Probably the largest problem people had with the ongoing BRZ was that it simply doesn’t have enough power to become a true sports car and because of that many said that the upcoming 2017 Subaru BRZ would, in fact, receive a higher performance version. Well, a few days ago Subaru showcased the new model and it seems that the rumored updates are nowhere to be found and instead the car is nearly identical to the new Toyota 86 which was to be expected.
The chassis is the same as before, the car is rocking nearly the same engine but the interior and exterior have been updated quite a bit and it should be a more comfortable ride than before.
ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION
Besides that the package also comes with stiffer Sachs shocks, new springs as well as larger anti-roll bars. Unfortunately, the 2 liters naturally aspirated boxer engine has been left untouched over the base model. This now makes 205 horsepower and 156 lb-ft of torque which is not that much for a sports car but when we think that it makes more than 100 horsepower per liter, that is quite impressive for a naturally aspirated engine in a car that costs less than $25,000.
We really hope that in the near future the 2017 Subaru BRZ will at least get a turbocharged or supercharged version of the same engine if not the engine from the new Subaru WRX. In any case, we hope for around 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque which is still a moderate amount of power for its highly capable chassis. This would be enough to make it faster than its direct competitors and it would give people a more enjoyable car without having to spend extra money on tuning it.
Over the older model, the new BRZ’s engine is also slightly easier to rev thanks to lower friction internals and its 6-speed manual and automatic gearboxes have been updated. Rear wheel drive is still standard and so are the skinny tires which may not be great on the track but they do offer a great amount of fun even at low speeds.
EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR OF 2017 SUBARU BRZ
The small changes continue to the exterior of the 2017 Subaru BRZ which is now a bit more modern. For someone that doesn’t like cars all that much, it may still seem identical but the entire front end has been revamped with new headlights, a slightly larger grille on the lower bumper as well as a more visible splitter.
At the back, the tail lights are all new while the diffuser is slightly more visible. Also, the old looking dashboard from the current generation has been finally ditched and in its place, there is now a slightly better looking one with fewer buttons, better materials and a much better screen for the infotainment system. The driving position is just as good as before but then again, the materials have been improved considerably over the 2012 model which was simply worse than most of its competitors.
2017 SUBARU BRZ PRICE AND RELEASE DATE
Also, for roughly $26,000 the new BRZ still is on the expensive side of things when we considering that the new Mustang and Camaro are both cheaper, more powerful and just as good to drive if not better. However, the BRZ comes with a really light chassis which is great both on the road and on the track and the new version only became better. This time around Subaru will be offering an optional performance pack which is a bit more different than that of its sibling.
This adds a set of new Brembo brakes with larger rotors in the front and at the back as well as four and two piston calipers which should make stopping the car a lot easier. The official start of the sales, for the basic 2017 Subaru BRZ, is expected in September. For the performance pack, the wait will be prolonged until December.
2017 Subaru BRZ First Drive:
Subaru Info: Wikipedia.org