to 1896 when Karl Benz, an engineer, patented it.
Flat engines powered some of the most iconic cars and favorite models of all time. These cars include the original Ford A and Lancia Flavia, Alfa Romeo 33 and Volkswagen Beetle as well as the Porsche 911, nearly all of the modern Subarus. The 911 isn’t the first German sports car manufacturer to use a boxer engine. It was used originally in the 356, which turns 70 this year.
Porsche has just released the latest installment of its Top5 video series on Youtube. This week’s episode focuses on the benefits of the boxer engine. Jean Pierre Kraemer, a car enthusiast, meets Hans Mezger, the former head of design for the first 911 engine.
To understand the greatest advantage of the boxer, you don’t need to be an engineer genius. Because of its extremely flat design, it has a very low center of gravity. This helps to improve the car’s overall road performance. The vehicle will accelerate more out of corners due to its precise weight distribution.
The delicate mass balance of a well-engineered flat engine is also very important. Because the cylinder layout makes it impossible to balance the masses, they don’t need balance shafts. This engine is known for its “boxer” name because of the opposing actions of the pistons.
We won’t reveal it, but there’s another thing. You can watch the entire video above and pay close attention to the last part. It discusses Porsche’s design, and how the boxer engine influenced its creation. It is simply amazing.