Subaru BRZ marks 10th anniversary

SUBARU’S BRZ sports coupe is turning 10 years old, and to mark the occasion, the company is releasing a limited run, 10th Anniversary Special Edition S BRZ.

The car will be available only in Subaru’s signature WR Blue, and like it’s clone, Toyota’s GR86 10th Anniversary Edition, will feature unique exterior and interior styling elements including blue and black interior tones and a commemorative 10th Anniversary embossed logo inside the cabin.

Subaru Australia managing director, Blair Read, said the new generation BRZ has received strong interest from enthusiasts across the country since its arrival, particularly the price and rear wheel drive feel.

“It’s hard to believe a decade has passed since the first BRZ launched in Australia,” he said.

“Bursting on the scene in 2012, Subaru BRZ offered, and continues to offer, an attainable rear-wheel drive pure sports car that delivers engaging handling and a fun drive.

“Due to these credentials, it has created a loyal following among owners and enthusiasts, so we are thrilled to confirm the 10th Anniversary Special Edition S BRZ is bound for Australia to celebrate this iconic car.”

The second-gen BRZ is based on a new platform but retains the elements that made its predecessor such an elemental sports car – a light, compact package with a naturally-aspirated engine that drives the rear wheels via a limited-slip diff.

The BRZ range comprises a pair of derivatives – Coupe and Coupe S, both of which are available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic transmission (with steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles).

Now based on Subaru’s modular global platform, new BRZ’s wheelbase and overall length has increased by 5mm and 25mm respectively, while its height has been reduced by 15mm.

The newcomer’s body offers about 60 per cent more front lateral bending rigidity and 50 per cent more torsional stiffness than before and the rear track has notably been widened by 10mm.

The new BRZ also offers a lot more standard specification than before, yet it weighs only 3kg and 8kg more (the manual and automatic versions, respectively) than its predecessor, because aluminium has been used extensively for the bonnet, front guards and roof.

Under the bonnet is a 2.4-litre, naturally aspirated, flat four-cylinder petrol engine with direct and port injection has replaced the 2.0-litre unit of the previous model. It’s good for 174kW at 7000rpm and 250Nm at 3700rpm, sent to the rear wheels via a mechanical limited-slip differential. This represents improvements of 22kW and 38Nm for manual and 27kW and 45Nm for automatic cars respectively.

All derivatives feature self-levelling and steering-responsive LED headlights and 18-inch alloy wheels shod with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres. An STI styling pack (with front- and rear bumper, guard, side-skirt and boot lid garnishes) is optional.

Further standard equipment includes smart-key access with push-button ignition, a leather-trimmed multifunction steering wheel and gear/transmission lever, dual-zone climate control, a 7.0-inch, customisable digital instrument cluster and an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and includes DAB+ digital radio and built-in satellite navigation.

While the standard upholstery is cloth, S trim adds Ultra-suede and leather accented trim as well as heated front seats. All versions offer four selectable drive modes that work in conjunction with vehicle dynamics control (VDC), including Normal, TCS (traction control) Off, Track and TCS Off.

The BRZ also employs Active Sound Control to enhance engine sound inside the cabin.

Along with the expected active and passive safety equipment, the new BRZ features blind-spot monitoring, lane-change assist and rear cross-traffic alert, while automatic versions benefit from selectable Sport and Snow transmission modes, reverse automatic braking, as well as the Shibuya-based marque’s proprietary EyeSight stereoscopic camera driver-assist system.

EyeSight, which was not offered on the first-gen model, ramps up the sports car’s safety suite with a pre-collision braking system with brake assist and throttle management, adaptive cruise control, lead-vehicle start alert, lane departure warning and lane-sway warning functions.

Priced from $40,290 plus on-road costs, the Subaru BRZ comes standard with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, five-year capped-price servicing program and 12-month roadside assistance program.