BRZ at the Pittsburgh Auto Show

The Pittsburgh Auto Show had this BRZ on display. Looked very good but of course you weren't allowed to get inside. Generated a good deal of buzz while I was shooting it with most people commenting how small it was and how non-Subaru it looked.

 

idk if its just the angle but the wheels look SOOO small and hardly look like they belong on the car.

I like

My brother and I were talking about this car tonight, both of us being long time Subaru owners. We agrreed that it's a great car, but a great weekend car. If I am buying a Subaru for my DD it must have AWD.

I saw the BRZ in blue at the Chicago Auto show and agree with all of the above.

The angle and lens (10mm) probably don't help much but the wheels did look kind of small.

idk if its just the angle but the wheels look SOOO small and hardly look like they belong on the car.

I think it's the fish eye lens.

 

The angle and lens (10mm) probably don't help much but the wheels did look kind of small.

Yeah, what he said.

 

Can't wait to see one in person.

I wonder how long it takes for someone to come up with a CF replacement for the fender inset thngy..

 

Also notable is the marque hood bulge, guess manufactures are getting tired of de-badge-ing.

 

As far a wheels go, I keep thinking of dropping back to 16's with a smaller diameter tire. Unless that wheel is uber light, you could shed a few pounds between alloy and rubber. Reduce rotating mass and effect final drive ratio in your favor for more on road fun...

I wonder how long it takes for someone to come up with a CF replacement for the fender inset thngy..

 

Also notable is the marque hood bulge, guess manufactures are getting tired of de-badge-ing.

 

As far a wheels go, I keep thinking of dropping back to 16's with a smaller diameter tire. Unless that wheel is uber light, you could shed a few pounds between alloy and rubber. Reduce rotating mass and effect final drive ratio in your favor for more on road fun...

 

You're going the wrong way. The rubber tire is heavier than the metal rim. My most likely lightweight rim/tire choice for the BRZ right now:

 

Enkei PF01 18x7.5+45 is 17.4lbs

Hankook R-S3 225/40-18 is 23lbs

 

In comparison, a Hankook 225/45-17 is 25lbs and it's a 1/4" smaller OD.

 

We don't know the weight of the stock rims. I hope to pick up a hanging scale and get that number when I do the swap. But If the stock STI BBS at a forged 17x8 size is around 17lbs, then the cast 17x7s on the BRZ will likely weigh the same. So the 18" rim above won't add significant weight. There are even lighter rims, the OZ Alleggerita is 1.2lbs lighter but I don't like the look as much. But the lower weight might sway me..

 

On a side note, I'm not happy with going to a 1/2" taller tire, but there isn't much other choice if I want to go wider without adding significant weight, as the 17" Hankook option above shows. And the R-S3 is one of the lightest extreme performance tires out there.

I like it, it's a fresh look for Subaru. Here's few pics of their race version.

 

 

http://blog.caranddriver.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Subaru-BRZ-Super-GT-104-626x382.jpg

 

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/11/01-subaru-brz-gt300-live-628.jpg

 

http://blog.caranddriver.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/Subaru-BRZ-Super-GT-106-626x382.jpg

^

 

I never really understand the crazy body work on race cars like this one. Does it really need downward force? How fast is it going?

 

I get it on the cars that are feather light and going almost 200 MPH, but this is maxing out at what on a track - 120MPH? This is designed for the twisties, not the "Who can go the fastest in a circle" club.

^ So you're saying that even at 120 mph, downforce has nothing to do with grip? Even at 80 mph this sort of downforce will create a good amount of grip.

^

 

I never really understand the crazy body work on race cars like this one. Does it really need downward force? How fast is it going?

 

I get it on the cars that are feather light and going almost 200 MPH, but this is maxing out at what on a track - 120MPH? This is designed for the twisties, not the "Who can go the fastest in a circle" club.

 

The car probablys get above 120mph on some tracks.

 

Yes..... and you need downforce to be fast through the twisties as well. The body work in a race car is function before form.

I saw the BRZ in blue at the Chicago Auto show and agree with all of the above.

 

Probably the same one that was at the Milwaukee show.

^ So you're saying that even at 120 mph, downforce has nothing to do with grip? Even at 80 mph this sort of downforce will create a good amount of grip.

 

 

Wasn't saying that at all. Just said I didn't understand it. I guess the added grip is worth the drag and additional weight. I'm sure they calculate this out somewhere, but it seems counter intuitive.

At slower speeds, you need more bodywork to produce the same downforce that a little bit of aero stuff will give you at high speeds. Hence you see more aero bodywork on the "slower" race cars/tracks.

Super GT cars go crazy with aero. Most of the tracks they run put a lot more emphasis on handling and acceleration than on top speed, so big aero makes sense. They also will run different aero setups (as in completely different bodywork) based on the track, so when they go to Fuji with its enormous (1.5km) front straight they switch to very low downforce bodywork. Most of the time, though, it's big wings, big diffusers, and big splitters. Also, they can run what look like dangerously exposed aero parts without much worry because Super GT doesn't allow contact - a touch gets you a black flag and points. I just read an article the other day in an issue of Racecar Engineering where they were talking about developing the NISMO GT-R GT3 for the European market, and they had to move the oil coolers and other parts from the very front of the car because they were afraid they'd be smashed off in European racing.

Anybody else see something that looks like a BRZ...or is it just me.

 

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/03/06/2012-ferrari-f12-berlinetta-geneva-2012/

the BRZ is a shitty Scion how stupid is that? No turbo or AWD? IMO equals EPIC FAIL.

the BRZ is a shitty Scion how stupid is that? No turbo or AWD? IMO equals EPIC FAIL.

 

It is RWD which scions are not

It is RWD which scions are not

 

Which existing Scions are not.

 

It's looking to be a great car, just lighter on power than we would hope for.

the BRZ is a shitty Scion how stupid is that? No turbo or AWD? IMO equals EPIC FAIL.

 

He's just upset he can't justify purchase of one in Alaska...

I would like to know when the subaru design devision was outsourced to nissan. The styling of the BRZ fall almost directly into the design pattern of the 350Z.