Delightful as the base BRZ may be if you were looking for STI to put its mark on it what would you expect? Probably a) blue paint b) liberal appearance of pink STI logos around the cabin and bodywork c) some meaningful upgrades to brakes and suspension and d) a significant turbocharged power boost to the flat-four motor.
If your answer to the question is 'all of the above' then, congratulations, you're a Subaru fan with your appetite suitably whetted and quite possibly money waiting. If your answer is a), b), c) ... oh, damn, we ran out of money/Toyota wouldn't let us then you probably work for Subaru.
Time was a limited edition JDM STI model was the kind of thing Subaru fans would be chasing the nearest grey importer for. Given that this new Japanese market BRZ tS has all the STI goodness APART from the turbo many have been craving it's likely all 500 of the limited production run will remain in the home market, even with the optional GT Package. Limited to half that total run it adds a carbon rear wing, black BBS wheels and a set of Recaro seats. But still no turbo.
Sad really because everything - and we mean pretty much everything - you'd need to make the most of a significant power boost has been added. Sure, there's the usual pink logo frenzy. But the chassis revisions - listed in full below - are extensive and amid all the STI branded fripperies include Brembo brakes, poly-bushed STI suspension linkages, beefed up driveshafts, strut braces and more besides. You half expect all the necessary plumbing for a turbo to be in place with a Post-It note on top of the engine with a speed dial to Turbos-R-Us, this seemingly being a proper STI in all but name and power output.
For now though this is the best we, or at least the Japanese, get, turbocharged SuperGT racer aside. Look at what you could've won, and all that.
BRZ tS details, verbatim from Subaru's spec sheet:
225/40ZR18 (92Y) tires (Michelin Pilot Super Sport)
STI designed 18-inch x 7 1/2J aluminum wheels (silver)
Brembo front 17-inch opposed 4-pot ventilated disc brake with "STI" logo
Brembo rear 17-inch opposed 2-pot ventilated disc brake with "STI" logo
STI designed rear suspension link with pillow ball bush (trailing link front, lateral link front inside & rear inside)
STI tuned strut and STI coil springs for front suspension
STI tuned damper and STI coil springs for rear suspension
STI designed flexible tower bar, front
STI designed flexible draw stiffener, front
STI designed large-diameter driveshaft
Exclusively-tuned VDC (Vehicle Dynamics Control)
Exclusively-tuned filter for Sound Creator®*2
-Exterior-
STI designed front under spoiler
STI designed front fender garnish with "STI" logo
Exclusively-made "STI" ornament (front & rear), "tS" ornament (rear)
-Interior-
Exclusively-made front seat with "STI" logo and red stitch
[Alcantara®*3 (gray punching) / leather (gray), "STI" logo, gray stitch, front seat heater, SRS side airbag]
Exclusively-made leather lapped steering wheel (with "STI" ornament and red stitch)
STI designed leather shift knob (manual transmission) / select lever (automatic transmission) with "STI" logo
Exclusively-made speedometer with "STI" logo
Exclusively-made speedometer visor [Alcantara® (black), black stitch]
Carbon tone instrument panel
STI designed push engine switch with "STI" logo (red)
Exclusively-made aluminum side sill plate with "tS" logo
STI designed leather access key cover (red)
-Equipments for GT PACKAGE-
STI designed 18-inch x 7 1/2J aluminum wheels (black)
STI designed dry carbon rear spoiler (2 angle adjustable)
Recaro designed front bucket seat
[Alcantara® (gray punching) / leather (gray), "STI" logo, gray stitch, SRS side airbag]
*2: Sound Creator® is the registered trademark of MAHLE Filter S