Quote:
Originally Posted by WolfpackS2k
I flog mine daily and there's no grin on my face when the tach sweeps from 5-7400. Maybe I'm too used to the "kick" of VTEC from my S2000 but I don't feel like there's much going on under the hood. It feels "flat".
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This is one of my main worries and posted a similar complaint in another thread.
The sound and rush of a high redline are just extra intangibles that are missing from the engine of the FR-S.
This was also my complaint about the K20A3 engine in the Civic SI. Which has an eerily similar powerband. That was a good engine too, in fact it was great. It was reliable, decent on gas (regular gas too), just not memorable. If it had a K20A2 I might not have given that car up.
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On the other hand, the sound of my WRX is awesome and really adds character to an otherwise bland car. The power band isn't my style, but the burble it makes at low RPM, the small backfires, and the sound when you wring it out...sounds really, really good. All of this with the stock exhaust and no sound tube.
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The irony is that the FR-S is a subjectively great, fun car with a objectively good engine. The FR-S, by virtue of the intangibles (shifter, seating position, handling) stirs the soul, but the engine doesn't. I would argue that the engine doesn't
detract from the experience, but it doesn't really add anything
intangible either. The engine doesn't stir the soul like the rest of the car does, IMO, and it really should.