SYDNEY: Subaru has teased performance car lovers with a turbocharged concept version of its BRZ coupe for the New York motor show. The BRZ Performance Concept borrows a 2.0-litre horizontally opposed turbo motor from Subaru’s GT300 race program in Japan, where it is restricted to around 225kW and 450Nm.
Those outputs are close to the 221kW and 407Nm produced by the brand’s current WRX STI performance hero.
But Subaru says the BRZ concept does not point to a production variant with forced induction.
Instead, the car serves as a North American showcase for Subaru’s STI accessories range, which is available in Japan as the comprehensively equipped BRZ STI or locally as packages fitted to models such as the more modest BRZ Special Edition.
Subaru STI president Yoshio Hirakawa says performance should go beyond outright power figures.
“At STI we know from our racing that to win, it is important not only to have high power, but also that all aspects of performance are balanced over the whole car,” he says.
“When we achieve this balance, the driver feels that the car is easy to handle and reliable, and he can use it fully to the limits of its performance. Our plan is to produce cars and accessories that drivers can really enjoy.”
