The 2013 Subaru BRZ Coupe.
Toyota jumped the gun a few days back, leaking images and video of the FT-86 (called the GT 86 in Japan) sports coupe. You knew Subaru had to follow, so here are the images of the production Subaru BRZ, which will be officially unveiled at this week’s Tokyo Motor Show.
The Subaru may look a bit plain compared to the Toyota, but the Toyota GT 86 shown was likely a higher-trim model with an included body kit. If more aggressive looks are your style, we’re pretty sure that Subaru will be happy to sell you air dams, spoilers, side skirts and splitters to improve airflow and appearance.
The 2013 Subaru BRZ Coupe.
Like the Toyota, the Subaru will get by with modest power and light weight. Despite rumors of additional horsepower in Subaru models, base BRZs will come with the same 200 horsepower and 151 lb.-ft. of torque that the Toyota GT 86 produces. If that’s the bad news, here’s the good news: the BRZ weighs in at less than 2,700 pounds, and features a low center of gravity for superior handling. On paper at least, the BRZ looks like it will stack up well against Mazda’s MX-5, long the king of bang-for-the-buck handling.
Both six-speed manual and six-speed automatic gearboxes are available, and the automatic transmission features both “Sport” and “Manual” modes. As you’d expect from a sport-oriented automatic, paddle shifters are included and the transmission will match revs while downshifting. Like Volkswagen’s DSG-equipped GTI, we suspect the automatic transmission BRZ may be slightly quicker around a racetrack than the manual.
There’s still no word on U.S. pricing or availability, but we’ll update you as soon as we get the information.
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
