Smart extras make the BRZ even better; brilliant drive; great value
We has to return the BRZ S after just one week
For Subaru enthusiasts and World Rally Championship fans, the letters ‘STI’ need no introduction. Subaru Tecnica International (STI) has been at the cutting edge of motorsport and high-performance road cars for decades so when Subaru launched its BRZ sports coupe…well we reckoned an STI-developed version was a natural.
Now it’s here and it’s called the BRZ S. And there’s no point beating round the bush – STI’s first enhanced version of Subaru’s hot-selling sports car is a cracker.
Subaru sells the BRZ directly via the internet and the S model can be ordered as a pack ($7,195 fitted for automatic models or $7,995 fitted for a six-speed manual version as tested by Car Showroom). Existing owners of Subaru BRZs can up-spec to the S model via their Subaru dealer who can order and fit the components.
Subaru BRZ S Overview
“Slap on some stickers and send ‘em out the door” is not in the STI repertoire and the BRZ S gains an excellent aero bodykit, lowered suspension, flexible tower bar and (in manual models) a sporty short-throw gear lever.
The BRZ needs no introduction – a co-development with the Toyota 86, Subaru Australia has the six-speed manual as tested priced at $37,150 and the six-speed automatic at $39,730. So the BRZ S manual will set you back $45,145 and the auto $46,924 (the manual S pack is extra because it includes the short-throw gear-shift assembly and Duracon shift-knob).
Subaru BRZ S Engine
No changes under the bonnet for the Subaru BRZ S – 147kW at 7000rpm and 205Nm at 6600rpm.
The powerplant is Subaru’s new naturally aspirated Atkinson cycle FA Series 2.0-litre boxer with a 12:1 compression ratio and square configuration (bore and stroke both 86mm). The direct injection system and transmissions come from Toyota.
Large twin exhausts signify this is a serious sports car and the noise when working hard is pure Subaru (that distinctive growl from the horizontally-opposed 2.0-litre is unique).
Subaru BRZ S The Interior
The large, red STI engine start button under the audio system is the immediate cue you’re in an ‘S’ model BRZ. Our test car was a six-speed manual so it also boasted the STI-badged short-throw gear lever assembly.
We love the driving position in the Subaru BRZ. Sitting low, and with rake/reach adjustment for the hallmark three-spoke sporty Subaru steering wheel, the relationship between seat, wheel and pedals is spot-on for a sports car (no similarity to high-riding, short-legged SUVs here!).
The instruments too are pure sports car – red illumination, large rev-counter and digital speed readout all positioned straight ahead for easy reading. Straight from the WRX STI is the ‘Rev and Red Zone’ indicator system which allows the driver to set the preferred engine speed for the gear-change indicator light and buzzer to activate.
Same for the front seats which are nicely supportive and beautifully trimmed.
The rear seat is only for emergencies really – even the Car Showroom juniors (ages nine and 10) complained. But the 217-litre boot - which houses a full-size spare wheel - accommodated our full-size golf bag (with the rear seat folded flat).
Subaru BRZ S Exterior & Styling
This is where the BRZ S really stamps its mark. Success at the highest level of the World Rally Championship – and massive global sales - proves the excellence of STI products.
For the BRZ S, STI developed a purposeful kit of front under spoiler, side under spoilers, a rear diffuser, bootlid spoiler and black 17-inch alloy wheels. The bodykit components are black, very slickly designed and durable.
Combined the black bits with the lowered stance courtesy of the lower springs and the Subaru BRZ S looks racy aided by the hallmark Subaru blue metallic paint on our test car.
Subaru BRZ S On The Road
Time flies and it has been a while since we drove a Subaru BRZ (or Toyota 86 – surprisingly now on-sale for 12 months). But what a comeback from Subaru! The BRZ S was absolutely brilliant.
As we know, the reverse-position L-shaped front lower arm and double wishbone rear suspension is a clever piece of design and Subaru runs a standard set-up a tad stiffer than Toyota.
Then the BRZ S adds a lowered coil spring set and flexible tower bar to really liven things up.
Over our high-speed mountain roads test loop the Subaru BRX S, aided by grippy Michelin rubber, was a delight. Sure there are brilliant high-performance front-wheel-drive cars aplenty, but the BRZ S, with its 53:47 front/rear weight distribution and channeling its 147kW/205Nm to the back is hard to beat at any price.
The S specification might not be everyone’s cup of tea because it sure is firm and crashing into some new wet-weather-created potholes was jarring - but the payback in terms of high-speed dynamics gets our votes. It was raining for our high-speed stuff so we used the VSC (pleasingly calibrated shall we say ‘enthusiastically’) to cut wheelspin and the BRZ S was just so confidence-inspiring (and rapid!).
Subaru’s short-throw gear-shift is quite firm, in a sporty way, and in the peak-hour crawl you needed to be firm in the shift from first to second.
Subaru BRZ S Challenges
Previously we criticized the Subaru BRZ for its narrow boot (we reckon as a ‘clean-sheet’ design, with more thought a larger boot could have been included without upsetting the aesthetics). We’ll stand by that, but if that’s the only points deduction…
Subaru BRZ S Verdict
The S is the BRZ we’d buy. STI’s inclusions are all class and give appreciated edginess to the BRZ package (not that there’s anything wrong with the standard models).
Sure the visual enhancements are excellent but enthusiast drivers will love the extra sharpness in cornering and the slick short-throw gear-changes in the six-speed manual.
Subaru BRZ S The Competition
We’ll dismiss the Toyota 86 because it’s identical (but no TRD version as yet).
Hyundai’s interesting three-door Veloster Turbo is very nicely priced from $23,990 to $31,990 and the SR Turbo really gets along when whipped. Of course the Veloster doesn’t come with the STI/World Rally Championship pedigree of Subaru.
As we write it’s just a matter of weeks until Kia launches the all-new Koup which shares the Veloster SR’s turbocharged 1.6-litre engine. We’ve seen the all-new Koup in the metal and it sure looks the part.
With the S pack the Subaru BRZ is in the ballpark of the Volkswagen Scirocco R ($47,990). Exotic looks and nice to drive, the Scirocco is more ‘coupe’ than ‘sports car’.
