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Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
11/18/20 10:28 a.m.
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Subaru is touting that the new iteration of its BRZ will be the “lightest rear-wheel drive 2+2 production sports car in U.S. market” with an expected curb weight of 2800 pounds.

Now to the part we’re sure reading this for: The 2022 model will be powered by a 2.4-liter, naturally aspirated flat-four good for 228 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque.

Here's how the …

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captainawesome
captainawesome HalfDork
11/18/20 10:51 a.m.

Anyone know when the gr86 version will be revealed? Either way, really glad to see the specs matching my expectations.

thatsnowinnebago (Forum Supporter)
thatsnowinnebago (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
11/18/20 12:08 p.m.

Seems like Subaru solved the torque dip. This new engine makes more peak torque, and make it 2700(!) rpm sooner. I don't love how much Civic I see in the rear end, but it probably looks better in person. I'm still pleasantly surprised to see a second generation at all, let alone one that didn't gain any appreciable weight.

GameboyRMH
GameboyRMH GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
11/18/20 1:36 p.m.

Looks like a C8 and the latest Civic Type R had a baby, and I mean that in the worst possible way. They've made this car homelier at every design change from the concept to this 2nd visual refresh of the production version.

10% more power with 20% more displacement seems wrong.

Right now I'm thinking the '17-'20 model is the most desirable all-around, I hope lots of people disagree with me so that the prices won't increase any further...

Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter)
Pete Gossett (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
11/18/20 1:48 p.m.

Thank you Subaru for not berkeleying up a good thing, like most manufacturers tend to do. 

Antihero (Forum Supporter)
Antihero (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand UltraDork
11/18/20 2:01 p.m.

So styling is Porsche on the front end, but you know.....the bad bits, and Civic in the back?

 

And still n/a? Seems kinda.....dumb

ProDarwin
ProDarwin MegaDork
11/18/20 2:07 p.m.

I like this.  Any news on gearing?

z31maniac
z31maniac MegaDork
11/18/20 2:10 p.m.
Antihero (Forum Supporter) said:

So styling is Porsche on the front end, but you know.....the bad bits, and Civic in the back?

 

And still n/a? Seems kinda.....dumb

Not really. Adding a turbo, and the necessary stronger drivetrain components, wheels, tires, brakes, etc, to handle would probably add 150lbs or more to the car and drive the price into the upper-30 range. 

Thus negating "affordable" sports car. 

The only complaint I really ever had about my '15 BRZ was not the total power, but the tq dip right in the midrange. 

wearymicrobe
wearymicrobe PowerDork
11/18/20 2:20 p.m.

I see more early aston martin vantage in the rear then civic. If they solved the torque dip and only added that little weight I think its going to be a hit again. 

GameboyRMH
GameboyRMH GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
11/18/20 2:21 p.m.
z31maniac said:

The only complaint I really ever had about my '15 BRZ was not the total power, but the tq dip right in the midrange. 

And this can be solved with headers and an ECU tune.

Snrub
Snrub HalfDork
11/18/20 2:37 p.m.
z31maniac said:

Not really. Adding a turbo, and the necessary stronger drivetrain components, wheels, tires, brakes, etc, to handle would probably add 150lbs or more to the car and drive the price into the upper-30 range. 

Thus negating "affordable" sports car. 

The only complaint I really ever had about my '15 BRZ was not the total power, but the tq dip right in the midrange. 

Using the 2.4L n/a was probably the cheapest way to get a bump in performance. I don't know if they're still using the Aisin AZ6 transmission in the new model, but Aisin rates the AZ6 transmission capable of accepting 184ftlbs (250Nm). According to the chart at the beginning of the thread, the 2.4L makes 184ftlbs.

I hated the torque dip in the first gen model too, but generally dislike other aspects of the engine too. It would have been interesting if they'd taken a smaller engine like the Toyota 1.6L 3-cyl turbo, limited it to 184ftlbs across the entire power band and made it rev and probably kept the weight similar. They could have sized the turbo for power at higher RPM. eg. 184ftlb at 8000rpm is 280hp. ;)

racerdave600
racerdave600 UltraDork
11/18/20 2:37 p.m.

As a former '15 BRZ owner, I like the new one.  I think it looks better inside and out.  I hope the interior materials are a bit better.

dps214
dps214 HalfDork
11/18/20 2:43 p.m.
z31maniac said:
Antihero (Forum Supporter) said:

So styling is Porsche on the front end, but you know.....the bad bits, and Civic in the back?

 

And still n/a? Seems kinda.....dumb

Not really. Adding a turbo, and the necessary stronger drivetrain components, wheels, tires, brakes, etc, to handle would probably add 150lbs or more to the car and drive the price into the upper-30 range. 

Thus negating "affordable" sports car. 

The only complaint I really ever had about my '15 BRZ was not the total power, but the tq dip right in the midrange. 

I'm not exactly sure about that since they already have a turbo FA20 tooled up for the current wrx, at 270hp/260tq which isn't a huge step over 220/180 (and they always could have turned it down a bit). But going to that engine certainly changes the character of the vehicle quite a bit (see also the 718 cayman/boxster having a lot of mixed reviews because of the switch from n/a 6 to turbo 4). IMO, for a sports car n/a is the right answer, you just have to do it right. Which they didn't on the first one and look to have at least gotten a lot closer to this time.

docwyte
docwyte UberDork
11/18/20 2:45 p.m.

A whopping 20 more hp.  Meh.

z31maniac
z31maniac MegaDork
11/18/20 2:47 p.m.
GameboyRMH said:
z31maniac said:

The only complaint I really ever had about my '15 BRZ was not the total power, but the tq dip right in the midrange. 

And this can be solved with headers and an ECU tune.

I know, I had an E85 tune on my '15 BRZ with 300 miles on the odometer. 

I'm very familiar with the first gen cars. And this 2nd gen is basically a larger engine with the same basic architecture, with some aluminum body panels. 

Appleseed
Appleseed MegaDork
11/18/20 2:54 p.m.

I like that it exists. The styling is...ok. But it's not enough for me to want to get rid of my FR-S. 

boxedfox (Forum Supporter)
boxedfox (Forum Supporter) Reader
11/18/20 3:03 p.m.

Something about this reminds me of a Factory Five 818C. In a good way:

adam525i (Forum Supporter)
adam525i (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand HalfDork
11/18/20 3:16 p.m.

Looks great to me! Glad they are conintueing to make cars like these, hopefully they sell a bunch and the price on the first generation continues to fall.

There are lots of other cars with lots of power for people feeling like they need to compensate for something devil

mxandcx5
mxandcx5 New Reader
11/18/20 4:21 p.m.

Styling aside, it seems like a step in the right direction to me. Incremental improvements likely means only an incremental price increase as well! They kept everything that worked and I'm very glad to see it did not gain much in weight and size. It seems they addressed the torque dip and power concerns with the possibility it could see a bump in MPG over the first generation. Along with addressing the aged interior, overall it seems like a big win for enthusiasts and a strong DD contender.

captdownshift (Forum Supporter)
captdownshift (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand UltimaDork
11/18/20 4:31 p.m.

I can't believe the styling is apparently polarizing. I think it looks fantastic, with the exception of the fuel door. I see F-type and RX-8 in the front and zupra and honda in the rear. It's one of the best looking things to come out in awhile. Have you guys seen what every new impreza since the GC looks like when it comes out? Subaru messes up styling better than anyone in the industry, and yet this is a home run. I just wish that I liked their flat fours. 

JamesMcD
JamesMcD SuperDork
11/18/20 5:01 p.m.

In reply to captdownshift (Forum Supporter) :

Agreed. I like the styling very much. They could have screwed it up with a bunch of fussy detailing, but it looks...normal. I want to see the industry swing back towards simpler surfaces and away from "look at the crazy shapes we can make with this software!." To my eye this thing is going in that direction.

350z247
350z247 New Reader
11/18/20 6:56 p.m.

I've just accepted that the BRZ will only ever be a great platform to build off of similar to the S-chassis before it. The curb weight is encouraging part. Pair that with a worthy engine from another chassis and about 10K in aftermarket suspension and brakes, and you'll have a very capable car for less than the price of a new Supra.

Pete. (l33t FS)
Pete. (l33t FS) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
11/18/20 7:10 p.m.

Looks like what an S16 Silvia might have looked like.  And it's more powerful than most Silvias ever were, and as light or lighter.  And it's brought to us... by a marriage of Subaru and Toyota.

 

Truly we are living in amazing times!

Subscriber-unavailabile
Subscriber-unavailabile HalfDork
11/18/20 7:17 p.m.

I've always loved the way they've looked but...

I got to drive my cousins 2016 brz spirited. At the time I had 2013 WRX. Only thing I liked better in brz was the transmission, as far as when mashed the throttle.. don't line next to a 97 Buick le Sabre 

Pete. (l33t FS)
Pete. (l33t FS) GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
11/18/20 7:26 p.m.

In reply to Subscriber-unavailabile :

Yeah, it won't do a burnout in 4th gear from idle.

 

I thought people wanted manual transmissions because they wanted to have to SHIFT for fun?  Heck, that torque dip was put there to keep people on their toes and heels, and everyone just bitches about it instead.

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