Alongside being described as the best value sports car that money can buy, the other term you’ll often hear mentioned when discussing Subaru’s BRZ - a low-slung, sleek two-door sports car that’s been setting hearts afire since 2012 - is “purity”.
When motorist enthusiasts start talking about the “purity” of a certain car, it can sound as though they’ve been drinking too much high-octane fuel of some kind. What does “purity” even mean in a car context?
Well, essentially, it’s what the BRZ offers - a direct and unfiltered connection between driver and machine, between steering wheel, road and driver’s hands. There is a sense of absolutely precision and, yes, purity in the way that the BRZ reacts to your inputs as a driver that is usually only associated with very, very expensive sports cars indeed.
“Porsche” and “purity” are also often mentioned in the same sentence, for example. Yet Subaru’s BRZ has always been extremely affordable, with prices starting at less than $40,000.
The best value sports car in the world
That is part of the reason why the Subaru BRZ causes so much excitement, and loyalty, amongst its followers - because it delivers the kind of involving, invigorating driving experience previously only available to those with very deep pockets indeed.
The BRZ turns into corners enthusiastically and accelerates out of them with a rear end that feels alive and frolicking - thanks to the fact that it is, like all the purest sports cars, rear-wheel driven.
The chassis is also taut and stiff, while the low centre of gravity, and perfect, low-slung driving position, only add to that feeling of purity and connectedness.
The 2.0-litre engine of the BRZ is also an enthusiastic and perfect match for the light weight of this stunning-looking coupe (the BRZ is also a 2+2, meaning there are seats in the back as well).
BRZ is about to get even better, and faster
Subaru is promising the new BRZ will offer “a smooth revving feel and sharp throttle response” plus “stronger acceleration and a noticeable power increase”, while remaining, of course, the best value sports car on the market.
That new engine is also naturally aspirated rather than turbocharged - just like the current BRZ - which is another factor that has enthusiasts raving about purity. Engines that rev high and mightily, without the boosty nature of turbocharged powerplants, are yet another thing that motoring purists rave about.
In short, then, the BRZ is both the purest and best value sports car you can buy in Australia, and the new one promises to be even better.
BRZ comparison to 86 – What’s the difference between both cars?
Born of a marriage between two Japanese motoring giants - Subaru and Toyota - the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 seem, at first glance, to be quite similar, and both were designed to sit on the same platform and to share the same engine and gearboxes.
But when one looks closer at the question of BRZ vs 86, the differences are quite clear - from the tuning of the suspension to the cabin feel and fit-out - and you can see why so many enthusiasts end up choosing the Subaru BRZ over the Toyota 86. The fact that it just feels better to drive is the most commonly given reason, but it’s just one of the differences between the two cars.
CarsGuide
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03 June 2021
