Subaru Australia warming to BRZ

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By Tim Beissmann | October 23rd, 2011

Subaru Australia continues to grapple with the philosophical dilemma of adding the rear-wheel drive Subaru BRZ sports car to its line-up, but may be warming to the idea.

Subaru Australia managing director Nick Senior insists the local arm of the Japanese brand will make its decision public in December on whether or not we will get the BRZ.

The crux of the matter is the car’s rear-wheel drive layout, which has been co-developed to underpin both the Subaru BRZ and the upcoming Toyota FT-86. Every new Subaru sold in Australia over the past 15 years has been all-wheel drive. The performance and driving enjoyment benefits of the symmetrical system are at the heart of the brand’s ethos, and are used across its branding and marketing material.

Mr Senior admitted taking on BRZ would be a significant deviation from this philosophy, and would require substantial rebranding for Subaru in Australia.

“It’s something we’ve got to really consider,” he said. “[All-wheel drive] has been a 15-year strategy, so it’s not a decision we are taking lightly.”

Mr Senior said the decision to bring BRZ to Australia would have been a “no-brainer” if it were to be produced in all-wheel drive.

Despite this, there is an underlying feeling that Subaru Australia is warming to the idea of making BRZ the exception to the rule. The local division has recently stepped up its emphasis on Subaru vehicles being ‘fun to drive’, downplaying the importance of drivetrains to potentially ease the transition to the rear-wheel drive sports car.

Mr Senior says the BRZ stays true to the fun-to-drive philosophy and consequently would not be out of place in the local range.

Asked whether he believed the BRZ could open the floodgates for other non-AWD Subarus to come to Australia, Mr Senior said, “I wouldn’t think so”.

Much more emphatic was his reaction to front-wheel drive, to which he asserted Subaru Australia had no intention of importing front-wheel drive vehicles.

The Subaru BRZ will be unveiled at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show on November 30 before production starts in Japan in the second quarter of 2012.

supercujo

Subaru need a small car in the market. AWD is just a fuel sap when you go small so they have to go FWD, simple as that.
Showtime

Subaru need to bring this car to Australia.

What’s more important, a marketing campaign or a potential new cult classic? Besides, Subaru’s current marketing sologan is “All 4 The Driver”.
Stooge

Bring it to aus or get left behind, simple.
Bloimey

Not a V8? Mate, not interested. I’ll stick to my Holden, thanks!

I SMELL BOGAN

^^
Josh

Hillbilly much?

incentive106

As I said million times already – if Subaru Aust decides not to bring BRZ here then these cars will be imported under the SEVS scheme – so overall there is not big loss to the customers.
If someone wants one they can import it, and it would probably be cheaper then what Subaru Aust will sell them for anyway.

Richard

Why? you can just buy the Toyota version….

A.

From the looks of it it is going to look exactly like the Toyota version. That is disappointing if they will be the same design except different bumpers and if that is the case selling both in Australia would be silly imo.
Martin

They sell a version of the daihatsu sirion in NZ (grey import) called the Subaru Justy. I do agree that they need a small car here! Make a decent small FWD and set the handling up well and it will sell. Simple.
David

No point bringing it here. It’s not worth breaking a 15-year tradition for maybe 1,000 sales a year. The effect on their total sales volume in Australia from this model would be insignificant.
Pugs

There’s no reason why Subaru couldn’t diversify into rear and front wheel drive with the option of all wheel drive versions for those who want it. And if they’re unsure about how to market it, they should look at Audi’s model- they are the quattro company but most of their cars are fwdalways marketed their quattro technology is what lifts Audi above many others o
jakhammer

WOW, amazing Subaru Australia is having difficulty with introducing a rear wheel drive car into their current line-up. Mr. Senior didn’t have difficulty with introducing butt ugly cars over the last couple of years as long as they are all wheel drive, how about they start rejecting cars from Japan based on their aesthetics and not which wheels are driving the car
Pugs

Oops, I’d hit publish while editing- first time posting. But you get the gist. Audi never anguished about whether the r8 should come in rwd. Subaru should be marketing their perceived strengths in engineering, driver focus and versatility, while continuing to market all wheel drive to traditionalists and purists
Chucky

Nothing but AWD? if I want an AWD I will get an SUV. If you want new customers, I think it is time to change. You are still going to keep your existing “AWD” customers with your existing AWD cars. Heck, even SUVs are now available as FWDs.

SUBARU, I know that you are an AWD company, but sub-consciously, I see you as a ‘poorly styled car’. If this BRZ will change this subconscious view, then you should bloody bring this thing in. PEOPLE buy with emotions, then with the logic of “its good as it a an AWD”. Like I said, if I want an AWD, I will buy an SUV, unless I am in New Zealand where it snows a lot, lot more.

Wd

“if I want awd I’ll get an suv” …you’re clearly missing the reason people buy subarus. They’re fun to drive, BRZ fits this perfectly

Moe

RWD>AWD Simple as that the BRZ would be a more fun vehicle to drive

Richard

name a sports car that has been made “more fun” by the addition of AWD?

Moe

You’ve misread my post,Im saying RWD is better than AWD because the BRZ is going to be RWD thats why it might not make it here
Frostie

Actually, I’ve got a better idea. Why not make it AWD, but with the flick of a switch. The front driveshaft gets disconnected and the car is now RWD. Flick it the other way, the driveshaft reconnects and the car is AWD again.

j

Rear wheel drive boxer sports car architecture.

The marketing gurus have done the hard yards already.
Westie

Oh will somebody hurry up and just SELL THE BL**DY THING!!
Robert.B

I just sold my 350Z to make way for the BRZ, so i hope they bring it to OZ, after owning a rex I always felt that subaru was a well built car. The only reason I bought the Nissan is cause I wanted something sporty, this will be the best of both worlds. If not it will be Subaru’s loss cause Ill just buy the new RX9 or FT-86.
Altezza

I’d say just sell it Subaru, it won’t hurt the image but I think it will open new possibility for Subaru to grow up and introduce the cars which will see Subaru on the way up.
Handsome Al

Idiotic Managing Director… Should work at GM or Chrysler..
Derek

There are rumors Toyota / Subaru are planning to assemble the Ft-86 in Burma & the BRZ in Myanmar.
Josh

Please for the love of baby Jesus bring this car to Australia…I am a long time Subaru fan, and having a car like this would very easily compliment the rest of the company’s philosophy in terms of fun, easy to drive cars. Plus, it would easily compliment my existing garage
Albert

Here is what I think is going to happen. Subaru has already started dividing some of it’s models, eg. WRX is no longer an Impreza, and so is XV. STi will become its own brand, giving Subaru a justification to bring the BRZ through it’s STi stream.
Subaru will bring the BRZ. It can not let Toyota eat the whole pie.
That’s just my opinion.