In a message dated 12/30/2001 12:41:59 PM Eastern Standard Time,
developtrust@HOME.COM writes:

<< I read somewhere that "Wasser" was the name of the person who engineered
the
 VW engine with pistons that "box" each other, or was that a joke or a myth?
 The German word for water is "wasser" according to the dictionary in
 vanagon.com so when someone said "Wasser" was the inventor's name was he
 pulling our proverbial leg?
  >>

the flat 4 is a "boxer" engine because of horizontally opposed cylinders that
look like theyre"boxing" when the engine is turning.   "wasser" is the german
word for water
hence "wasserboxer"...
chris