Nurburgring Video of Subaru BRZ Coupe / Subaru FR-S / Toyota FT-86 Shows off Handling

[Laika]

If it's worth anything....

Tetsuya Tada is on his way back to the nurburgring for more testing this weekend and apparently they have gotten done some (or maybe finished) testing on road courses.

[Levi]

Nice, good luck there. If you see the camoed FT-86/RS 2000 stripp off the camo show what it looks like in and out. LOL /JK

[Maxim]

Originally Posted by Spaceywilly

I'm not an expert but... is it understeering?

Yes. There is no counter steering going on and the tail is staying firmly planted the entire time. Also as previously stated, you can see it go wide in a couple of the corners.

That's actually an alarming amount of tire noise. Looks like tires/rims will have to be the first mod for anybody who wants to do any serious driving in this...either that or they've got the suspension specifically tuned to slowly go into understeer as the limit approaches, to avoid owners killing themselves when they hit a spot of gravel on an offramp.

I would be massively disappointed if the car were tuned that way. The best stock-turned vehicle I've driven was the RX-8, which would oversteer or understeer based on what you were doing, but to a balanced level that was easily predicted.

Also possible: There is VERY little roll happening during cornering in these videos. The car may have an extremely stiff front anti-roll bar. That can cause understeer. Perhaps they're just continuing to work on suspension set-up.

[WingsofWar]

Originally Posted by Maxim

I would be massively disappointed if the car were tuned that way. The best stock-turned vehicle I've driven was the RX-8, which would oversteer or understeer based on what you were doing, but to a balanced level that was easily predicted.

Holy shit balls i would be disappointed too. I think the rx-8 also handled the best among the most recent cars. the steering feel was fluid, more like point and shoot, and with the RX-8 powerband it was smooth through corners. The RX-8 also handled similar to the evo9 (well to me anyway)..but the powerband was different so throttling was a bit more fickle.

[Sabastian]

Originally Posted by Maxim

Perhaps they're just continuing to work on suspension set-up.

I hope so. If they build us an affordable RWD car that drives like a FWD car, what's the point?

[Spaceywilly]

Originally Posted by Maxim

Yes. There is no counter steering going on and the tail is staying firmly planted the entire time. Also as previously stated, you can see it go wide in a couple of the corners.

That's actually an alarming amount of tire noise. Looks like tires/rims will have to be the first mod for anybody who wants to do any serious driving in this...either that or they've got the suspension specifically tuned to slowly go into understeer as the limit approaches, to avoid owners killing themselves when they hit a spot of gravel on an offramp.

I would be massively disappointed if the car were tuned that way. The best stock-turned vehicle I've driven was the RX-8, which would oversteer or understeer based on what you were doing, but to a balanced level that was easily predicted.

Also possible: There is VERY little roll happening during cornering in these videos. The car may have an extremely stiff front anti-roll bar. That can cause understeer. Perhaps they're just continuing to work on suspension set-up.

I was thinking it could just be that they were running on bald tires. I didn't see any tread on them at the end of the video. Tires are a cheap upgrade though, and if it is as stiff as it looks in the video it should have tons of grip on sticky tires. Almost no body roll.

[Dragawn]

I dont worry about that understeer, most cars come out of the factory slightly understeered, so unexperienced drivers dont go spin out and crash, blaming the car. Though that positive camber can be a problem, but bare in mind it's just a prototype, they might fix it before it goes into production.

As for the Cayman as benchmark, hmm, I'd rather see them take another car as benchmark: the Renault Clio RS

YES, it's a Renault.
YES, it's FF.

But it's the best hot hatch in europe, the favoured track day weapon by choise, and just look at the specs of it.
a N/A engine that produces 201 BHP. and a weight of 2730 lbs.
So it weighs more than the Toyabaru probably will be, but has one of the best chassis' around.


Whatever happens, the FT-86 will have to face it...epic FR vs FF fights coming up.

[AaronCompNetSys]

Comparing it to the Clio would mean they are comparing the speed of the cars. Street cars are not about how fast they are on track, they are about the feel and fun. The Clio is in a completely different category. I'm not sure I know of a closer competitor than the Cayman, in its price range nothing else will have as low a center of gravity and engine as far back.

I just got back from the Dragon, I want to see the FT-86 there and not on the Nurbergring.

[PAImportTuner]

Originally Posted by Dragawn

I dont worry about that understeer, most cars come out of the factory slightly understeered, so unexperienced drivers dont go spin out and crash, blaming the car. Though that positive camber can be a problem, but bare in mind it's just a prototype, they might fix it before it goes into production.

As for the Cayman as benchmark, hmm, I'd rather see them take another car as benchmark: the Renault Clio RS

YES, it's a Renault.
YES, it's FF.

But it's the best hot hatch in europe, the favoured track day weapon by choise, and just look at the specs of it.
a N/A engine that produces 201 BHP. and a weight of 2730 lbs.
So it weighs more than the Toyabaru probably will be, but has one of the best chassis' around.


Whatever happens, the FT-86 will have to face it...epic FR vs FF fights coming up.

I thought the best hot-hatch in euro was the Focus RS? Or Mini S R56?

[dookie11]

Not sure if this has already been answered, but does anyone know if the wheels in the video are 17 or 18" ?(or 16"?)

Thank you!

[VenomRush]

i think most people were guessing 17

[Traum]

Originally Posted by dookie11

Not sure if this has already been answered, but does anyone know if the wheels in the video are 17 or 18" ?(or 16"?)

Thank you!

In the latest updates, the Subaru concept is wearing 215/45/17, while the Toyota concept is wearing 215/40/18. Those are pretty much identical sizes.

[Harinjo]

toyota wears 215/40/18 on front and 225/40/18 rear
subaru 215/45/17 all around - would be better and i like the 17" wheels fron brz

[Levi]

The FT-86 WILL be compared to the Clio RS Cup. When I looks for a cheap sportscar, I went to look the Renault. Then did not buy it because it was FWD and decided to wait for something else. The Mini Cooper S does not handle better than the Clio RS, eventhough it has a nice go-kart feeling. The Fous RS is beaten by the Megane RS, fastest FWD on the N-Ring. The TOYOBARU bette go from 0-100 km/h in about 6 sec.