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Subaru’s new BRZ coupe will only be available with a normally aspirated engine and rear-wheel drive

Subaru’s new BRZ coupe will only be available with a normally aspirated engine and rear-wheel drive, Autocar can reveal.

Speaking to Autocar at today’s Frankfurt motor show  Subaru’s product planning chief and BRZ development head Toshio Masuda said the BRZ would be offered with a sole engine option: a direct-injection 2.0-litre normally-aspirated four-cylinder boxer engine, codenamed ‘FA’. He also said it would produce “less than 300bhp” and gearbox options would be six-speed manual and six-speed automatic.

Masuda also revealed the Subaru BRZ, which will go into production alongside its co-developed Toyota FT-86 sibling in spring 2012, would be one of the lightest and shortest cars [less than 1300mm] cars in its class, and would have the lowest centre of gravity of any rear-drive sports car on the market.

Despite Toyota showing its concept version of the coupe almost two years ago, Subaru insists the Toyota is a version of the Subaru and the smaller Japanese firm has led chassis and engine development throughout.

Masuda said the BRZ, which will be shown in final production form at November’s Tokyo motor show, will sport a completely different styling direction to the new Impreza seen at last year’s LA motor show. Expect to see strong familiarities with the Toyota FT-86, with subtle changes at the front and rear for the Subaru.

The BRZ will reach UK showrooms in summer 2012. A convertible version has been considered, but is not currently planned. The BRZ’s engine is not destined for any other Subarus.

Subaru UK has also yet to commit to taking the latest generation Impreza, saying the model’s pricing was preventing it from taking the model at present.

Read more about the Subaru BRZ

Mark Tisshaw

mark-tisshaw-autocar
Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.

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