Since it didn't sell well, I guess that's what the market thought about the idea. Leaky manifolds are expensive to fix.
Just wondering @Marc are you an automotive service tech? Sorry to see it but plastic is eating into many traditional parts made from aluminum.
Did any one read about Henry Fords attempt to use The Polymer type substance made from Hemp? If it had caught on we may have automobiles made with
a substance impervious to impact, Rust, crazing all good things made without 1 drop of Dinosaur Blood.
There are alternatives to plastic from natural resins, but they are more costly to make than Plastic so many never come to market. Can you imagine the classic car market? Cars that just hung around? Rust is making classics hard to find today. The whole Automotive world would be much different if that 1 man did
not say in, some smoky back room meeting where the manufactures decided not to use anything other than Steel. Steel rust & needs to be replaced
& that's the real story of why we do not have Potcicle cars that last forever.
As for automotive use. I have seen to many inexpensive plastics used for profit reasons & not safety concerns leading the way. &
after spending my life in Shops Repairing Bikes & cars since early 70s I have seen Automobiles becoming cheaper more than ever
a throwaway car for the future. I do have a 29013 Subaru, but I also have a 1969 Chevy C/10 a 1970 Chevy Impala & a 1970 Chevy Nova
all mostly Steel with no onboard Computer other than ME. 2, 350s & a 307 Cast iron Intake manifolds & Exhaust manifolds.
The way the intake on the Boxer is on the Subaru is uses Plastic pipes to feed the engine that seems to resist too much heat.
A pitch for Aluminum, I believe uif Subaru used Aluminum for the intake it would be more useful by retaining heat & not cracking.
0 cracking = no air leaks & staying hotter would help atomize Gasoline better.