Gran Turismo 6 | Subaru BRZ S 2012 | Tsukuba Circuit race

It was known from the onset that Toyota's much-anticipated sports car, the 86 (Scion FR-S in the U.S.) featured Subaru engineering. So it came as no surprise when Subaru released its own version of the car, called the BRZ, which hit dealerships in March of 2012. Subaru was careful not to offer too much of the car before its debut. While Toyota first announced its FT-86 concept back in 2009, Subaru offered the first glimpse of the BRZ two years later, at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Even then, it only revealed the chassis layout and the drivetrain; the body was transparent. A careful study of the model showed that Subaru went to great lengths to place the boxer engine, a Subaru specialty, as low to the ground as possible, thus resulting in a car with a super-low center of gravity, which would, in turn, result in a car with exceptional handling. The production prototype made its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show in November 2011. The BRZ possessed identical specifications to the Toyota 86, including the 197 HP flat-4 engine and 6-speed manual gearbox (an automatic transmission was also offered). Although the two cars looked virtually identical, there were subtle differences in the front grille and fog lights, as well as details of the interior. On the road, the two cars behaved, quite differently. It was obvious that the BRZ catered to a more mature buyer because it was better composed through corners and exhibited a smoother ride. The 86, on the other hand, was more tail-happy, allowing its driver to slide the car through turns. The BRZ came in a number of different trim levels: There's the competition based "RA," the standard "R" and the top-of-the-line "S" model that features a leather and Alcantara interior. The "R" models are biased toward performance while the "S" favors touring.

Added 23 Sept 2026