Thursday 23rd February 2012

Subaru BRZ racecar tests

Subaru tests Super GT GT300 BRZ and provides inspiration for next-gen Scooby modders everywhere

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As previously discussed, Subaru was always going to struggle to have its voice heard against Toyota with the whole GT 86/BRZ fraternal rivalry. But sticking a turbo and big wings on it and going racing in the Japanese Super GT looks like a good policy.

Big wing: check. WR Blue: check.

And having unveiled the BRZ Super GT racer at the Tokyo show last year, Subaru has now been out testing. And boy does it look the business.

Subaru has already signalled its intent with the BRZ by showing an STI concept version at LA last year, the familiar combination of WR Blue paint and a big wing transposed from the Impreza working very-nicely-thank-you on the new coupe.

If this is a hint that Subaru is going to be claiming the more performance-oriented end of the Toyobaru spectrum then consider us already excited.

Super GT racers have always looked cool of course, but even by the standards of the series the BRZ is a fabulous-looking car. Promising a return of the "characteristic boxer engine sound", the BRZ tested this weekend at the Fuji Speedway.

New age for Subaru with Super GT

A full aero kit, inboard dampers and a turbocharged engine are all part of the extensive race prep programme and, though STI is playing its cards close to its chest after the test, Hideharu Tatsumi from the 'Motorsport Project Office' did say "we developed the BRZ GT300 aiming to take advantage of Subaru's characteristically low centre of gravity."

R&D Sport team boss Shinji Motojima was a little more effusive: "The development and engineering capabilities of Subaru/STI have created a wonderful car."

He's also aware the BRZ is going to have a fight on its hands and is realistic about where its talents lie. "This year's challenge for the 2.0-litre turbo BRZ is how competitive it can be against cars with larger displacements on a straight," he says. "However, we have the advantage in cornering and braking performance, so we need different strategies depending on the circuits."

Turbo flat-four promises the burble is back

Driver Kouta Sasaki sounds up to the challenge too. "I'm determined to boost Subaru's challenge with the BRZ as it is a new car. The car certainly looks cool, so our mission is to match speed with appearance. I believe that'll result in a flood of BRZs around town. In this sense, I feel a lot is riding on our shoulders."

Beyond the pre-season soundbites the hope is there that Subaru can exploit this motorsport pedigree and translate that to hotter versions of the roadgoing BRZ. Toyota may have staked its claim on the mainstream audience but, by rights, the hot Toyobaru ought to have a Subaru badge on the front.

[AlecG]

That looks awesome!

[Streps]

It looks good...and rather happy.

[GroundEffect]

I prefer the GT300 class. The GT500 cars have next to no bearing on their road-going counterparts (just compare the GT-R GT500 car to the road car...V6 twin turbo? Nope - V8. 4WD? Nope - Rear. Space frame chassis? Yep!).

[DanDC5]

I need a replica on my drive.

[C.A.R.]

The GT500 class - much like DTM - is a sillouette race car series, where the cars only mimic their road-going counterparts. I'm pretty sure the teams are allowed to use any engine from the manufacturers stable, so a V8 offers more versatility seeing as turbocharging is not permissable.

• I think*

I've not followed it since it was called the JGTC...

[TotalControl]

Meant to give it an 8 but hit vote instead, giving it a 5. Very cool looking.

[ZOLLAR]

Looks bloody Evil

[PascalBuyens]

Big wing: check. WR Blue: check. Turbocharged boxer: check.

Want: yup.

[Dale Lomas]

Car so awesome. "PROUD OF BOXER"

Yep, Chrith Eubank is pretty well respected everywhere.

[Gizmo!]

Mental.

Am I right in thinking that's pushrod front suspension?

[dublet]

Anybody got any tissues?

[MJRL]

Porn

It looks evil, very much WANT.

Can someone get a vid so we can hear it ?

[underworld]

very nice

[Guvernator]

That is a fantastic looking racer and lets hope that Subaru really do produce an turbo nutter STI version of their new coupe for two very good reasons.

1) The Subaru brand has gone far far too long without a decent coupe in their stable. The legendary Impreza Type R\P1\22b was THE coolest car Subaru ever made, nothing else has quite compared since IMO.

2) Much as this will get all the PH afionado's baying for blood, the standard BRZ just doesn't have enough power at the moment. Sorry handling\mx5\low power fans but it's the truth. Yes I know all the arguments about power isn't everything blah blah but 200bhp is rather pathetic in this day and age. Get it turbo'd and up to 300bhp+ and then I'd be interested.

[Dave Hedgehog]

now this version I WANT BADLY !!!!

[loveice]

GroundEffect said:

I prefer the GT300 class. The GT500 cars have next to no bearing on their road-going counterparts (just compare the GT-R GT500 car to the road car...V6 twin turbo? Nope - V8. 4WD? Nope - Rear. Space frame chassis? Yep!).

I'm with you on this. The same goes to modern day NASCAR and to some degree WRC cars.

[marshall100]

Sex wee!

Couldn't help myself.

[marcosgt]

loveice said:

GroundEffect said:

I prefer the GT300 class. The GT500 cars have next to no bearing on their road-going counterparts (just compare the GT-R GT500 car to the road car...V6 twin turbo? Nope - V8. 4WD? Nope - Rear. Space frame chassis? Yep!).

I'm with you on this. The same goes to modern day NASCAR and to some degree WRC cars.

OK, but whilst some cars are interesting, the Aston, Porsche and Ferrari are really JUST GT cars and there's more than enough series for them already!

Bit unfair to single out 'modern day' NASCAR, too, they've been replicas for decades - I think it was the 60s (or 70s) when someone made a 7/8th replica of the car that they were supposed to replicate it.

M.

[GroundEffect]

loveice said:

GroundEffect said:

I prefer the GT300 class. The GT500 cars have next to no bearing on their road-going counterparts (just compare the GT-R GT500 car to the road car...V6 twin turbo? Nope - V8. 4WD? Nope - Rear. Space frame chassis? Yep!).

I'm with you on this. The same goes to modern day NASCAR and to some degree WRC cars.

Modern WRC is very much production-based. They are effectively S2000 cars with a turbo kit.

[rhinochopig]

loveice said:

GroundEffect said:

I prefer the GT300 class. The GT500 cars have next to no bearing on their road-going counterparts (just compare the GT-R GT500 car to the road car...V6 twin turbo? Nope - V8. 4WD? Nope - Rear. Space frame chassis? Yep!).

I'm with you on this. The same goes to modern day NASCAR and to some degree WRC cars.

Really? Look at the pic in the article.



Front space frame, inboard push rod dampers, carbon body, etc. I'm not seeing much BRZ road car in that TBH.