A horizontally opposed engine is an engine design in which the two cylinder heads are on opposite sides of the crankshaft, resulting in a flat profile. Subaru and Porsche are two automakers that use horizontally opposed engines in many of their vehicles.
Most engines are inline or V designs, in which the cylinders are all in a line or the planes of the two separate cylinder heads form a V shape, respectively. In a four-cylinder opposed engine (the most common type), the two pistons per side alternately move toward and away from their opposing twins, emulating the fists of opposing boxers — thus the colloquial name “boxer” engine. Its other nicknames, “flat” and “pancake,” reflect the short, wide form these engines take.
This shape may help give the host vehicle a low center of gravity and/or a low hood line for better aerodynamics. Proponents of the design also claim that the opposed pistons balance each other out, which decreases or eliminates the need for energy-robbing balance shafts: Used in many engines, these rotating, weight-bearing shafts help offset the vibration caused by pistons moving in different planes and/or a less symmetrical fashion.
Learn more
these engines are also good because they give you a lot of power and not that much vibrations
See if your question has already been asked and answered
Your question has been successfully submitted to Ask.cars.com. It will now be reviewed by our editors and we'll answer it soon if we think it's a useful question. You will be notified via e-mail when the answer is posted. Ask.cars.com tackles your questions about new cars and the car-buying process. Unfortunately we can't answer questions regarding:
Have our experts answer any of your questions about new cars.
Don't worry — we won't publish your last name or email.
hello, can u send me the internal shape of engine( v-shape or cylinder) and the whole its work.tq