EVO magazine and the BRZ

I don't know how many people here read EVO, but the most recent issue had the first full term test of a Toyobaru I've seen as well as a comparison to its natural rivals. And it did not follow the standard line. They were left disappointed on a longer exposure to the car, in large part due to the engine. They also compared it to a 15-year-old Impreza Turbo and found the older car was a lot more fun and engaging.

They did get stuck with an automatic trans model based on what was available, and they're cautiously optimistic about the Toyota version. But it'll be interesting to see what the more balanced magazines like GRM have to say on longer exposure to the car. We already know that R&T and C&D are going to froth at the mouth

For those who don't have their subscriber copies yet Scans starting on post 19.

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5182

In reply to Keith:

Not exactly the same, but read my post on my buddies FRS: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/buddy-bought-an-frs-last-night/49965/page1/

I'm comparing based on my and my friends past and current ownership of a 14 year old Impreza 2.5RS, current Subaru WRX, last gen Nissan 240SX, last gen MR2 Turbo, XR4Ti, Miata (NB, NC)...

I read this review in this month's Evo when it came out, and it's what I'm basing a lot of my thoughts on the FR-S/BR-Z on at the moment. I generally find that Evo's opinions on cars are pretty much in line with my own.

Considering their mule was an auto, I'll hold out for a "real" review.

I'm wondering if they released the tepid model so as to build a customer base. Once that model hooks all the Gotta Have It's they'll then release the real horsepower car. This one will have a more acceptable power level with a supercharger or turbo added.

So the EVO review is basically saying that it has a brilliant chassis and handling that can only truly be explored to its fullest on a race track, due to the car being a bit underpowered and overly balanced and grippy. Sounds like the perfect showroom-new GRM real-life/trackday combo car to me.

Does it? Because a car that can only be fun on a racetrack isn't a fun car to own until it's been owned by several other people who take the depreciation hit Seems to me I'd be shopping for a Megane instead, so I could have fun on the track and the street. Or, in North America, maybe a Mazda 2/Fiesta.

They did directly compare it to the GRM favorite underpowered roadster, even in one of the crappier incarnations. This is a magazine that voted a tired 1990 Miata as one of the top 10 driving cars of all time. Fun on the street and the track.

I suspect they'll be revisiting the car to see if their impressions hold up with a stick and/or the Toyota version. They did something similar when the NC Miata came out - they were so disappointed with the initial suspension settings that they tried a bunch of typical improvements such as alignment and springs/shocks. And most enthusiasts would strongly agree with their disappointment in the 2006-08 Miata. It would not surprise me to see a GT86 in their long term test fleet soon to see how it stacks up and how it can be improved.

It's too bad the BRZ vs Impreza article hasn't been scanned. Perhaps it'll go up on the EVO website once the next issue comes out. It really lays out the source of their dissatisfaction.

Keith wrote: It's too bad the BRZ vs Impreza article hasn't been scanned. Perhaps it'll go up on the EVO website once the next issue comes out. It really lays out the source of their dissatisfaction.

That's really too bad, since the article linked to above didn't criticize anything except the powerplant.

What the article really says, IMO, is that the car is a simple forced induction kit away from being absolutely superb in all aspects.