Subaru’s Iconic Boxer Engine Just Turned 50

It's time to blow out some candles, as Subaru's burbly boxer is celebrating its 50th anniversary

11 May 2016

Subaru’s Iconic Boxer Engine Just Turned 50

See that unassuming little saloon car above? It’s a Subaru 1000, and it went on sale on 14 May 1966. The reason why this is important? It was the first car from Fuji Heavy Industries to ever be powered by a horizontally-opposed engine, meaning the mighty Subaru boxer engine turns 50 this week.

Subaru itself jumped the gun by a few days by releasing a celebratory press release about the big birthday, but hey, we’d be keen to celebrate, too. Subaru says it’s sold 16 million cars with boxer engines over the last 50 years, during which time it’s gone from the humble 54bhp 1.0-litre in the 1000 to the 323bhp 2.5-litre version in the bonkers S207.

Sure, it’s maybe looking a little outdated and is not as efficient as its competitors, but we’ll always be fond of the burbly old so-and-so. Many happy returns, Subaru boxer.

Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.

Comments

Can someone please make a video of one of these brapbraping into a birthday cake with 50 candles?

Well, that’s a suprise. I didn’t know this, today’s my birthday as well lol :D

Lets hope it lasts another 50

When you get in a Volvo Turbo.

54hp for a 1.0 in 1966 ain’t that bad.

I can’t believe it’s the same day as my birthday ^_^ couldn’t be more happy than celebrate the boxer bday with a rumble O:)

what about porsches?
1938 - the aircooled 4cyl boxer in the 64
1948 - the air-cooled f4 in the 356
1951 - the 1.5l flat four in the 550
1963 - 2.0l air-cooled flat four in the first 911

There talking about Subaru’s version, Subaru and Porsche make there engines differently

What do you mean outdated and not efficient? Sure, the STI stuck to the old engine which admittedly doesnt get great mpg (thats not why you buy an sti anyway). They stuck with that engine cause it’s bullet proof and people can easily tune it and race it. But the WRX has a fully modernized boxer that DOES avhieve good efficiency and still has decent power…. So I am not sure what you meant by “outdated and innefficient” … the only thing that makes suby’s a tiny bit less fuel efficient than other cars in each class is the fact that they all have AWD which is why we love them! Can you get a corolla, camry, civic or accord with AWD??? No!