Centurion
Apex Apex Predator
Actually the cars will be identical. Trims, bumper design and badged will be the only differentiators.
BRZ Frankfurt 2011 then on to LA 2011: SUBARU BRZ Prologue and Concept
- Thread starter Levi68
- Start date
The Toyota 86 and the Subaru BRZ are 2+2 sports cars jointly developed by Toyota and Subaru, manufactured at Subaru's Gunma assembly plant.
Actually the cars will be identical. Trims, bumper design and badged will be the only differentiators.
Mr. Mercedes
Premium
Not sure about this Luw. I'm pretty sure they get unique exteriors.
I hope this comes to OZ. But apparently Subaru Oz is a bit fussed about it being RWD when the entire OZ lineup is AWD.
Martin are you getting one?
It is up to the marketing people to do their job and convince the general public that it is good to have a RWD Subaru coupe instead of bitching and moaning about having to do some creative thinking and attempt to prevent importing this car to Australia.
Centurion
Apex Apex Predator
From the review/previews/first drives that have been published so far that's what I've gauged. That the cars will be virtually identical in order to keep costs down. After all this car will be marketed toward middle class guys who dream about owning an 1M or Boxster but cannot afford either. Therefore great measures have to be taken in keeping the price as low and realistic as possible to avoid enthusiasts going "No thanks, I don't want a boxer powered Toyota Corolla that barely cheaper than a Z4.".
Autocar Prototype First Drive
Subaru BRZ 2.0 First Drive
By Juergen Zolter
Test date 10 August 2011
This is the Subaru BRZ development prototype, which is most easily introduced as Subaru’s take on the Toyota FT-86 – although that statement is factually contentious.
When, in 2008, Toyota chairman Katsuaki Watanabe decided he wanted an affordable 2+2 coupe, he found that his company was already at full capacity building cars it could sell, and its development engineers were flat out working on alternative powertrain projects. As a result, the Toyota FT-86 and Subaru BRZ rear-drive, front-engined coupes are, in fact, mostly a Subaru production. Oh, and there will likely be another spin-off, badged as a Scion FR-S, for the US market.
BRZ project leader Yoshio Hirakawa refers to the car as "ours" and confirms that Subaru was responsible for its development, testing and production, with Toyota – a 16.5 per cent share holder in Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries - taking the lead on project planning and design. To this end, Subaru has also built a new production facility for the car, near its main facility in Oizumi in Japan.
Hirakawa promotes Subaru’s version of the car as more focused at the enthusiast than the better-equipped but pricier Toyota. However, despite early reports that the Subaru may have more power, he also confirms that the differences between all three versions of the car are limited to wheel design, badges and interior trim, plus price.
He also confirms the BRZ was benchmarked against the Porsche Cayman R, eagerly pointing out that the Subaru is 100kg lighter than its rival at 1270kg, and has a centre of gravity 2.5cm lower. The more than 100bhp power deficit is not dwelled on so long, however.
It is worth stressing that this was a development car, and that much of the data is estimated.
What’s it like?
At its heart is the Subaru 2.0-litre flat-four front engine, codenamed FB20 and established already in the Impreza. However, it sits 12cm lower in the engine bay than in the Impreza, and 24cm further back. The result is a claimed 45:55 per cent weight distribution front to rear.
In the prototype we drove the result was a joy. Subaru was claiming 210bhp at 7000rpm and a redline than starts at 7500rpm, plus maximum torque of 170lb ft at 4000rpm. However these were estimates, and are up on the projections for the identical FT-86 unit.
Regardless, it felt quick enough, and, thanks to the Toyota derived cylinder head and direct injection it speeds up faster than any other normally aspirated Subaru boxer engine. Only from 1800-3000rpm is the absence of boost slightly noticeable.
The Subaru BRZ feels agile and light-footed. Turn in to a fast corner and it understeers only very slightly, but trail the brakes or lift mid-corner and that quickly turns in to controllable oversteer. At high speeds it feels very stable – thanks in no small part to its relatively long 257cm wheelbase.
The engine can be linked to manual or automatic six-speed gearboxes. The first three gear ratios of the manual are shorter than the steps of the automatic box in order to increase the low torque gap and sharpen the sporty handling. The automatic box, which image-wise probably fits better to the Toyota version, comes with the three modes 'Auto', 'Manual' and 'Temporary Manual', the latter allowing downshifting via paddles behind the steering wheel. Both work well, but the manual is more fun.
The only real note of caution concerns the interior, and it’s worth remembering this was a development prototype. Subaru may describe the interior as pure, but some customers may regard it as spartan. No premium materials were visible in this car. However , that emphasis on basic functionality has its merits - from the driver’s seat you are confronted by a big rev counter, the speedometer sitting off to the left and the temperature and fuel gauges to the right. The design is clean but basic; if readability at speed was the only goal, then they are a success.
Should I buy one?
Yes. The growing conclusion is that the hardest decision will not be whether to part with your money, but choosing between the Subaru and Toyota.
[Weight distribution figure seems reversed.]
Subaru BRZ 2.0 First Drive
By Juergen Zolter
Test date 10 August 2011
This is the Subaru BRZ development prototype, which is most easily introduced as Subaru’s take on the Toyota FT-86 – although that statement is factually contentious.
When, in 2008, Toyota chairman Katsuaki Watanabe decided he wanted an affordable 2+2 coupe, he found that his company was already at full capacity building cars it could sell, and its development engineers were flat out working on alternative powertrain projects. As a result, the Toyota FT-86 and Subaru BRZ rear-drive, front-engined coupes are, in fact, mostly a Subaru production. Oh, and there will likely be another spin-off, badged as a Scion FR-S, for the US market.
BRZ project leader Yoshio Hirakawa refers to the car as "ours" and confirms that Subaru was responsible for its development, testing and production, with Toyota – a 16.5 per cent share holder in Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries - taking the lead on project planning and design. To this end, Subaru has also built a new production facility for the car, near its main facility in Oizumi in Japan.
Hirakawa promotes Subaru’s version of the car as more focused at the enthusiast than the better-equipped but pricier Toyota. However, despite early reports that the Subaru may have more power, he also confirms that the differences between all three versions of the car are limited to wheel design, badges and interior trim, plus price.
He also confirms the BRZ was benchmarked against the Porsche Cayman R, eagerly pointing out that the Subaru is 100kg lighter than its rival at 1270kg, and has a centre of gravity 2.5cm lower. The more than 100bhp power deficit is not dwelled on so long, however.
It is worth stressing that this was a development car, and that much of the data is estimated.
What’s it like?
At its heart is the Subaru 2.0-litre flat-four front engine, codenamed FB20 and established already in the Impreza. However, it sits 12cm lower in the engine bay than in the Impreza, and 24cm further back. The result is a claimed 45:55 per cent weight distribution front to rear.
In the prototype we drove the result was a joy. Subaru was claiming 210bhp at 7000rpm and a redline than starts at 7500rpm, plus maximum torque of 170lb ft at 4000rpm. However these were estimates, and are up on the projections for the identical FT-86 unit.
Regardless, it felt quick enough, and, thanks to the Toyota derived cylinder head and direct injection it speeds up faster than any other normally aspirated Subaru boxer engine. Only from 1800-3000rpm is the absence of boost slightly noticeable.
The Subaru BRZ feels agile and light-footed. Turn in to a fast corner and it understeers only very slightly, but trail the brakes or lift mid-corner and that quickly turns in to controllable oversteer. At high speeds it feels very stable – thanks in no small part to its relatively long 257cm wheelbase.
The engine can be linked to manual or automatic six-speed gearboxes. The first three gear ratios of the manual are shorter than the steps of the automatic box in order to increase the low torque gap and sharpen the sporty handling. The automatic box, which image-wise probably fits better to the Toyota version, comes with the three modes 'Auto', 'Manual' and 'Temporary Manual', the latter allowing downshifting via paddles behind the steering wheel. Both work well, but the manual is more fun.
The only real note of caution concerns the interior, and it’s worth remembering this was a development prototype. Subaru may describe the interior as pure, but some customers may regard it as spartan. No premium materials were visible in this car. However , that emphasis on basic functionality has its merits - from the driver’s seat you are confronted by a big rev counter, the speedometer sitting off to the left and the temperature and fuel gauges to the right. The design is clean but basic; if readability at speed was the only goal, then they are a success.
Should I buy one?
Yes. The growing conclusion is that the hardest decision will not be whether to part with your money, but choosing between the Subaru and Toyota.
[Weight distribution figure seems reversed.]
NarutoRamen
Kraftwagen König
Maybe 5-6 years down the line, I'll pick one of these babies up (either this or Toyota). It will be a great project car to have that will have TONS of aftermarket support, not to mention it will still be simple enough for me work on it my own. Unlike the germans where there are billions of sensors and I get nervous just putting air in the tires...LOL
hoffmeister_fan
Kraftwagen König
I'm really hoping they'd bring it Stateside as a Subie as well. Really like it over the the Toyota.
Beemer B773ER
Tire Trailblazer
Hahaha... I had the same trepidation the first few months as well. I'm still uncertain about things like where the jack points are....and only a couple of weeks ago did I learn the cabin air-filter actually isn't located in the cabin like most cars.
Considering the concept is currently on display at the L.A. Autoshow, I'm guessing there's a very good chance it'll be coming over here. Subaru definitely could use the image boost, and the tuning market here is very big.
Eh.. kinda hard to tell, but from what I can see, I don't see any cut-line for a door, so this particular concept seems to have frameless doors. BUT, it is still a concept...it still has camera's for its wing mirrors...and even though we've seen this tech' on concept cars for about a decade now, I doubt we'll see it on the production Subie.
Here's a shot of the sister Toyota FT-86 production model during testing. Frameless doors indeed.
hoffmeister_fan
Kraftwagen König
So on the previous page, I was re-reading the Autocar and Motor Trend piece on the BRZ, and I'm a bit confused....
In the MT piece, the engine is described as 'FA' and unique to the boxer in the Impreza. Whereas in the AC piece, the engine is the FB that is found in the Impreza. Who's correct?
Also about 100hp/liter is nothing to sneeze at. Since they officially released the Toyota version, I can not get much work done!
In the MT piece, the engine is described as 'FA' and unique to the boxer in the Impreza. Whereas in the AC piece, the engine is the FB that is found in the Impreza. Who's correct?
Also about 100hp/liter is nothing to sneeze at. Since they officially released the Toyota version, I can not get much work done!
hoffmeister_fan
Kraftwagen König
^^damn.
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Subaru Corporation (formerly known as Fuji Heavy Industries). Founded on 15 July 1953, it is
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