RE: PH Blog: Subaru vs Toyota
Wednesday 1st February 2012
You’ll be reading more about how the age of the hot Subaru isn’t quite a thing of the past shortly. And while the market for hot Imprezas is a fraction of what it once was it’s good to know there’s still a following out there. But as a bit of a Subaru fanboy what I’m really excited about is the golden opportunity the BRZ represents for the brand.
Read more about this car soon...Sure, in the shouting match around the GT 86/BRZ poor old Subaru has hardly been able to raise a squeak. Against the marketing muscle and resources of Toyota it never stood a chance, despite the fact the car is, perhaps, at heart more a Subaru. We’re as guilty as any too – Chris Harris’s drive in the GT 86 this week is our second taste of the Toyota already and you’d be forgiven for thinking Subaru has been written out of the equation entirely, as you might expect of a firm that sold 2,634 cars in the UK against Toyota’s 73,582 last year.
Other delights in the Cross Roads showroomOur visit to Subaru dealership Cross Roads the other week highlighted exactly the ray of hope the BRZ represents for Subaru and how it could claim the enthusiast share of the Toyobaru market. And hopefully throw a lifeline to Subaru. We’re a long, long way from the glory days of 18-month lead times for Impreza Turbos and the BRZ is a very different car, boxer engine or not.
LA concept previewed STI add-onsI'm taking the optimistic view there are no losers in this scenario. Toyota can clean up with the mainstream, RWD-curious TT and Scirocco defectors. And every GT 86 sold is another car down the line for Subaru’s factory, where both are built. And Subaru gets Toyota development muscle for a car that has every chance of nailing an emerging zeitgeist that handling, not horsepower, is more relevant in this day and age. Happy days in other words.
PH Blog: Subaru vs Toyota
Why the BRZ is as big an opportunity for Subaru as the GT 86 is for Toyota
Read more about this car soon...
But a generation raised on Gran Turismo, McRae/Burns WRC glory and, perhaps, ownership (myself included) of a hot Impreza or two still has a huge affection for the brand. And, given the choice of a Subaru or Toyota keyring, are going to remain loyal.
Other delights in the Cross Roads showroom
But the guys at Cross Roads are proper car nuts. And for the likes of us buying a car from an outfit like that is going to appeal far more than crossing the threshold of a Toyota dealership. Put it this way, do you want to buy your Toyobaru from guys with a widebody Honda-engined RS2000 in the showroom? Or side step a Yaris or a Prius as you head for the GT 86 in the corner? Subaru dealerships can (and should be) a bit like the cars – single minded, a bit quirky, definitely not mainstream and hopefully a bit more geared up to what the likes of us want from our cars. Which may or may not include the STI add-ons previewed at LA.
LA concept previewed STI add-ons
Mine’ll have a Subaru badge on the front though.
Dan
Discussion
I'd buy from Toyota purely on the basis of how utterly rubbish my local Subaru dealer was when my 330S engine blew a piston. I was told to carry on driving it as normal because they couldn't find anything wrong with it, then they were caught by the tracker "testing" it at 114mph on a major A road with a broken engine. I will never buy a Subaru again on the basis of that experience.
Regarding the BRZ vs GT86, I actually prefer the Toyota front end treatment. The BRZ is too conservative.
Regarding the BRZ vs GT86, I actually prefer the Toyota front end treatment. The BRZ is too conservative.
Subaru v Toyota...
hmm, if you're comparing BRZ v GT86, surely it would be better to drive both cars back to back and provide some insight? rather than indicating you'd have the subaru badge, because the dealership (that you'll probably only visit for about an hour a year..) is much more cool.
the GT86 and BRZ are virtually identical, granted. but both have been tuned/configured differently, with the GT86 allegedly a more responsive suspension setup .. i dont know myself - having not driven them.. but surely something like that would have been nice to have had investigated?
perhaps look into the future as well, with Subaru (STI) known to be keen on turbo charging options, and Toyota favouring the supercharged route.. these may be better factors in assisting someone's decision.. not the badge/showroom!?
hmm, if you're comparing BRZ v GT86, surely it would be better to drive both cars back to back and provide some insight? rather than indicating you'd have the subaru badge, because the dealership (that you'll probably only visit for about an hour a year..) is much more cool.
the GT86 and BRZ are virtually identical, granted. but both have been tuned/configured differently, with the GT86 allegedly a more responsive suspension setup .. i dont know myself - having not driven them.. but surely something like that would have been nice to have had investigated?
perhaps look into the future as well, with Subaru (STI) known to be keen on turbo charging options, and Toyota favouring the supercharged route.. these may be better factors in assisting someone's decision.. not the badge/showroom!?
Scoobyshue said:
Put me down for the RS2000 please.
X2 When walking in to buy a BRZ how could you not drive away with that instead, Probably a few k cheaper tooEdit I do hope all the cars get reviewed agaist a Honda S2000. I know what my money is on!
Edited by crimbo on Wednesday 1st February 14:25
crimbo said:
Scoobyshue said:
Put me down for the RS2000 please.
X2 When walking in to buy a BRZ how could you not drive away with that instead, Probably a few k cheaper tooEdit I do hope all the cars get reviewed agaist a Honda S2000. I know what my money is on!
Edited by crimbo on Wednesday 1st February 14:25
There was a white wide body X-Pack RS2000 like that one rotting at the roadside in a village in West Wales up until a couple of years ago. There was a Honda S800 there too and I think a 1970s BMW CSi. Now all that's left is a red Renault GTA V6 Turbo which coincidentally appears as a "Discovered" car in this month's Classic Cars magazine.
There's an RS1800 BDA recently been unearthed for restoration in that area too.
I wonder what happened to the RS2000?
There's an RS1800 BDA recently been unearthed for restoration in that area too.
I wonder what happened to the RS2000?
davers said:
crimbo said:
Scoobyshue said:
Put me down for the RS2000 please.
X2 When walking in to buy a BRZ how could you not drive away with that instead, Probably a few k cheaper tooEdit I do hope all the cars get reviewed agaist a Honda S2000. I know what my money is on!
Edited by crimbo on Wednesday 1st February 14:25
davers said:
crimbo said:
Scoobyshue said:
Put me down for the RS2000 please.
X2 When walking in to buy a BRZ how could you not drive away with that instead, Probably a few k cheaper tooEdit I do hope all the cars get reviewed agaist a Honda S2000. I know what my money is on!
Edited by crimbo on Wednesday 1st February 14:25
MonkeyMatt said:
I think they look great! Just never thought I would see the day when the japs copied the koreans
Look at the original 1970s Toyota Celica and 2000GT and you'll see they "borrowed" quite heavily from the Americans. Unfortunately these days cars look so bland that all of them look alike and the recent pedestrian safety regulations aren't helping matters much. Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff