Subaru BRZ: The hard facts

The wraps finally came off the hotly anticipated new Subaru BRZ - short for Boxer engine, Rear-drive, Zenith – for real today at the Tokyo Motor Show. There’s no computer generation in this image, and the tech spec, weights and measures, and performance figures are said to be exactly as we’ll get them, in the spring of next year. We’re looking at around a £28,000 pricetag though folks, which is a little dearer than we’d first hoped.

So, here’s what you’ll get. 200bhp and 151lb ft of torque pulling a 1,220kg rear-driving coupe, with a 2-litre Boxer engine mounted low and rearward in the front of the chassis, for a low-slung centre of gravity and low ‘n’ lean bodywork. There is no turbo on this car, but I expect the aftermarket is already well into developing a turbo kit for it.

The BRZ is 1,300mm tall and 1,775mm wide, but is said to still accommodate a couple of rear seat passengers in a 2+2 layout, with some luggage space, but we’ll have to have a good climb around inside before we’ll know just how vertically-challenged the plus-two will have to be. 

The all-curves-coupe is said to employ the latest lightweight, high-tensile steel technology in body and chassis, while the bonnet is made of lighter aluminium. The bumpers are traditional sharp and serious, Jap-style affairs, and there’s a double helping of exhaust pipes punctuating the round rear-end. 

As we know, the engine was designed with a little help from friends at Toyota, mainly for the cylinderhead, and features Toyota-branded D-4S direct injection and port injection, said to improve efficiency. Hanging off the back of this compact new motor is either a short-shifting 6-speed manual gearbox or a 6-speed automatic gearbox with Sports and Manual modes, and paddles. Underpinning it all and flowing the throbbing Boxer power is strut suspension up front and double wishbones at the rear. Lightweight, 17-inch multi-spoke alloys nearly fill the bulbous wheel arches, pointed through the bends up front by a smallest of Subaru steering wheels. 

So, so far, so good; BRZ sounds like a bit of a blast, but July test drives and sales soon after will tell the truest story of all.

www.subaru.co.uk











By Daniel Anslow

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