Image via Complex Original
One of the most hotly anticipated cars of recent years is actually two cars, or perhaps three depending on who you ask. This car(s) is the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ (also Toyota GT86 in foreign markets). Here are the 10 things you need to know about these sleek new whips.
It's Rear Wheel Drive
That Mazdaspeed3 or VW GTI might be a sporty cars, but they are not sports cars. A real sports car has power going to the rear wheels. Without that, the front tires are being asked to do too much, and oversteer is all but impossible.
The Back is For Track Tires, Not People
There's no room for legs in the back seats, but they do fold down to accommodate four track tires. We think that's more important; trailering a car is a huge hassle.
It Costs...
The Scion will cost $24,930 base (including delivery) and the Subie will run $25,495 (including delivery).
The Subaru Has Standard Sat Nav
The BRZ might cost a bit more than the FR-S, but included in that cost are standard amenities like push-button start and sat nav (yes, standard sat nav), as well as a somewhat nicer interior.
The Scion is Tuned for More Oversteer
The BRZ isn't just straight up better than the FR-S, however; the BRZ is tuned for a bit of understeer, as Subaru's customers are more likely to be disturbed by oversteer. The Scion, on the other hand, is built with Ken Gushi wannabes in mind. This is a drifter's car.
The Engine is a Square Boxer
Subaru, being the world's foremost boxer engine freaks, made this engine. It's not just the new base for the company's performance engines, but it's an homage to the square boxer of Toyota's classic AE86 sports car.
It Has an Extremely Low Center of Gravity
This car has a lower center of gravity than a Porsche Cayman or a Ferrari 360 Modena. As such, it handles like an absolute dream. According to the engineering staff at Subaru, the engine was placed, and then the car was built around this ideal engine placement. It's as far back and as far down as it can possibly be.
It Was Designed With The Aftermarket in Mind
Much to the chagrin of enthusiasts hoping for a bit more power, Scion has come out and said that there will be no turbo FR-S, while Subaru still isn't confirming a turbo BRZ. Luckily, the car was made for the aftermarket, and there is plenty of room in the engine bay for a turbo or supercharger.
Engineered by Subaru, Styled by Toyota
The engineering of this car was done almost entirely by the brilliant, performance-minded engineers at Subaru, while the styling was done at a Toyota-owned studio. The car might be mechanically an ass-kicking Subie, but the styling is drawn from past Toyota greats like the above pictured 2000 GT.
It's All About Having Fun
This isn't designed to be the next competition-destroying race car; it's designed to be fun. The engineering team didn't care about getting the power levels above 200 horsepower like some other companies; they wanted to make sure the power band was exciting. They didn't care about providing tons of grip; they made sure the car was thrilling after exceeding the tire's capabilities.
This is a car for people who want to have fun. No doubt there will be plenty doing well in competition with a bit of tuning, but it's mostly significant in that it heralds the return of the simple, fun sports car.