Date:         Tue, 6 Apr 1999 08:07:08 -0700
Reply-To:     Stuart MacMillan <stuart@COBALTGROUP.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart MacMillan <stuart@COBALTGROUP.COM>
Organization: The Cobalt Group
Subject:      Re: why did VW ditch the boxer motor?
Comments: To: Mark Gajewski <mgajewski@MANVILLERUBBER.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

This could be an interesting thread, but I doubt that the person who
really knows is on this list!

The opposed four (or six) cylinder engine is an inherently balanced
design, but not especially compact.  Subaru is prone to reliability
problems (their heads leak too!) and it is even more complex than the
waterboxer with its overhead cams.  Only Porsche has done it right, and
it takes their uncompromising approach including engineering/design,
materials/metalurgy, precision manufacturing and testing to accomplish
this.

In addition, they avoided water cooling for reasons including weight and
complexity, not to mention corrosion.  Mass produced cars and engines
are always a compromise to keep them affordable.  Manufacturing
tolerances are also within a much broader range, which leads to
variability in longevity.

So, my speculation:  It always comes down to economics.  I doubt VW made
much profit from the Vanagon given all the warranty head replacements
(mine were partially paid for by VW twice!).  Couple that with the
industry standard minivan being front engine/front wheel drive and you
can see why VW developed the Eurovan in an attempt to get a share of
this huge market.  Too bad is is so much smaller and expensive or it
would be a viable replacement for the Vanagon Westy, but it is the
"soccer mom" minivan market they are after, not the RV market.

Subaru does not make a minivan, and if they did it would have a long
snout to make room for that engine and be even uglier than their current
models!

--
Stuart MacMillan
Manager, Case Program
800-909-8244 ext 208

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