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The 2022 Subaru BRZ makes its dealer launch this fall, and the Toyota GR86 launch is pushed into 2022. According to a new report from Japan, sources told BestCarWeb that the Toyota GR86 will be significantly different than its Subaru BRZ twin. The new report says Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda doesn’t want his sports car to be an exact copy of the all-new Subaru BRZ.
Like the first-generation model, both cars collaborate between the two Japanese automakers, and the sports coupes will be manufactured at Subaru’s main plant in Gunma, Japan. The BRZ begins production this spring, while the Toyota GR86 launch will be delayed until March 2022.
What are the differences between the 2022 BRZ and 2022 GR86?
The report says Akio Toyoda asked his development team to “differentiate” his sports car from the BRZ in terms of performance. Toyota now owns 20 percent of Subaru Corporation, so the automaker has some leverage over Subaru.
The 2.4-liter normally aspirated Subaru Boxer engine will power both sports cars. The GR86 will not be turbocharged, but it could get different gearing and engine tuning to make it feel like it accelerates faster, according to sources close to Toyota. The GR86 could also get different suspension tuning.
Will the GR86 be faster than the BRZ? Both models will produce 228 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque, but the GR86 could have different handling characteristics. The GR86’s front bumper and rear taillights will also differentiate it from the Subaru BRZ.
The 2022 BRZ comes in both Premium and Limited trims. It is available with two transmission choices; a standard six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic with a new Sport mode designed for more aggressive driving.
The new report also says Toyota will offer a Limited Edition GRMN GR86 (200 examples) in 2023. Subaru will also likely build a special edition BRZ trim with additional performance characteristics.
The 2022 Subaru BRZ begins production this spring, and the newly redesigned sports coupe will go on sale early fall of 2021. Subaru of America will release pricing information closer to retailer launch. Stay tuned.
You Might Also Like: The 2022 Subaru BRZ Doesn’t Have A Turbo For a Reason- Check out the news report here.
Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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Comments
Sorry Denis you should not
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Sorry Denis you should not say that the 2021/22 BRZ and 86 will be "significantly different" when at this stage it is simply an open statement from Toyota that they plan some changes to the GR 86. Can you imagine with false reports like your own floating around also saying that the 86 will be available so much later than the new BRZ.........NO BRZ will be sold until prospective buyers have either driven or read comprehensive drive reports on BOTH units. I assure you that both the 86 and BRZ will be in the showrooms in the fall of 2021 within a few weeks of each other. It seems that news reporting isn't only wrong with political issues it also extends to your own incorrect reporting.
Sincerly,
Ian Gray
Totally agree. Toyota will
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In reply to Sorry Denis you should not by ian Gray (not verified)
Totally agree. Toyota will not relinquish any commercial ground to Subaru when these go on sale.
They'll either force the BRZ to delay or quetly release 86 at the same time.
Seeing as Subaru do absoluty zero advertizing for the BRZ, most people wouldn't know of it's presence in the showroom until the tripped over it anyway as teh salesman directs them to the STI in the corner.
I know, that's what they kept trying to do to me when I brought mine.
A bRZ or 86 Buyer is a special type of car enthusiest and twhen they are available they will attend and buy the car. Very few(Total assumption) would be impulse buys other than the odd rich daddy/mommy buying their kid a car when they spot it and say "I want the cute low car in the corner"...
With the followup question from the dealer
Subaru: but for an extra 10-20k we could get you into this her WRX or STi which is X number of horse power more powerful AND has apple car play....
Toyota Dealer: but for an extra 10-20k we could get you into this here Supra or Special edition Yaris (If available in USA) which is X number of horse power more powerful AND has Apple car play...
Both cars had very poor push from dealerships and advertisment in Australia. I basically had to force the guy to sell me the BRZ, especially when I found it to be one of the only models in the Country with NO touchscreen, all knobs and button on the Radio. I deal with new cars all day long pre-dealership and if there is one thing that will make any car worthless after 4-5yrs, its the entertainent unit.
My guess,
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My guess,
Toyota will mess with the gearing just to be different (Final Drive? Quick easy change which can be done quickly on line in the factory without any major redesigns to process flows)
86 - Quicker acceleration, lower top speed Maybe different Sways for a more playful rear end
BRZ - Cruiser Accelleration, higher top speed Why go too playful? Don't Subaru's customers already have the STI's and WRX's to be road going fun loving lunitics for just two segment ticks over the price of the BRZ?
Aint no free lunch, especially when working with the same engine and Gearbox.
Maybe some slight tuning differences but how much can they differenciate from each other. The price benifit for these vehicles ONLY comes from what is shared, not what seperates them. Add $10k to them and the allotment will sit on the wharves in Gunma with not a single buyer...
Other options
Remove the torque dip in TMC GR86?
Already done in the Aftermarket, but unless one uses different air flow tracks and exhausts they'll both hit the same limitations of Air in at atmospheric pressure, boom and push out the back....Again, differnt parts which is the opposite of everything Toyoya lean production teaches. So maybe slight changes to ECU coding, which BRZ / GR86 users will swap between each other to which ever one they feel is the best thus leveling the standard fleet while the outliers turbo, supercharge, slam and add jet packs to make their statements to stand out from the rest.....
So long as they Toyota and Subaru sell the planned allotment assigned to the Gunma factory Toyota's and Subaru's board won't really care. That's what the first gen succeeded in doing.
Once they hit that number, it's mostly cream (beyond material and labour costs) and then flows the special editions ie: STi Ts/TRD versions which really weren't that different from each other either...
Aikido plan was to get Toyota back into Sports cars. One must agree he has succeeded tremndously in this with the Supra/Z4 and the GR86/BRZ
Having drivin a BRZ for 8 years every day, I'm amazed at how many people who sell themselves as car people STILL ask me what it's like driving the turbo charged 4WD version of the 86. Or why did I choose the BRZ when "EVERYONE" know Toyota manufacturing is heads and shoulders above Subaru.
Being that I work with Toyota (And 26 other OEM Manufacturers) and get to drive all there vehicles before they even go into the public, I know the pressure Toyota put on everyone in their ecosystem; wheterh suppliers, contractors, workers and partners and if Toyota has put their fairth in the Gunma factory, then it meets Toyota Manufacturing standards and the QA of the BRZ's and the GR86's exiting the factory are of the same quality adn undergo the same rigourous testing.
Obviously in any mass manufacturing situation their will be a percentage of failures. Toyota just manage to keep this percentage very low adn stand by their vehicles/work. by Proxy this same level of standard transfers directly to the BRZ.
Can only hope it continues with the new model, which I"m sure it will.
But back on point, all they'll need to do to make them different and feel different is what they did in the first batch. Humans are easily convinced of something that may not be quiet in fact true. Yet they'll walk to teh cross on that belief. so If that help Toyota convinence their loyal subjects the 86 is 15.6% differnt than the BRZ and it sells vehicles good for them. The people buying an 86 are not going to be swayed into a BRZ regardless of pretty well anything. But at the end of the day, both an 86 sale and a BRZ sale equals a production unit moved throu ghte Subaru Gumna factory which can only be a positive for Subaru.