Mysterious 2022 Subaru BRZ may hint at an STI model
A camouflaged 2022 Subaru BRZ has been spied testing at Fuji Speedway in Japan, wearing body parts suggesting the possibility of an STI variant.
The left-hand-drive BRZ was shown on Twitter by user @taku_saf1, showing a deeper lip spoiler add-on with winglets at the sides, finished in black
The camouflaged body fitted with the uncamouflaged front spoiler could be put down to a prototype vehicle being used to test a new aero kit – the fact that it's a left-hand-drive vehicle is likely insignificant.
A short video also shows the Subaru sports coupe being drifted while out on track.
While Subaru has been adamant the 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine in its new-generation BRZ will remain naturally-aspirated, rumours of a turbocharged version persist, particularly as a 2.4-litre turbo engine already exists within the Subaru lineup, a variant of which is expected to arrive in the upcoming WRX STI.
During the test day at Fuji, a blue BRZ was spotted in the garage with a number of Subaru engineering staff wearing STI jackets. While not a smoking gun by any means, it does point to the prospect of a sportier version of the BRZ being track-tested by STI engineers.
Even if the turbocharged BRZ doesn't eventuate, we could see the introduction of a model tuned by STI, similar to the current BRZ tS which features mild aerodynamic enhancements, Brembo brakes, Sachs dampers and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres (which are now standard on new-generation BRZs with 18-inch wheels).
Subaru also used the day to film a promotional video for its BRZ racing car (shown below), set to compete in the upcoming Japanese Super GT series.