SUBARU BRZ
Naturally aspirated, rear-wheel drive performance from Subaru.
Though the Subaru BRZ is a modern car, it is, in many ways a car that looks back to simpler times. It has a basic recipe that is quite beautiful in its simplicity – a 2.0-litre, naturally aspirated ‘boxer’ engine in the front, sending power to the rear wheels.
That engine produces just 198bhp, but that figure doesn’t tell you the whole story. Being a ‘boxer’ engine, the cylinders are horizontally-opposed, giving the engine a low centre of gravity, improving handling – a key theme of this car. There’s also no turbocharging present, so to get the most out of the engine you have to truly use it, peak power arrives at 7,000rpm and as the driver you are encouraged by the car to push ever onwards at all times.
Driver engagement and the enjoyment of driving was a key requirement in the development of this car. It was developed jointly by Toyota and Subaru, with Toyota calling its version the ‘GT86’, and both firms have a rich history in building performance cars that delight drivers. The car is intended to be enjoyed with a 6-speed manual gearbox, but there is an automatic option for those who really prefer not to be too involved. Engineers made the active decision to offer smaller 16-inch wheels and tyres that aren’t too grippy, to ensure the driving experience is an engaging as possible, and the boot space is designed specifically to be able to carry spare tyres and a crash helmet.
To drive, the BRZ dances and flows consistently through corners, providing a truly engaging and communicative experience that is really rather rare in the modern world of motoring. It takes a little while to master, you have to discover where its limits are and handle it appropriately, but this is truly part of the joy of driving it.
While it’s true many hot hatchbacks now have over 100bhp more than the BRZ, no other car available at Synergy can offer the same experience. Very few machines are produced at this price point with this much focus on the thrill of driving, and for this reason alone the BRZ is very much loved by all those who’ve ever driven it.