Subaru BRZ STI Spied Testing on Nurburgring!

[Captain Insano]

Nice numbers and agree with all you have said, including the probability of the 220 hp lighter version over the 250 hp version. But, that 250 hp version really gets you thinkin right? Look at the company it sits in up there at the top. I'd take that 220 hp version for sure though. I think as I posted earlier it would be quite a car already considering how great the chassis is on the regular BRZ.

[brewksy]

Originally Posted by Captain Insano

Nice numbers and agree with all you have said, including the probability of the 220 hp lighter version over the 250 hp version. But, that 250 hp version really gets you thinkin right? Look at the company it sits in up there at the top. I'd take that 220 hp version for sure though. I think as I posted earlier it would be quite a car already considering how great the chassis is on the regular BRZ.

Yeah, I think the underlying issue that the table shows isn't necessarily how companies price vehicles based on power/weight ratios, rather its a good metric for what companies can accomplish given a specific price point. If a company could develop a warranty-able(?) engine and chassis combination that beat the Porsche Cayman at a fraction of the cost... wouldn't they? There is a pretty good correlation in the table that suggests as power/weight ratios increase, so do the costs of development, testing, etc. The aftermarket will always beat the factory option because they don't need to as exhaustive testing as the manufacturer.

Sure - 250hp sounds awesome. But if you're smart you'll lay money down with AVO, Perrin, etc. Instead of waiting for the factory to compete. For me, I'm not a dedicated gearhead, so I'll end up paying for the more expensive factory option so my warranty is intact. I also do my oil changes at the dealership where I bought the car (stupid, I know, but it's the price of convenience) - and I'm precisely the demographic they're going to sell the BRZ STI to.

[blu_]

Originally Posted by OrbitalEllipses

Now this is worth looking into. The WRX/STI have never come with branded exhausts (HERE anyway)...but I'd imagine that the JDM WRX tS might have, since it was just a parts catalog car.

What do you mean branded exhaust? All the GD USDM STI's had STI stamped on the side of the exhaust tip and were different header back from the WRX and other imprezas. as well.

[OrbitalEllipses]

Originally Posted by blu_

What do you mean branded exhaust? All the GD USDM STI's had STI stamped on the side of the exhaust tip and were different header back from the WRX and other imprezas. as well.

The tS cars are parts catalog cars. They always come with something like the STI Genome exhaust (there's all of....maybe 10 state side?); while we don't have a Genome exhaust for this car, there IS an STI dual outlet axleback in the JDM parts catalog.

[jkonquer]

So far from the "looks" of it, it looks just like the regular brz with sti parts. However if they are testing the car in the track can only mean that the car has some major internal (possibly engine or suspension) difference. If not, why would they test the car in the track, it doesnt make sense. Obviously the sti parts were already tested since its in a production.

[R2RO]

Not digging the rear wing

[dunphyjp]

Originally Posted by Beyer Subaru

Agreed. The springs drop it 15mm. If it's anything else, maybe Bilsteins?

i'm gonna have to disagree... the car's extremely low as is, and i'd guess that they'd most likely do bigger wheels like 18s... and it was stated earlier in the thread that the side skirts and front lip are lower than standard so that could give the illusion of a lower car...

also this is one of those cars that you REALLY don't want to lower too much. with the way the rear suspension geometry is you'd actually deteriorate the handling if you lower it too much.

[switchlanez]

Originally Posted by dunphyjp

i'm gonna have to disagree... the car's extremely low as is, and i'd guess that they'd most likely do bigger wheels like 18s... and it was stated earlier in the thread that the side skirts and front lip are lower than standard so that could give the illusion of a lower car...

also this is one of those cars that you REALLY don't want to lower too much. with the way the rear suspension geometry is you'd actually deteriorate the handling if you lower it too much.

It's not an illusion. The drop - in plain sight - is clearly lower than 15mm. The 18" wheels have smaller sidewall tire profiles which maintain the same overall diameter as stock wheels/tires within 2%. This is coming from someone who scrutinizes his 15mm drop in comparison to the drop pictured in the STI concepts. The 1st BRZ pictured immediately below has been confirmed to be on STI-tuned Bilstein prototype dampers:



Unflattering shot of my car revealing monster truck ride height on 15mm drop STI pinks and 17" STI wheels maintaining the same overall wheel/tire diameter (within 2%) as the 18" STI wheels/tires:


BRZ Nurburgring test car on prototype suspension:


Chief engineer Tetsuya Tada has confirmed with me that the stock suspension geometry works ideally at a ride height of 20mm (+/-5mm) lower than stock. The STI prototype suspensions pictured above and below my car definitely look lower than 15mm; they're very likely 20-25mm lower than stock. They are track-tuning this BRZ's suspension and aero on the Nurburgring.

[Beyer Subaru]

[jimbobrand]

Agreed 100% with @switchlanez. They are track testing the new suspension (with the other STI catalog bits) and tuning the aero (notice the added risers for the spoiler).

[sillyboybmxer]

this makes me happy

[ICantAffordAnLFA]

I'd (almost) be willing to bet that STI enter a brz in next year's Nurburgring VLN 24hr race.

They have enjoyed some success with the wrx entry and it would be good to see a gt86 battle

[SVTSHC]

I like, but I dislike the wing still. Too Fast and furious looking for me =/, the movie pretty much killed those wings on street cars for me

[ZetaVI]

I'm quite interested.