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2016 Subaru BRZ STI
Denis Flierl's picture
By Denis Flierl Oct 9 2015 - 6:55am

How Subaru BRZ sports coupe strikes out with the bases loaded

Subaru is setting records with their entire lineup month after month except for the 2016 BRZ sports coupe. Where did they go wrong with BRZ?
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Subaru BRZ tS
Brembo brakes
BRZ tS cabin
tS rear view

Subaru is loaded with an all-star lineup of all-wheel-drive multi-purpose vehicles. It’s their niche market and they are setting records every month and beating all other automakers in percentage of growth. They set records in September with best ever sales for the 2016 Subaru Forester, Outback, Crosstrek WRX/STI and Impreza models. Subaru of America and all their models are up year to date except for the 2016 BRZ sports coupe which is down 40.5 percent in September and minus 33.8 percent YTD.

Subaru has positioned itself in the market with a good product that fits a niche with a generation of consumers with active lifestyles. Their cars are selling faster than they can build them. So what’s wrong with the Subaru BRZ? It’s a great driver’s car that is high on the fun-to-drive meter, it’s very affordable (under $26,000) and has the driving dynamics of a sports car twice its price.

BRZ sales are down and there is no end in sight for the sports car to slip even further. Subaru needs to inject a BRZ STI into the lineup with a healthy dose of home-run hitting power. There are only so many buyers that will buy the 200hp BRZ/FR-S twins that came from the joint venture between Subaru and Toyota. Subaru needs to take a risk and give the BRZ an increase in power and get it off the bench. Fans want a true BRZ STI performance model.

Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI), maker of Subaru automobiles, needs to cut Subaru Tecnica International (STI) the performance and motorsport division for Subaru, loose and let them build a WRX STI type vehicle. Either go all out and swing for the fence, or cut the BRZ from the team altogether. It’s never going to be a major seller for the brand anyway, so let STI have some fun and build an all-out high-performance BRZ with a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine like the WRX. 250-275hp in the BRZ would get many performance fans excited. Add other STI goodies like a performance suspension, Brembo brakes and performance exhaust and let it run the bases fast.

The 2016 Subaru BRZ is wasting away just sitting on the bench and it’s not being used to its full potential. It won’t make the cut by adding just 10-20hp to the naturally aspirated engine. Give fans what they want Subaru. The post season is here, FHI needs to let STI develop BRZ’s true talent now, or cut it from the team altogether.

Media source: Subaru of America

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Comments

Leo Sinclair wrote on October 16, 2015 - 11:16am
I have a simple question... Why doesn't the BRZ have a stock supercharger or turbocharged 2.0-liter engine? I don't want to hear the story they could not fit it in because we know that's not true. It's being done with after-market kits. And I don't want to hear it's too costly because first of all, people will pay the extra cost and secondly, mass production would actually bring the cost down compared to after-market kits. I sense the true reason is with the engine itself. I don't think it could handle the additional stress and heat. I am not an engineer but I would really like to know the truth as to why the BRZ does not come stocked with a with a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine like the WRX? Can someone give me a valid and honest answer?
billy bob wrote on October 23, 2015 - 7:35am
the reason is because it was not immediately available for comment Wednesday that the two of the day after a long time no talk about how much you love someone you don't know why I don't think that the company has a lot of fun and easy to use and has a lot to do with it is a lot more than the original one is going on in my life head up high school and I'm still not over working with a lot to do it for me and my friends are the same thing as too long for the first time in the first morning to the game and the first half of the year best thing about it this way you are can you follow not a fan of you are the only thing is that I have no clue what to do to you in a statement from the same thing over to a YouTube new album and the other rest first place in a statement issued by your house and the other first place I have to a YouTube channel is not a good time day and I night in a with the new one is a the same as the most first. Thats why they cant put the engine in the BRZ.
jim wrote on October 16, 2015 - 12:46pm
I am 53, worked in the car business for many years, owned a BMW 633, Merc E500, countless Z-28 demos and test drove everything. My 2015 BRZ is the best car I have owned or driven. It's great on fuel, great to drive (summer and Canadian winter) and I have never had so many compliments on a cars appearance, most importantly, it's affordable. I replaced the intake and may do the header and exhaust, but it's more than powerful enough to make me smile everytime I drive it.
JT wrote on October 19, 2015 - 7:50pm
I had a 93 legacy turbo put over 210k miles on it spent alot on gas too (23mpg)Sure it was fun to get into the turbo but as someone with a clean driving record.I only did it on snow.Would like good handling and MPG and good insurance rates sounds like BRZ might work for that