Rightio, time for another episode of
Nismo's COTW Reviews!!!!!
Episode #24: Subaru BRZ (A.k.a Toyota 86, Scion FR-S) (I'll just refer to all three cars as the BRZ, for simplicity since they're identical)
My entry into the week's racing, in all its pinky glory. (Thanks sis! )
First of all, I put up a poll on Google+ to see what name people prefered for this car...
And there you have it folks, the internet has spoken! Now, on with the review!!!
The BRZ is an FR Japanese sports car, and on paper the numbers aren't all that exciting. It produces a few horses over 200bhp, weighs in at a somewhat respectable 1230kgs, and costs $30,000. The body is pretty damn versatile. You see BRZ bodies everywhere, in drifting, circuit, Pike's Peak, and I don't know if you guys know this, BUT... Ryan Tuerck's mounting a Ferrari F136 V8 into one!
But is as great to race stock standard?
The BRZ handled the bumps and speeds of LeMans with ease!
Boo-yah!!
"You're gonna have to really fight to get past me, Vic!" -B. McClaren
Saturday's racing was just as fierce as Tuesday's, even with half the field.
Well, yes. Power wise, the 2L boxer 4 revs smoothly and comfortably. The acceleration is swift enough for sports driving, but still lacks a little thrust off the line. Still, not bad for 200bhp. 👍 It has a pretty sweet standard suspension setup. Firm enough to run High Speed Ring without issues, but at the same time soft enough to withstand the punishment that is Mount Panorama. I did notice that it dips down quite a lot under braking, which as we all know is the poor man's way of making your car look lowered... from the front, anyway..
Speaking of looks, it's a pretty attractive car, am I right? The angular headlights, sculpting around the badge... I just find it really handsome. Even more so when it's got a bodykit, but we'll get to that one in a minute...
The handling is pretty remarkable. Despite having a bit more weight than your average sports car, it navigates tricky sections with relative ease. I only noticed a touch of understeer, and even then that was while I was wringing it's neck around Bathurst. It's brilliant!
Perfect for Sunday cruises and ferocious track meets alike!
I had an excellent week's racing in my BRZ. I achieved some pretty high placings in the races, and I enjoyed the close precise action the BRZ provided. Fast, clean racing just the way we like it, with a little bit of panel rubbing to keep things interesting. And when @Niku Driver HC put out a request for some "flashy slides", his pleas did not fall on deaf ears. @Vic Reign93! That's your que buddy, do what you do best!
Excellent work mate, can't wait till you try to drift a Civic or an Autobaninci or even a Golf!
Some people tried their hand in the Toyota 86 Racing, a road legal 86 with added racing equipment, most notably a tow hook, racing seats, and a harness. You can see why one would think it would have an edge on the base model. However this car performed nearly identically to the standard car, and proved no real performance benefits.
Run Ernest, Run!!!!
Another car a few of us thought would be a real ace up the ol' sleeve was Gazoo Racing's 86. At only $50k, here's a pretty cheap racecar!
For an additional $20,000 on top of the price of a standard BRZ, you get... absolutely no horsepower gain, no weight loss, and to really rub salt in the wound,
lower PP.
How about,
NO.
Okay, so what's the verdict on the BRZ?
Good bits (Stock)
-It's the swiss army knife of JDM
-Amazing handling
-Beginner friendly
-Cheap
-Great for N/A fans and turbo fans alike
-Looks great
Not so good bits (Stock)
-Lacking power
-Sport hard tyres
Short answer: Sleeper!
👍
Long answer: The BRZ is an excellent starting point for a newcomer to the world of GT, in fact it's great for beginners and veterans alike! It's a blank canvas, able to be built for whatever driving you desire. Whether you need something small and humble to win all the National B grade races, or want to take on a Lamborghini Gallardo, the BRZ can be made into something for anyone! It's versatility and user-friendliness are unseen on any other FR JDM car, and it is this customisability that really appeals to me. It's a definite sleeper. 👍
Now, what about my BRZ, the pink one? Well, all I've changed as far as visuals are the wheels. But I'll keep it pink, it's grown on me like that
I've boosted the power to 355bhp, shedded a few kg's, and that's about all I've done to it.
Tasteful stance, without ricing it. Perfecto!
Now then, before I conclude this post, the drivers who were at the Saturday lobby attempted to stage a photo shoot to get an image that could be used as a sort of "COTW title image". You know, the type of pic you'd use as a cover photo if COTW had its own page. It was a pretty rough set, but I made do... Here's my two results.
Next time I'll plan what cars/colours to have and where
beforehand. Ah well, I still like option 1. Thoughts?