Subaru Boxer Turbo Diesel engine
February 11, 2008 by Alborz Fallah
About 1.5 years ago we published an article on Subaru’s Boxer turbo diesel engine, the first boxer diesel in the world, and now Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), owners of Subaru, are set to unveil the Boxer Turbo Diesel at the 77th Geneva International Motor Show in early March.
Scheduled for release to the European market later this year, the diesel powerplant will fill the void of diesel variants in the Subaru lineup. Credit must be given where credit is due and Subaru could have just created a standard diesel engine, but instead they are producing them using a horizontally-opposed boxer configuration – their trademark.
According to the manufacturer the boxer diesel is not only a similar size to its petrol brothers but also has such excellent high rigidity and low noise and vibration levels that engineers have safely removed the balancer shaft.
Subaru has ruled out going front-wheel drive with any of its diesel models, claiming the all-wheel drive system (which the company has made its name on) is best suited to all applications, including diesel engines.
“We’re very interested in the diesel engine but there’s no definite timeframe for Australia.” Subaru spokesman David Rowley told CarAdvice
“The initial focus for Fuji Heavy Industries is on Europe and judging by the reports from there, the engine has sparked huge interest and much positive comment. We are interested in testing the engine locally but beyond that it’s too early to say what models it might slot into, as the production is going to be absorbed by Europe in the immediate future. ” he said
Apart from the boxer diesel engine, Subaru is also working on an electric powerplant which is being used in the Subaru R1e. Currently 10 of these cars are being used by the Tokyo Electric Power Company who has partnered with the Japanese giant for the project.
The company plans to commercialise the R1e as a short-distance commuter car based on the already successful Subaru R1 minivehicle
Print it: 
Should have a VERY interesting engine note. :)
It is good to see a lot more motor manufacturers using turbo diesel engines as they will be a lot more common in the years to come !
Kudos to Subaru! Diesel WRX All the way! :P
Doesn’t that mini car remind you of a Yaris somehow?
this diesel does something rather special – it revs
According to drive reports from Europe this is a fantastic engine.
I wonder how good economy is as the boxer petrol variant isn’t economical for it’s displacement.Perhaps to do with max torque at lower RPM being a characteristic of the boxer design?
^ car mag online uk have driven the 2.0 litre legacy (our liberty) 8.5sec to 60 mph. 49.5mpg.
How does it sound? “On the move there’s the barest hint of flat-four throb – equal length exhaust headers mean no Scooby burble – overlayed with the techie sounding whine of the variable vane turbo.”
For me it would be the only choice for the Forester. But only if they keep the dual range transfer case and not pull it out like they do for the petrol turbo.
^The mini car does look like a yaris with a subby nose!
Realcars,
The boxer is actually quite economical for displacement. You maybe confusing the higher fuel usage of Subaru because of AWD. An earlier 2WD Subie is more economical a similar Camry.
Its already advertised on the subaru UK website. Its been driven by some already: -
“Subaru’s diesel gives, quite simply, the nearest thing to a petrol-engine driving experience than any diesel we’ve yet driven.” Channel 4
“This must be the quietest four-cylinder diesel family car around….Subaru deserves to sell as many of these as it can make.” Autocar
Can’t wait to hear one rumble by..this thing will sell really well here, Subaru have been missinig out on sales for years WRX excepted.
Realcars: Subaru’s are actually pretty economical if you drive them sensibly. If you drive like an idiot, than it will use more petrol. I can drive further in my 2.5 Forester on the highway than I can in my 3.6litre VZ Berlina. Even further in town. Have you ever actually driven a Subaru or do you just make these random statements for the fun of it. A diesel is a great idea. If they put it in any of models I’ll buy one. Look out for a new Forester with a Diesel, I think that is what they will do first.
Diesel is out of touch now. Diesel is around 30 cents per litre more expensive then petrol and runnign costs are increased on such an engine. Then you have a higher purchase price too.
Why do manuacturers waste their time is what I want to know. They could make something that costs less to run, more enviro. friendly and perfroms as well as we need for the most part.
I have been waiting and waiting. My wife’s parents bought one in Spain now, so they are making left hand drive versions. I would buy any model offered in the United States. I have a Jetta sedan TDI, but my wife’s Legacy (wagon!) handles better, has a smoother and more solid road feel, and it is MORE DEPENDABLE. AGAIN, I will buy ANY model that Subaru offers in the USA.
Now would be a good time.