Subaru unveils much awaited BRZ

MANILA, Philippines - It looks like Christmas came early this year for many a car enthusiast, although this good omen was signaled not by the great North Star, but apparently by a cluster of six stars visible to the naked eye: Westerners call it Pleiades; the Japanese call it Subaru.

Yes, that’s right—the wait is finally over! The highly anticipated Subaru BRZ is now here in the Philippines, and was unveiled at a hip launch party held by Motor Image Pilipinas (MIP), the exclusive distributor of Subaru in the Philippines last Wednesday for media, owners and enthusiasts.

“There has been mounting anticipation for the BRZ since it received outstanding reviews at the Los Angeles Auto Show and Tokyo Motor Show late last year,” remarked a very excited Glenn Tan, Executive Director of Tan Chong International Limited. He further explained that, “with a low center of gravity, a sleek and sexy look and a newly developed engine, the BRZ will deliver a driving experience that will surpass all expectations.”

MIP also proudly announced that same night its 59-percent sales growth from last year—signifying there is certainly a lot for Subaru to celebrate in these times, and that there is more excitement up ahead!

The BRZ acronym actually stands for Boxer engine, rear-wheel drive, Zenith. Practically the twin of the Toyota 86, both cars were developed as a joint project between Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI, the mother company of Subaru) and Toyota Motor Corporation (which conveniently is a shareholder of FHI). Both cars sport exactly the same engine—the first of its kind to combine Toyota’s direct and port fuel injection technology (D-4S) with Subaru’s new-generation FA engine, making full use of the design concept of its horizontally-opposed Boxer engine. The result? Superior car responsiveness and fuel efficiency.

At the core of the BRZ is its concept of “pure handling delight.” Like the 86, the BRZ is rear-wheel-drive (albeit being only the second rear-wheel-drive car Subaru has ever built since 1954!) The BRZ may be defined by the following five characteristics: 1. Power—2.0-liter engine mated to a 6-speed MT or AT with 200 hp at 7,000 rpm and 205 Nm of torque from 6,400-6,600 rpm; 2. The lowest possible center of gravity—below your knees! Achieved by integrating every single element of the car, towards it, from the exterior design to the seat positioning, etc.; 3. Lightweight and highly rigid body. Achieved by using high-tensile steel; 4. Advanced in-car electronic system for vehicle stability control, which monitors braking, steering and cornering; and 5. An elegant design with excellent aerodynamic performance, sporting a very streamlined body that optimizes airflow.

Like its twin brother, the BRZ makes use of keyless access with push-button start, dual-zone automatic air-conditioning and paddle shifters. The gauges however, are lit in red; the seats are in luxurious Alcantara leather; and the interior generally adapts a satin-like plastic paneling theme, as opposed to the 86’s carbon-fiber design. All units will be manufactured at Subaru’s main plant in Ota-City, Gunma Prefecture, Japan.

Now, a major peculiarity of the BRZ in the Philippines is that both manual and automatic variants will be sold at the same price of P1,928,000. “It’s really only here that we’re pulling off this single-pricing strategy,” revealed Motor Image Pilipinas General Manager, Mike Luyun. This business approach was taken under the assumption that there will be a higher demand for the manual transmission variant among enthusiasts, and hence it would be nice to add a little incentive for those opting for the automatic. (In other countries, Motor Image has put a higher price tag on the manual BRZ.)

Both the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 are available in seven body colors, six of which, they share in common, namely: white, silver, black, gray, red and blue. Subaru’s signature ‘World Rally Blue’ will be exclusive to the BRZ (and the orange metallic exclusive to the 86).