RE: Subaru BRZ: You Know You Want To

[ian2144]

TartanPaint said:

I agree, you don't NEED all the performance of a 330d, but I think it's missing the point, and it's why I say I don't think it's a lack of power that ruins the 86/BRZ.

The point being that technology has moved on. 30 years ago turbo cars were crazy and uncontrollable, and normally aspirated cars could either rev high or idle smoothly, but not both. Now, even a dull repmobile diesel or a family hatchback ecoboost has an unobtrusive turbo, torque in spades over entire rev ranges, and performance that would seem like witchcraft to somebody transported here from the 80s.

And Toyobaru turn out the FA20D, and it's just.... not good enough. If the 86/BRZ revved out like a 2ZZ with 190bhp and a 8000rpm red line there would be a queue at the showroom door. It's not a lack of power or performance; it's a miserable engine, and has no place in a sports car.

OK, so a 2ZZ wouldn't fit, and would bugger up the handling, and the whole point of the car is the flat-4 packaging, but the point is that it is entirely possible to build small displacement, normally aspirated engines with exciting characteristics, bombproof reliability and low costs. Toyota are masters of it. The FA20D, with Subaru's flat-4 knowledge and history, and Toyota's VVTi revvyness, could have been a masterpiece. It failed miserably in my opinion.

I will definitely be keeping an eye on what the tuners are doing with these. I'd love to see what can be done to a normally aspirated one with some headwork, different cams, induction/exhaust mods, unequal length headers (I know, but a Subaru needs to sound like a Subaru), lightened flywheel, and a remap. I don't think bolting on a supercharger is the answer for this engine, although I haven't tried one. A very low pressure turbo would be interesting, but as we all suspect, would probably kill throttle response. But as the throttle doesn't seem to do anything anyway except on a wet roundabout, I'm not so sure what the problem with that would be...


EDIT: Got the engine name wrong. Corrected now.

Edited by TartanPaint on Tuesday 18th April 09:15

Thank you for your eloquent reply. As a 86 owner I understand where your coming from. For me I'm happy with the car as standard and yes, Toyota & Subaru could have done a better job, but it is what it is.
My 86 is the Aero version, only sold between 2014 - 2016 and approximately only 125 sold in the U.K. So when the time comes to move on, it will be an unmolested example with low Miles

Wet roundabouts are all part of the fun