BRZ at Keene NH dealer

[DEC1]

I just got back from Keene's BRZ day. They did a real nice job it was low key but fun and we all had plenty of access to the car although in the showroom and no one was getting rides. As a depositor I got time to crawl all over it and a ton of time in the drivers seat. The car was a Galaxy Blue, Limited, Stick...and the blue is nice. I personally like it better than WRB...but I'm getting DGM...which I think is going to be killer...especially since the painted area on the wheels appear to be that same color.

My impressions:
It looks way better in person than in photos...if that's possible
The front black bumper is less pronounced than in photos but is still my least favorite feature...and it will be the subject of one of my first mods
The size seems just right to me...not small like a Miata but not large like G37 coupe...somewhere right in the middle.
It is low... and you sit low in the ****pit...but I love that. (no idea why c.o.c.k.pit is *'d out)
The trunk is bigger than I thought and it looks like my clubs will fit sideways without folding the seat...but didn't have them with me
The seats fit me perfect (5' 9" 155) and they are grippy with the alcantara...no sliding around in there!
With front seat set for me to fit there was like 1-2" of legroom in the rear...I just don't know how any adult would ever fit in there without having the front seats way up...
The clutch has a fairly short stroke and it's light...not like my previous G coupe...that clutch had a long throw and it was fairly heavy
The gauges look great...love the red backlight..although I do like the white background in the FRS.
The interior is spartan but seems high quality...the painted plastic piece in front of the passenger is a major design faux pas...it just does not belong and looks awkward as hell...don't know what they were thinking there. It simply has no purpose and makes the entire interior look cheaper...but not a show stopper...guarantee that will be changed when model update occurs.
The radio and interface is odd but functional...well within reach which is good since you don't have steering wheel controls..at least not in this pre-pro model.
I brought my I-Pod in and tested it...the interface is very well done and that's high praise as I have the best in my Infiniti right now.
The sound was great...good base...good surround and loads of control like 5 setting EQ...focus areas for sound (driver, pass, both or rear)
The bummer is that the usb plug is down to the right and the only place to put your I-Pod is in this little slot to the left of the USB. This would have been so much better in the glove box. Now I have to figure out how to route the wire from the dash to the gb...and not have it show much.
There is no center console to speak of...just the open cup holder area and no right hand armrest either...that's gonna be an issue for some I'm afraid...literally nowhere to rest your elbow as you mix the gears...hmmm
That whole center area is a bit cheesy...again sure to be dealt with during update...
Hate the Toyota/Subie cruise control stock down to the right of the wheel...that should totally be ON the wheel. Not a show stopper but could have been better.
The rear spoiler looks great to me...like it belongs...and "finishes" the car well IMHO
The double bubble roof is far more pronounced in person than in photos that I've seen.
Def gonna need clear bra on this baby...it is so low it's gonna just get blasted from the nose right up the hood
To move the seatbacks forward you have to reach down and pull a lever...there should have been a button at the top of the seat...then it would be a one hand motion to throw something (not someone ) in the back seat like a backpack or briefcase. The small handle strap on the front seat had become un-riveted...not a good sign...and no idea how you would fix that.
Don't like the wheels at all...they look small, do not fill the wheel wells and the tires look skinny...that will be mod 1...new wheels and some nice low profile grippy tires...hoping to do Forgestars...the stockers are going to be for snows...no question about it.
They should have painted the brake calipers...would give it a more aggressive sports car look...as aggressive as this car promises to be it's pretty laid back...although again though I do really like the body shape and the way they put things together.
The hood is ridiculously light...I put it up and down and simply can't believe how light it is...so cool
The LED frame in the headlights is so freaking cool...it is def one of the signatures of this car.
I guess that's about it...I will answer any question you guys may still have...just ask.
Need to download pics (I took like 20-30) and will post on this thread later...

[stateless]

Thanks for the review. Nice to hear about the stereo quality which I haven't seen mentioned yet and was very curious about.

[Sportsguy83]

Great review!

That is my pre-order; GB, limited, manual.

I really wanna see the pics! Thanks.

[DEC1]

here's a few to hold you over...have to go out... will post more tonight

[Sportsguy83]

Thanks a lot, I really love the color and under the sun looks amazing

[Monkey_Boy]

GBS! Very nice. Great to hear about the quality of the iPod integration. That is a positive for me.

[iLuveKetchup]

How was the shifter throw?

[poormans_LFA]

beeeautiful

[DEC1]

Originally Posted by iLuveKetchup

How was the shifter throw?

short and notchy...hard to tell sitting static but felt good

[bestwheelbase]

Great stuff. Thanks for sharing!

[aphonic]

Feeling better about choosing GBS with every picture I see of it in the wild. I also had a chance today to go check out a silver premium auto model at my dealer (Livermore Subaru, CA.) Some random thoughts:

Coming from someone who wasn't necessarily drawn by the looks of the car in the first place and always skeptical of rampant fanboy cognitive dissonance on the forums, I definitely agree with OP that the car just plain looks better in person. Love the lines, curves, and general aesthetic about it; it totally took me by surprise. And to echo all of the other reports, I'm 5'10/170ish and very much agree that the seats feel really great - not too snug, not too loose, and the distance from pedal to shifter to seatback felt completely natural once I got all the adjustments right. Loved the idle exhaust note as well - understated, but definitely lets you know it's there.

If you've got a pre-order in, you owe it to yourself to go check the car out in person if the chance arises. I went to my dealer today not without the idea of canceling my pre-order, and left wishing I could just throw my money at them and drive it home right then and there. July can't come soon enough!

[DEC1]

some more pics....

[korinfox]

I was also there and I'll add in some commentary on the driving position for short people.

I'm 5'4", 132 lbs, and the seats fit me perfectly as well. My legs are short, but I found that I still could move the seat even further forward from where I wanted it. If you're tall and need the seat further back, when you look over the left shoulder you'll probably just get a lot of B-pillar, but as short as I am, I can get a clear view out the window and out the back.

The car is absolutely great in person, and I think even if you like the nose of the FR-S more, the leather/alcantara interior is very nice and worth having.

The shifter throw was short and notchy/precise. Definitely not vague at all.

Here's a picture of the car outside:

[bryan]

These photos really show off the color. I was hesitant before, seeing the blue as too dark or too purple but now it actually looks like a decent blue.

I saw the FRS today of the same color at the IQ event. The color really does look better in person.