[alfa] Re: alfa-subaru connection, Andreas Zapatinas, 4WD

[Sonny <maxid@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

A relatively unique thing about the Alfa boxer engines is that the block is
one-piece while most others are two-piece, split along a vertical longitudinal
plane into a right and a left half. A one-piece construction is more robust
than a two-piece one.

Subaru makes some nice cars; especially the new ('05) Legacy comes to mind. It
was designed by Andreas Zapatinas, a greek who previously worked for Centro
Stile Alfa, initially under Walter daSilva. It was during this period that
Alfa came out with the 156, which really turned the company around. Zapatinas
is credited with the 145 and finished up the 147 after daSilva left for Seat.

I just drove a Subaru Legacy 2.5 GT. The engine and transmission have been
lowered compared to earlier models and it really feels like it has a low
center of gravity. This is the turbo model which is almost as powerful as the
Impreza WRX STI. It has a direct steering, a firm suspension and 17" wheels.
If I needed to replace my 164 S with a contemporary car, this is what I would
get. Or maybe I would wait and see if Subaru of America's plant in Indiana
would start putting the three liter boxer six in the Legacy sedan
chassis...Australia and New Zeeland get a Legacy 3.0R Spec.B with a 6-speed
manual already. Nominally, it is a bit slower than the 2.5GT, but it might be
more suited to US driving, plus a boxer six is inherently free of secondary
vibration products the same way as only an inline-6, a V-12 (and possibly a
V-8?) is.

I don't believe Alfa is using any Subaru technology in any of the full-time
4WD models presented so far. The Crosswagon and the Sprotwagon Q4 utilize a
Torsen Type C center differential and brake-based slip control of the two axle
differentials; these technologies are not used in any of the three setups
presently used in Subarus. On a historical level, the only Alfa system that
has resembled a Subaru one is the FWD with part-time rear wheel drive systems
used on the original 33 4x4 in the 1980's. Subaru was using a similar setup
with a boxer engine and a front transaxle at the time. Subaru switched to an
AWD system with 3 differentials, the center one having a viscous coupling
limited slip device. Or at least on manual cars they did. Automatic ones had
an electromagnetic clutch instead of a center differential. Alfa 33 also
changed to an automatic AWD system and was renamed 33 Permanent4 and
eventually. Although the system developed over time, it was basically based on
a power take off from the main (front) transmission with an electromagnetic
clutch (or possibly at some time, a viscous coupling) to apportion from 0% to
?% of torque to the rear. I.e., the front would be powered by default and the
rear wheels "on demand" similar to the Subaru automatics. In my opinion,
having a center differential with a limited-slip device would have been
superior. This is the setup used on the 155Q4, contemporary Q4's and a variety
of 4WD racing cars.

Sonny
'91 164S
Baltimore
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