A flat-twin is a two cylinder internal combustion engine with the cylinders arranged on opposite sides of the crankshaft. It is part of the class of flat engines, sub-type "boxer", and shares most characteristics of those engines.
Automotive use[]
Flat-twin engines were used in several of Henry Ford's early cars, including the Ford 1903-04 Model A, Model C, and Model F. Flat-twin engines were later used in several economy cars, including the Citroën 2CV, the Panhard Dyna X and Dyna Z, Steyr-Puch 500, DAF Daffodil, BMW 600, BMW 700, several Jowett cars between World Wars I and II, and the Toyota Publica and Toyota Sport 800.
Ignition systems[]
Flat-twin engines are well suited to the wasted spark ignition system, a distributor-less ignition system using a double-ended coil firing both spark plugs on each revolution, that is, on both the compression stroke and the exhaust stroke. This system requires only a single contact breaker and single coil to run two cylinders.