Subaru BRZ rear wheel drive - WHY? - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Hawk77FT · 11-21-2012, 08:32 PM

I did a bit of research on line and found this on Subaru website...which in my books is absolute BS especially:

"Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive is not just about driving all four wheels! Of far more significance and importance is the low height Boxer engine, transmission and drive line all being symmetrically positioned on the vehicle centre line. Well balanced weight distribution with the heaviest components, namely the power unit and transmission, positioned low in the body for a low centre of gravity is one of the most significant design enhancements that can be made to improve vehicle handling and stability.
The Subaru BRZ has all of these important attributes in spades. In fact it was to further improve weight distribution and obtain an even lower centre of gravity that the engineers decided to sacrifice the advantages of All-Wheel Drive."
LInk to the full article: http://subaru.com.au/brz/key-feature...ar-wheel-drive

We all know that Subaru rejected this project at the begining, it is even documented on Wikipedia and also mentioned by Tada San and Sasaki San in thei live interview:

Originally, Subaru had rejected the plans of a rear wheel drive sports coupe, due to the rear wheel drive set up, and did not want to be part of the project, predominantly selling all wheel drive vehicles. However, Subaru did plan to provide the engine. Eventually the project came to a 6 month halt and was suspended before being revived again. Toyota eventually invited journalist and Subaru engineers to a vehicle test of its first 2008 prototype to show what it was capable of, which is believed to be one reason that Subaru changed their minds, being impressed with what they saw. This prototype led to the development of the FT-86 which was revealed in 2009.

HMMMM!

#87 · 11-21-2012, 08:41 PM

What you posted clearly explains what happened.

They saw how good the car was without AWD.

So what is your point, a troll? This has been discussed to death before the car even came out...

Burrcold · 11-21-2012, 08:52 PM

I wouldn't have bought it if it was AWD. I wanted a RWD sports car, plain and simple. If I wanted AWD, I would have bought a WRX or STi.

But yes, this topic has been BEATEN TO DEATH!

ZZT86 · 11-21-2012, 08:52 PM

Less fun in an AWD car unless it's got WRC like horsepower to do 4WD donuts & burnouts.

Still love the AWD idea though, especially when it rains !

MSIZZLE · 11-21-2012, 09:02 PM

i have 0 interest in awd, i know it has some advantages but i prefer a car thats more fun to drive, if i was looking to break records i would want dct and awd like a gtr

Nardi330 · 11-21-2012, 09:22 PM

don't want AWD due to the extra weight and complexity.

and RWD is more fun (for me)!!

AWD with a FA20 will be too slow and miss the point completely. and if they put a turbo in then they have created the new WRX/STI.

RaceR · 11-21-2012, 09:34 PM

Highly doubt I would have considered the car if it was AWD.

Hawk77FT · 11-21-2012, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by #87

What you posted clearly explains what happened.

They saw how good the car was without AWD.

So what is your point, a troll? This has been discussed to death before the car even came out...

No offence buddy, but if you would've read the whole article you would've gotten the point. But, so I save you the effort of doing so, I will put it in a nice, easy to understand sentece for you: Subaru made it sound like their engineers came up with the RWD concept instead of simply mentioning something alog the lines of "due to colaboration with Toyota which was the brain behind the 86 concept, we (Subaru) had to agree that this car will benefit more from a sales point of view as well as driving experience to have RWD". There!

Hawk77FT · 11-21-2012, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by #87

They saw how good the car was without AWD.

And let me guess: Subaru engineers didnt know how fun a RWD car is and Toyota had to step in to show them? I mean there are several tuners out there offering kits to convert Subaru and Mitsi from AWD to RWD.

t0dd · 11-21-2012, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawk77FT

No offence buddy, but if you would've read the whole article you would've gotten the point. But, so I save you the effort of doing so, I will put it in a nice, easy to understand sentece for you: Subaru made it sound like their engineers came up with the RWD concept instead of simply mentioning something alog the lines of "due to colaboration with Toyota which was the brain behind the 86 concept, we (Subaru) had to agree that this car will benefit more from a sales point of view as well as driving experience to have RWD". There!

Marketing 101.

/thread

omgwtfbbqsauce · 11-21-2012, 10:16 PM

Pointless thread

White Shadow · 11-21-2012, 10:32 PM

Slap a turbo and AWD on to a BRZ and the car would be absolute perfection. Basically, it would be a WRX without the ugly styling!

BTW, there's PLENTY of fun to be had with a good handling AWD car.

Nardi330 · 11-21-2012, 10:36 PM

sorry, slap AWD on the BRZ and it will become a WRX/STI because the AWD drive train won't fit the BRZ chassis. so engine has to raise/move forward and body style will change accordingly.

slapping a turbo on the BRZ on the other hand is a great idea.......

Hawk77FT · 11-21-2012, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nardi330

sorry, slap AWD on the BRZ and it will become a WRX/STI because the AWD drive train won't fit the BRZ chassis. so engine has to raise/move forward and body style will change accordingly.

slapping a turbo on the BRZ on the other hand is a great idea.......

The FT-86 concept was riding on a modified Subaru Impreza platform.

11-21-2012, 08:32 PM	#1
Hawk77FT Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: GTS 86 Location: Australia Posts: 989 Thanks: 873 Thanked 475 Times in 272 Posts Mentioned: 12 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	Subaru BRZ rear wheel drive - WHY? I did a bit of research on line and found this on Subaru website...which in my books is absolute BS especially: "Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive is not just about driving all four wheels! Of far more significance and importance is the low height Boxer engine, transmission and drive line all being symmetrically positioned on the vehicle centre line. Well balanced weight distribution with the heaviest components, namely the power unit and transmission, positioned low in the body for a low centre of gravity is one of the most significant design enhancements that can be made to improve vehicle handling and stability. The Subaru BRZ has all of these important attributes in spades. In fact it was to further improve weight distribution and obtain an even lower centre of gravity that *the engineers decided to sacrifice the advantages* of All-Wheel Drive." LInk to the full article: http://subaru.com.au/brz/key-feature...ar-wheel-drive We all know that Subaru rejected this project at the begining, it is even documented on Wikipedia and also mentioned by Tada San and Sasaki San in thei live interview: Originally, Subaru had rejected the plans of a rear wheel drive sports coupe, due to the rear wheel drive set up, and did not want to be part of the project, predominantly selling all wheel drive vehicles. However, Subaru did plan to provide the engine. Eventually the project came to a 6 month halt and was suspended before being revived again. Toyota eventually invited journalist and Subaru engineers to a vehicle test of its first 2008 prototype to show what it was capable of, which is believed to be one reason that Subaru changed their minds, being impressed with what they saw. This prototype led to the development of the FT-86 which was revealed in 2009. HMMMM!

11-21-2012, 08:52 PM	#3
Burrcold Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Drives: Subaru BRZ Limited Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 2,624 Thanks: 763 Thanked 1,586 Times in 776 Posts Mentioned: 10 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I wouldn't have bought it if it was AWD. I wanted a RWD sports car, plain and simple. If I wanted AWD, I would have bought a WRX or STi. But yes, this topic has been BEATEN TO DEATH! __________________

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11-21-2012, 08:41 PM	#2
#87 I usually post drunk Join Date: Oct 2009 Drives: BRZ Location: NY Posts: 1,487 Thanks: 15 Thanked 490 Times in 231 Posts Mentioned: 1 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	What you posted clearly explains what happened. They saw how good the car was without AWD. So what is your point, a troll? This has been discussed to death before the car even came out...

11-21-2012, 08:52 PM	#4
ZZT86 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: BR86 Location: Location Posts: 841 Thanks: 310 Thanked 146 Times in 114 Posts Mentioned: 5 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Less fun in an AWD car unless it's got WRC like horsepower to do 4WD donuts & burnouts. Still love the AWD idea though, especially when it rains !

11-21-2012, 09:02 PM	#5
MSIZZLE Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: lexus es 350 Location: longisland Posts: 26 Thanks: 12 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	i have 0 interest in awd, i know it has some advantages but i prefer a car thats more fun to drive, if i was looking to break records i would want dct and awd like a gtr

11-21-2012, 09:22 PM	#6
Nardi330 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Drives: 86 Location: Brisbane Australia Posts: 2,168 Thanks: 287 Thanked 374 Times in 264 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	don't want AWD due to the extra weight and complexity. and RWD is more fun (for me)!! AWD with a FA20 will be too slow and miss the point completely. and if they put a turbo in then they have created the new WRX/STI.

11-21-2012, 09:34 PM	#7
RaceR Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Drives: 2010 Cooper S, 74 Beetle Location: Norway Posts: 726 Thanks: 239 Thanked 252 Times in 124 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Highly doubt I would have considered the car if it was AWD.

11-21-2012, 10:16 PM	#11
omgwtfbbqsauce Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: BRZ Location: Sydney Posts: 153 Thanks: 0 Thanked 56 Times in 30 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Pointless thread

11-21-2012, 10:32 PM	#12
White Shadow Banned Join Date: Oct 2012 Drives: 12,000 miles per year Location: Gotham City Posts: 398 Thanks: 11 Thanked 113 Times in 64 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Slap a turbo and AWD on to a BRZ and the car would be absolute perfection. Basically, it would be a WRX without the ugly styling! BTW, there's PLENTY of fun to be had with a good handling AWD car.

11-21-2012, 10:36 PM	#13
Nardi330 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Drives: 86 Location: Brisbane Australia Posts: 2,168 Thanks: 287 Thanked 374 Times in 264 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	sorry, slap AWD on the BRZ and it will become a WRX/STI because the AWD drive train won't fit the BRZ chassis. so engine has to raise/move forward and body style will change accordingly. slapping a turbo on the BRZ on the other hand is a great idea.......

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