Subaru BRZ and Toyota FT-86

[Gollum]

I didn't find any easily found threads talking about these cars and kind of thought they were exactly the kind of cars we'd like to talk about around these parts. So here's the gist of the important stuff...

 

Toyota and Subaru are teaming up to make a car and each will have their own version on sale with unique skin on a near-identical chassis and drivetrain similar to a Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky.

 

Cars will be exclusively 2 door, and both look to be 4 seaters only, but in the sense that a Supra has 4 seats...

 

First model introduced will be 200HP and estimated cost of $25k and by the sound of it they MEAN $25. Toyota is talking about a "base" price of just over 20k so 25k should be a true walk away price.

 

Engine will be a brand new 2 liter flat 4 from Subaru. Transmission will be a RWD 6 speed manual or sequential auto.

 

Hi performance models are already in the works before the car is debuted. Rumors suggest at least 300hp and carrying the STI label from Subaru.

 

Best Part: Initial curb weights are just under 2700 pounds, which makes it one of the lightest sports cars around for the money.

 

All in all I think they might be more "Z car" than the current 370Z. I just wish they'd never planned on having rear seats and saved weight. But even at 2700 pounds, if they come out with a 300hp version that doesn't gain too much weight, it'll most likely still come in around the price of a 370Z if not less, which basically makes it a killer of a car. It puts you at a power to weight somewhere between a mustang GT and a standard corvette, but with quite a bit less heft to lug around and at a lower price, which is saying something.

 

Plus, compared to a lot of the stuff on the market I think they're both fairly good looking.

 

So what does everyone else think? First they've heard of them, or just not excited?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 19, 2011 by Gollum

[ModernS30]

I am super excited, I am only 19 years old and am not about to buy a new car any time soon.

 

There are some things I don't like about it over all, I love the RWD sports car deal, I wish that the Subaru version was going to be offered up in an AWD though.

 

Another thing, it is said that the STI tuning version will be N/A, which being a fan of the WRX/STI Impreza is a HUGE let down. I feel like if they don't offer a turbocharged version, they are lacking what a true STI car is.

 

Overall the car is bound to have some great potential, I do agree I wish they offered a plain 2 seater, the styling has change a lot in the past, oh 4 years the car has been openly being developed. It is likely going to be a well put together car, basically take an Impreza, put the engine farther back on the cross member, rear wheel drive. I hope I get the opportunity to drive one, as I sure won't be owning one, car loan at 19 is not something I will have.

[cockerstar]

I've had my eye on the BRZ for a bit now, but didn't realize that they were teaming with Toyota to make it! I would love to see a turbo version pushing around 10 psi for 250hp for a quick DD.

 

Definitely going to be on my radar (an possibly in my driveway!) within the next 5ish years.

[Gollum]

Another thing, it is said that the STI tuning version will be N/A, which being a fan of the WRX/STI Impreza is a HUGE let down. I feel like if they don't offer a turbocharged version, they are lacking what a true STI car is.

 

I wouldn't rule it out yet, since the 300hp rumors are more abundant than the it being NA rumors. The only way I could see Subaru hitting 300hp NA is if it's a flat 6, and I can't really see them doing that for this car.

 

Definitely going to be on my radar (an possibly in my driveway!) within the next 5ish years.

Yea, I'm thinking that I'd love to have one after the 2-4 year initial depreciation kick comes into play. If the STI version is another 2 years out I might be able to wait 6 to have one in my driveway.

[Leon]

I really like the philosophy they took when designing this car. I'm very interested in seeing how these cars will actually turn out when they're released to the public. The pre-release stuff does sound promising.

 

EDIT: In case my "philosophy" hyperlink isn't clear, here is what I was talking about: http://www.tune86.com/ft-86-news/16526-toyota-86-philosophy-interview-tetsuya-tada

 

Here's a tid bit to whet your appetites :

 

There is a Toyota standard for designing new cars. This standard was to a large extent ignored. Why did we do this? There are cars that are accepted by a lot of people. Practical cars that are easy to drive and that do not break easily. These are standard Toyota cars. The 86 is not a car like that. We had to change our design approach for this car. We may have to do this again for other cars.

 

It is impossible to develop a sports car that appeals to everybody. If you try to please everybody, the car would be half-baked for everybody, and not particularly good for anybody. This car is not developed by a committee, or by consensus.

Edited December 19, 2011 by Leon

[BluDestiny]

The way scion works is you pay what the tag says, its there brand philosophy. So they say 25k you pay it. It includes all taxes. The dealer cannot mark up the price( if its a scion dealership)

 

The STI version actually has different body lines, so that you can not swap over fenders from the scion one to the subi one. Pretty lame, but the STI version looks killer. I saw them at the LA autoshow.

 

If the scion one does well, then they will look into production for the STI one.

[ModernS30]

I wouldn't rule it out yet, since the 300hp rumors are more abundant than the it being NA rumors. The only way I could see Subaru hitting 300hp NA is if it's a flat 6, and I can't really see them doing that for this car.

 

Well, one thing I know is that they have already build a GT300 class race car out of the BRZ, it was at the Tokyo Motor Show. For anybody who doesn't know the GT300 class is a 300hp class if I remember correctly.

 

 

Edited December 19, 2011 by ModernS30

[Cannonball89]

Another thing, it is said that the STI tuning version will be N/A, which being a fan of the WRX/STI Impreza is a HUGE let down. I feel like if they don't offer a turbocharged version, they are lacking what a true STI car is.

 

http://wot.motortrend.com/subaru-confirms-turbocharged-version-of-brz-engine-143015.html

 

^^^ They have all ready designed turbo direct injected version of the engine^^^

 

They haven't said if it will eventually make it's way to the BRZ, but it seems logical. The only thing is that with it being direct injected, it may have a pretty high compression ratio, so turning up the boost may not be as easy as it has been for previous STI owners.

[19762802+2]

200hp 2.0 liter boxer motor with a 7400rpm redline at 2700ish lbs? I'd rock it, I've heard it gets pretty decent gas mileage too.

 

[neotech84]

Yes I have been drooling over these designs.

 

But we all know what looks good on paper or at a car show RARELY ends up available to the public.

[260DET]

Heard somewhere that TRD were going to offer a turbo kit or was it to be a new car option? Not sure but it would not make sense if there was no turbo version, eventually anyway.

[Gollum]

Yes I have been drooling over these designs.

 

But we all know what looks good on paper or at a car show RARELY ends up available to the public.

 

Except those pictures I showed are finalized bodies which will be at the dealership in a mere 4-6 months. These cars ARE going to happen and the specs are fairly nailed down, which is why auto mags have been receiving test vehicles already for initial impressions. I agree with your statement however, it's just that this car has already been at the big auto shows for like 2+ years now and is finally coming down the pipe.

 

 

Heard somewhere that TRD were going to offer a turbo kit or was it to be a new car option? Not sure but it would not make sense if there was no turbo version, eventually anyway.

 

Seems like Subaru did 100% of the engineering phase and that subaru will again be doing the work for the higher output version down the road. I'm betting that if there IS a "TRD" version it'll be a STI version with a TRD badge slapped on it. I'm not saying Toyota didn't do anything, as there's a lot more that goes into a vehicle than engineering. I'm sure that if Subaru had done this on their own it'd been just a 2 door WRX that was AWD and weighed 3000 pounds. And it would have looked funky to boot. In the end though, it's Subaru's engine, and they engineered the sucker, so my money is on STI designing the next ponied up version, even if it's a 300hp NA variant.

 

You can bet either way though there will be aftermarket turbo kits within 6 months of release.