You have to go all the away back to 1997 when Subaru determined that all of the models it sold in Australia would be all wheel drive only. It's for that reason this car almost didn't make it here. This is the BRZ. And what makes this Subaru particularly special is that it sends its power to one pair of wheels only.
Those are the rear. Subaru has been synonymous with world running and all wheel drive since Colin McRae drove sideways to the 1995 championship title. The Subaru BRZ, however, is one half of a new joint project sports car developed with Toyota. The latter calls its twin version the 86. Fundamental architectural and mechanical pieces are all Subaru though, not least the so boxer flat four cylinder engine.
Unlike the WRX, there's no turbo charger under the body. So while the more famous sport consumer with three has a 195 kilowatts and the BRZ has just 147. That may sound slightly disappointing on paper, but I can assure you It's anything but. There are are a number of reasons for that. The BRZ has a low slung start that helps it sit low on the road.
It has a low center of gravity aided by that flat four cylinder engine. And it weighs less than 13,000 kilos. Throw in rear wheel drive and the combination is magical. The key to the BRZ's terrific dynamics is how the engineers have finely balanced its hybrid and engine power. The steering plays is part two.
like Acura, direct and loaded with feel. It's just a couple seconds slower from 0-100 than the Porsche Cheyenne, against which thats 7.8 seconds for the record. The BRZ engine doesn't sound as good either as the Cheyenne six cylinder that also sits horizontally. It's still satisfying to a certain degree, though.
The BRZ engine doesn't pulsate quite as engagingly as the WRX's, but that trademark Subaru Boxer thrill is still evident, especially as roads rise. And with peak power arriving at 7000 RPM, that's something worth doing. Because that extracts the most performance and the most fun from this car. A relatively small fuel tank.
And a recommendation of 91 premium unleaded means visits to petrol stations are likely to be regular and not exactly cheap. At thirty seven one fifty drive away, the BRZ also starts higher than the virtually identical Toyota 86, because it comes in only one trim level. Apart from items such as satellite navigation however, it has most of the features found in the range topping 86 GTS.
Overall, it's a case of thank goodness Subaru brought this car here. Because the BRZ is a great great driver's car that lives up to the brand's DNA. And the fact that it isn't all wheel drive is actually a huge bonus. But one question remains, can the BRZ be as much of a cult car as the WRX
