Subaru BRZ News

The popular Gran Turismo 6 game is spawning some fantastic concept cars, after the game's creators threw out a challenge to the world's car designers. We saw the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo debut at Los Angeles motor show in the metal as a 1:1 scale model - complete with a front mid-mounted handcrafted AMG V8 biturbo engine delivering 430kW of power and 800Nm of torque.Toyota has teased its Vision car, which looks enticingly like it could be a possible concept successor for the much-loved Supra. And now Subaru has tipped in with its own Gran Turismo Vision concept, like Toyota only teasing it in a single image so far.The profile angle suggests the car owes at least some of its inspiration to the BRZ sports coupe developed in tandem with Toyota (who badge it as the 86) but as with the Merc, it's possible we'll see some hints of future Subaru styling when the car is fully revealed.The Toyota is rumoured to be headed for a real-life reveal at the Detroit motor show in January, but both it and the Subaru will be available as 2014 downloads for Gran Turismo 6 on the Sony Playstation.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott 

Subaru debuted several cars at Tokyo and Los Angeles motor shows this week -- including their all-new hot hatch WRX -- with volumes of information to accompany them. Or at least, most of them. Ironically, the car about which we're most curious was unveiled with close to no information being revealed.The Cross Sport Concept on their Tokyo stand looks like they've morphed their rear-wheel drive BRZ sports hero into a sharp sports wagon or shooting brake version. The higher-riding body's nose looks distinctly BRZ, but it flows back into a sleek roofline with sharply raked rear two-piece decklid under which is a wood-lined luggage floor.Subaru has said close to zilch about the Cross Sport except that it is a "combination of sport and utility" that measures 430cm (up 6cm on the BRZ). Oh, and that they view it as "the next trend in urban SUVs". Comment from the unveiling is that it weighs in at 1250kg (the auto BRZ is 1238kg) and is riding on the BRZ's rear-wheel drive platform.That last part of the two-paragraph official information suggests that we're looking at a pointer to a future shooting brake-like model: a handsome, sporty three-door elongated hatch aimed at urban streets and likely to carry at least the choice of having a single driven axle rather than only Subaru's all-wheel drive system.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott _______________________________________ 

Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86, the twin coupes that created huge cries of approval worldwide when launched are still selling at rates that make makers of competing coupes green with envy. Though most people think of the Toyota as being the leading model in the terrific twosome, it’s actually the Subaru that should get number one listing. After all, Subaru builds the twins in its factory in Ota, Japan, and the engine has the very distinctive flat-four ‘boxer’ layout used in other Subarus. Yet, thanks to Toyota’s astonishing marketing capability it’s the 86 that leads the image race. Subaru Australia is about to change that situation with a special sports pack for the BRZ, giving it the title of Subaru BRZ S. STYLING The Subaru BRZ S has lowered suspension with a tower bar to further stiffen it up. The 17-inch black alloy wheels have been sourced from the STI parts bin. Complementing the lower look are visual enhancements to make it look even lower; front, side and rear under skirts, a boot-lip spoiler, finished in crystal black mica, and a rear diffuser. Inside, the cabin is enhanced by a gear lever with a Duracon knob on manual boxes; the engine gains a push-button start. It will come as no surprise to those who know Japanese car tuners that the BRZ S pack components are made by Subaru Tecnica International (STI), Subaru’s performance arm. Rest assured that all components in this pack are tested to the same rigorous standards as Subaru’s entire vehicle range. Cleverly, the S pack isn’t only available to new BRZ buyers, owners of existing BRZs can have the sports pack retrofitted, provided the installation is done by an authorised Subaru dealers. VALUE At $7195 including fitment for the automatic BRZ, and $7995 for the manual the sports pack isn’t cheap, but it does offer decent value for money. All Subaru BRZ parts and accessories, not just those in this new pack, that are ordered online at the same time as a new BRZ and fitted prior to delivery to the customer are covered by the three-year/unlimited kilometre factory warranty that comes with the car. Items bought after the car’s delivery come with a two-year factory warranty if fitted by an authorised Subaru retailer. The BRZ S sports pack can be seen in detail at http://subaru.com.au/brz/subarubrz/option As well as being sold through Subaru dealers, the S pack can also be ordered online, with the components being installed before the BRZ is delivered. ENGINE Power for the BRZ comes from an all-new 2.0-litre naturally-aspirated engine with 147kW at 7000 rpm, and 205Nm of torque at 6600 revs. We’ve always loved the throaty sound of the Subaru ‘boxer’ engine and it’s even more noticeable in this car than in the other Subarus. We do remember the ride of the standard BRZ as being quite firm, though it did remain reasonably comfortable on extended trips when we road tested it in late 2012. We haven’t yet been able to sample a new Subaru BRZ S with its even sportier suspension as yet, but will do so as soon as possible and report back to you. National driveaway prices for the Subaru BRZ S are $45,145 (manual) and $46,925 (automatic).  

A new BRZ S has been added to pump up the sports car line, tapping the STI genes from Subaru's go-faster division in Japan. The pack puts another $7995 on the bottom line for a BRZ - which currently stands at $37,150 - but Subaru is expecting a sellout success with the new deal, which is the first change to the company's radical sales plan - one model, online orders only - to step its car away from the near-identical Toyota 86. The S pack combines 11 individual items from STI's BRZ catalogue into a single deal, with the upgrading work done as cars land in Australia from Japan. “We've had a lot of interest from day one in individualising the BRZ. The STI accessories allow that,” Nick Senior, managing director of Subaru Australia, tells Carsguide. He admits there is nothing to make the car quicker, which is why it does not carry an STI badge. “There has to be a performance upgrade for a car to be called an STI. Like the WRX.” But Senior says the S pack is intended to tap the demand for extra personality on the BRZ and add some spark after the first flush of Australian sales. “There is an obvious benefit now if people buy the whole package, which costs $7995,” he says. “Buyers can still get the individual parts but there is a benefit if they take the lot.” The STI parts have only become available in the past month and the S pack runs from front and rear spoilers to a suspension tower bar and coil springs, 17-inch STI alloys and a rear diffuser to a manual shift kit with Duracon knob and a push-button start switch. Senior says the STI parts are produced in Japan before being shipped to Australia. They cannot be fitted in Japan because there is no capacity at the factory, which also builds the Toyota 86 and is running at full speed. “There would be extra costs and complications if the work was done in Japan, including shipping to an additional compound with those transport costs. So we are doing it as a port fit here. “At the end of the day it's better to do it here. The quality, either here or there, would be the same.” Senior expects up to 10 per cent of BRZ buyers to go for the S pack, although it could go higher. “What we're finding is that the BRZ has an attractive entry price and people are looking at personalising their car.” He does not expect the S to create any extra demand for the BRZ, which is currently rated at a four-month wait time at the online site created for all local orders. “It's actually about three months at the moment. It got out to 14 months at one stage,” says Senior. But there is good news with the wait falling steadily and supplies improving from Japan. “We are coming off our best-ever sales for BRZ, which was 187 in May. We also did 129 in April. “So we have been able to eat into that order bank significantly. The factory has been able to supply us with more cars and that's helping.” This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover  

The wraps will come off the new Subaru WRX on Friday week at New York motor show as Subaru also reveals plans for its first showroom hybrid. The WRX is a cult-car classic but the story is about to take a new twist as Subaru spins it away from the Impreza that has always provided the car's basic body. This time around, Subaru says the WRX will have a unique body - most people are expecting a two-door coupe - as it gives the car a more unique personality. The change to the Subaru WRX is also part of the plan for a three-pronged small-car drive that's already given the world the latest Impreza sedan and hatch, as well as the compact XV. Subaru is hoping to keep the WRX under wraps until the opening of the New York Auto Show on March 29. "We have absolutely no details on the show car. We are not expecting anything from Japan until late on the night before," the spokesman for Subaru Australia, Dave Rowley, tells Carsguide. He also emphasises that the Big Apple baby is only "an all-new performance concept car" and not a firm production model. The preview of the Subaru WRX comes exactly two years after Subaru went public in New York with the latest Impreza, reflecting the importance of the American show. The next Subaru WRX will be the fifth-generation model. Subaru is also using the event to unveil its XV Hybrid, the company's first move into the field. But unlike the WRX, which will be rushed to Australia as soon as production begins, hybrid fans should not get too excited about the XV. "There are no hybrid XV plans for Australia," says Rowley. On the WRX front, apart from the new-look body there has been considerable speculation about the car's mechanical package. It is certain to continue with a turbocharged boxer motor and Subaru's signature 'symmetrical all-wheel drive', but it could also get a hybrid boost in the same way that the latest LaFerrari and McLaren P1 supercars - and, probably, the renewal of the Mitsubishi Evo - use a petrol-electric package to combine economy with extra power on demand. The WRX has been Subaru's star car since it joined the lineup in 1992, but it really hit the bigtime in Australia off the back of World Rally Championship wins and the late Possum Bourne's domination of the Australian Rally Championship. This reporter is on Twitter: @paulwardgover  

   

Subaru Australia has doubled its normal allocation of BRZ coupes – but the waiting list still stretches to September 2013 if a car is ordered today.

The Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 are joint winners, edging out the Hyundai i30 after an intensive three-day round of judging and more than 6000km of evaluation by nine COTY judges with more than 100 years of combined motoring experience.The result is no surprise, because the Japanese sports car twins have been COTY favourites since the day they were unveiled. They also embody the Carsguide mantra and COTY methodology: "Real cars, on real roads, for real people".The 86/BRZ is a landmark collaboration between Toyota and Subaru, classy engineering with a concentrated focus on driving enjoyment, and value packaging by both brands. That means a $29,990 starting price for the Toyota and driveaway pricing with free servicing on the Subaru."This is the era of the SUV and that makes the BRZ and 86 quite remarkable. It's a ground-breaking car, regardless of the badges it wears," says Carsguide editor, Paul Pottinger. "This car is a gift. Has anyone got out of either one without a smile on their face?" says James Stanford, summing up the majority feeling.The performance of the i30 is a surprise, as it edges the new Toyota Corolla to make the final four showdown alongside the Kia Sorento and Honda CR-V, which fly the flag for the SUV stars of 2012. "I really like the i30, and would give it my number one vote," says Chris Riley.The COTY showdown for 2012 involves 11 cars including The Twins -- as we dub 86 and BRZ -- nine judges, video and backup crews, and the photographer who insists on a 5am start on Day Two. The judging starts with a 120km run west from Sydney into the Blue Mountains, then laps around a testing and varied 44km loop from Mount Victoria.Each car has been chosen to reflect the best value and strongest sales, not just for the way it would look if it was fully loaded with an unrealistic bottom line. From the start, the troubled Ford Falcon is in trouble again. Its sales have slumped this year and, despite the addition of the excellent EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, it is still too old in too many ways to make much of an impact.But by even making the Top 10 COTY contest, it's a winner. It's a pity Ford has not done nearly enough to promote the car, and not enough people have driven a package that makes it the best riding and handling Falcon of its generation. The Ford Ranger, too, struggles. It's a pickup that can do double duty as a family car, and it led the world with five-star ute safety, but it cannot compete in such a classy field.From the Holden camp, the plug-in electric Volt is a window on the future that's not good enough for the present. We could live with the cramped back seat and the crimped boot and the confusing dashboard if the car was priced at around $35,000. But it's $59,990. "It's trying to be the car of the future but it falls down today," says Karla Pincott.The COTY crew is doing lots of laps on day one, cycling through the cars and usually going back-to-back with direct rivals such as the Honda CR-V and Mazda CX-5. This is one mini-contest that produces a surprising bias towards the Honda, as the Mazda is beaten on boot space with a lower loading lip, value and the little things that make a difference to families.At the end of the day, as push comes to shove and the preliminary scores are tallied, the four finalists become clear -- although The Twins make it five if you're getting picky. Leading the near misses is the Corolla, which is narrowly trumped by the i30. The CX-5 also falls, and we lose the fun little Volkswagen Up."The Up is a great city car. But there is no auto and you really can't drive it with any comfort beyond the city,'' says Pottinger. Day two begins early but the focus has shifted, even if some of the judges cannot resist more driving time in cars like the Falcon and the CX-5, and even the Up and Ranger."This is a great chance to cover some miles," says James Stanford. By Day two the judges are separating into two camps, as the shortcomings of the Sorento and CR-V take them out of the final fight. The Honda is not strong enough in the engine room for most. Despite the classy Australian suspension settings, the Sorento is not good enough to claim a COTY crown.The i30 scores for its classy cabin, its affordable starting price, and an overall package which edges the Corolla despite the Toyota's impressive $19,990 starting point. The result comes down to the final voting, with each of the cars scored 4-3-2-1 by each of the nine judges. The Twins win. "This car is brilliant, and it's such a great drive," says Stanford. The Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ are also real cars, on real roads, for real people.PAUL POTTINGER1) BRZ/862) Hyundai i303) Kia Sorento4) Honda CR-VPAUL GOVER1) BRZ/862) Hyundai i303) Kia Sorento4) Honda CR-VKARLA PINCOTT1) BRZ/862) Hyundai i303) Kia Sorento4) Honda CR-VCRAIG DUFF1) BRZ/862) Hyundai i303) Kia Sorento4) Honda CR-VSTUART MARTIN1) BRZ/862) Hyundai i303) Kia Sorento4) Honda CR-VJAMES STANFORD1) BRZ/862) Hyundai i303) Kia Sorento4) Honda CR-VCHRIS RILEY1) Hyundai i302) BRZ/863) Kia Sorento4) Honda CR-VNEIL DOWLING1) Hyundai i302) BRZ/863) Kia Sorento4) Honda CR-VJOSHUA DOWLING1) Hyundai i302) Honda CR-V3) Kia Sorento4) BRZ/86 

In short, there may not be a factory turbo BRZ in the offing in the short term. But there's a performance enhanced version in the works falling under the STi banner. A prototype wearing STi badges was spotted a few weeks ago lapping Germany's Nurburgring, confirming the car's existence. The prototype featured popular performance mods such as a large rear wing, aerodynamic body kit, lowered suspension, large alloy wheels and a sports exhaust. Whether there was a turbo under the bonnet is open to conjecture though all other STi models in the past have had forced induction. The BRZ STI will be revealed in quarter two 2013 and informed sources say it will forgo a turbocharger due to a lack of space under the hood. Despite this, peak output should still rise from the BRZ's 150kW rating to somewhere around 165-172kW thanks to changes to the exhaust system and variable valve timing. Subaru has said in the past that there was no space for an intercooler and its required piping in the BRZ's engine bay. However a number of engine tuning specialists have encountered no such problem when fitting a turbo to customer's BRZs or Toyota 86s. Another hurdle, likely easily overcome, is that a turbocharger would go against the purist sports car philosophy Subaru engineer's had originally envisioned for the BRZ. Give us a break.... A supercharger is also said to have been ruled out due to a loss in the car's fuel economy, though it's more likely Subaru doesn't want the BRZ STI encroaching on the performance of its next-generation WRX. The good news is that the relatively mild mods being applied to the BRZ STI should equate to a relatively low price rise.  

Subaru has dropped several hints that a high-performance STI version of its BRZ coupe is in the works, including one very big hint even before the BRZ made its debut. Then, just a few weeks ago, a prototype wearing STI badges was spotted running some laps on Germany’s Nürburgring, confirming the car's existence. The prototype revealed that the BRZ STI will feature popular performance mods such as a large rear wing, aerodynamic body kit, lowered suspension, large alloy wheels and a sports exhaust. What it didn’t reveal, however, is whether the car’s engine has been fitted with a turbocharger or other means of forced induction, something past STI models have traditionally featured. According to reports overseas, the BRZ STI, which will be revealed next spring, will forgo a turbocharger due to a lack of space under the hood. Despite this, peak output should still rise from the BRZ’s 150kW rating to somewhere around 165-172kW in the BRZ STI thanks to changes to the exhaust system and variable valve timing.  This ties in with previous comments from Subaru that there was no space for an intercooler and its required piping in the BRZ’s engine bay. Furthermore, the addition of a turbocharger would go against the purist sports car philosophy Subaru engineer’s had originally envisioned for the BRZ. A supercharger is also said to have been ruled out due to a loss in the car’s fuel economy, though it's more likely Subaru doesn't want the BRZ STI encroaching on the performance of its next-generation WRX. The good news is that the relatively mild mods being applied to the BRZ STI should equate to a relatively low price rise. And the BRZ, along with its Scion FR-S twin, is already one of the most fun cars you can buy, so a little extra power, sharper handling and an affordable sticker should make the BRZ STI one very enticing package. www.motorauthority.com