RE: Subaru prepping BRZ Turbo?

RE: Subaru prepping BRZ Turbo?

Tuesday 23rd October 2012

Subaru prepping BRZ Turbo?

Subaru wants to turbocharge the BRZ; will Toyota let it happen?



Reports on the wires this morning suggest Subaru is working on a turbocharged BRZ with as much as 280hp going through its (hopefully gold) wheels.

Purity and balance? Pah, give us a turbo!
Purity and balance? Pah, give us a turbo!
Having originally shown the BRZ in STI concept form and built a turbocharged Super GT race car that would tally with logical future developments for the co-developed coupe. But what’s Toyota going to make of that? At the moment the BRZ and GT86 are pretty much identical in all but badge. But we know Toyota has plans for the GT86. And a hot Subaru variant would make a lot of sense, if Toyota would allow it. Meaning, at last, a real choice as the two brands diverge from their current parallel path.

Subaru has the heritage and expertise to turbocharge the flat-four engine it supplied to the project of course. And the idea of a chunk more power going through that rear-driven chassis is the kind of thing we could definitely get behind and give the aftermarket tuners – already offering a third way – something really interesting to work with.

Toyota working on official upgrades too
Toyota working on official upgrades too
PistonHeads has recently driven the JRM Racing/Sumo Power GT86 and chatted with ‘Mr GT86’ Tetsuya Tada – full stories on both very soon – and upgrades, official and third party, are being offered by some dealers. Most currently focus on handling, styling, weight saving and minor tuning via exhausts and air filters though. Given that the base package already comes with a limited-slip diff and great inherent handling balance there’s obviously plenty of scope for more though and an official STI-branded version would be an obvious win for Subaru.

Is more power what we really want out of the package though? Or would it be messing with the purist, back to basics ethos that’s made the GT86 and BRZ such a breath of fresh air to those able to look beyond grip, horsepower, mph and 0-60?

Over to you…


Sources: Automotive news, via Autoblog

Author
Discussion

Maldini35

Original Poster:

2,913 posts

187 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
A bit more power won't ruin the recipe surely?

adzpz

185 posts

167 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
Drool - just what Subaru need to do smile

trunks82

252 posts

197 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
Is this the first car subaru have made that isnt four wheel drive?

A Scotsman

1,000 posts

198 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
Gold wheels? No thanks.. Keeping them clean is a full time job!!

shibby!

921 posts

197 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
Daddy likes!

Trevor450

1,740 posts

147 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
doogz said:
trunks82 said:
Is this the first car subaru have made that isnt four wheel drive?
Impreza could be had in 2WD flavour. Not sure about the Justy.
The current Justy is FWD only.

Subaru need this badly.

Captain Muppet

8,540 posts

264 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
A Scotsman said:
Gold wheels? No thanks.. Keeping them clean is a full time job!!
Are they really harder to keep clean than silver wheels?

trunks82

252 posts

197 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
doogz said:
trunks82 said:
Is this the first car subaru have made that isnt four wheel drive?
Impreza could be had in 2WD flavour. Not sure about the Justy.
Was the 2wd impreza the gl/gx?

Cotty

39,390 posts

283 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
excellent, thats going to be hoot.

driftingphil

138 posts

146 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
absolutely this is what the BRZ needs. Although 280BHP still a bit thin in today's market, maybe several models with different levels a bit like the evo's, maybe BRZ 320, 360, 400.

E-B

394 posts

177 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
How about 1.6L turbocharged motor and 4wd. Then give it to Prodrive to put a cage in it.......

PascalBuyens

2,868 posts

281 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
Reminds be a bit of the first Elise in some way.... not enough hp in a chassis capable of handling a lot more (as proven over time).

Surely a turbocharged Scoob can't be a bad thing smile

Captain Muppet

8,540 posts

264 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
driftingphil said:
absolutely this is what the BRZ needs. Although 280BHP still a bit thin in today's market, maybe several models with different levels a bit like the evo's, maybe BRZ 320, 360, 400.
A GT86/BRZ thread wouldn't be the same without someone saying it needs more power.

stuart-b

3,643 posts

225 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
Really like the pics of that Subaru - very nice. I love that they sorted the rear lights and the wheels fill the arches. Finally, it looks good. I hated it before, but this is excellent - I'd even consider one.

motor mad

473 posts

188 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all

JFDI

Johnnytheboy

24,498 posts

185 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
Captain Muppet said:
A GT86/BRZ thread wouldn't be the same without someone saying it needs more power.
Presumably also all the people who insisted the existing models don't need more power will condemn any hotter version on the same basis?

anything fast

983 posts

163 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
ABOUT FOOKIN TIME!

Why not have three models?

The N/A entry level

A turbo with say 250 odd bhp

And a Nutter twin turbo with 400 BHP and wide arches.. a ferrari baiting and porsche ttting monster, such a car would make the whole range more desireable and should be good value for the performance on offer..

Go on... it can be done, why not even badge the twin turbo as a Toyota and stick a little Supra badge on the back?

davidcharles

400 posts

193 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
driftingphil said:
absolutely this is what the BRZ needs. Although 280BHP still a bit thin in today's market, maybe several models with different levels a bit like the evo's, maybe BRZ 320, 360, 400.
...although 280bhp isn't a huge number these days, its plenty in a fairly light rear wheel coupe...i bet it would drop the 0-60 to 6 secs or below and would open up a world of tuning. I would seriously consider an STi version with 280bhp , where as at the minute i am not sure i would get one.

gofasterrosssco

1,235 posts

235 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
Captain Muppet said:
driftingphil said:
absolutely this is what the BRZ needs. Although 280BHP still a bit thin in today's market, maybe several models with different levels a bit like the evo's, maybe BRZ 320, 360, 400.
A GT86/BRZ thread wouldn't be the same without someone saying it needs more power.
Yeah but now a GT86/ BRZ thread about more power isn't complete without someone saying it needs even more power than the original additional power.. hehe

RacingBlue

1,394 posts

163 months

Tuesday 23rd October 2012
quotequote all
One of the biggest selling points of the BRZ/GT86 is the normally aspirated engine - I don't want a turbo!