No mid-cycle refresh for 2016?

[blackhawkdown]

Originally Posted by xxBrun0xx

If you want a souped up Impreza, the Sti is a great car (I had an 08 hatch and loved it), but no matter what mods you do, it will never be a sports car. I think the fact that the BRZ is one of the most popular "next cars" for people over at iwsti says a lot.

Also, anyone know if the new sti chassy is as stiff as the brz's? Might be hard to tell due to different suspension setups, but I have a hunch it isn't. Would love to be wrong about this!

[airjonny]

Time will only tell. Pics of next years Miata just came out last week.

[anthros]

Originally Posted by marvey

MY2015 has new suspension. Notable upgrade.

But is it a notable upgrade? I keep hearing that it's just some slightly stiffer bolts which were a running change first implemented in cars built in October 2013.

I'm currently trying to decide between a 2014 that's on the lot and a 2015. I'd love to hear from anybody who knows what really changed in the 2015 suspension--that goes double if you've actually driven a 2015.

Anybody?


Thanks!

Jason

[abraxis]

Originally Posted by anthros

But is it a notable upgrade? I keep hearing that it's just some slightly stiffer bolts which were a running change first implemented in cars built in October 2013.

No, the valving was redone and shock travel increased in the rear.

Where did you hear the bolts were introduced in Oct 2013?

[Rampage]

Originally Posted by anthros

But is it a notable upgrade? I keep hearing that it's just some slightly stiffer bolts which were a running change first implemented in cars built in October 2013.

I'm currently trying to decide between a 2014 that's on the lot and a 2015. I'd love to hear from anybody who knows what really changed in the 2015 suspension--that goes double if you've actually driven a 2015.

Anybody?


Thanks!

Jason

See these two articles mentioned in this post from another thread. Hopefully, it helps you make up your mind.

Originally Posted by Sport-Tech

Both Autoguide and Autoweek have just posted reviews of the 2015 FR-S - some journos were invited out to the Streets of Willow for a run. They were allowed to drive the '14 and '15 back to back to clarify the changes made to the handling, which they report being quite noticeable. It looks like the '15 has been tuned to be closer to the BRZ setup, giving less mid-corner oversteer and more overall neutrality, with initial understeer being more evident.

[anthros]

This is the first place I saw that info about the bolts:

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...&postcount=167

[anthros]

Thanks, Rampage. But those articles don't say much about how the Subaru suspension has changed. If the BRZ and the FR-S now have identical suspension tuning, though, those articles get more interesting. Either way, thanks for the links!

[zigzagz94]

Originally Posted by Sport-Tech

I'm increasingly pessimistic that there will be a 2016 MY mid-cycle BRZ/GT86/FR-S refresh with either new front/rear fascias, significant suspension upgrades, or (most disappointingly) any engine power bump.

*Disclaimer total speculation on my part *

Subaru surprised everyone by sticking with the old 2.5l in the new STi when they could've just used the FA20 DIT like they did with the WRX. This suggests that they're working on a 2.5l FA25 DIT but it wasn't ready yet.

I can't see the STI continuing with the old engine for another year given the press universally gushing over the WRX with the new engine and questioning the need to upgrade to the STi with the old engine.

Subaru has a history of announcing STi related upgrades at the New York Auto show and that's probably when we'll hear about the FA25. For economies of scale it makes sense that a NA FA25 will find its way under the hood of the twins.

The question is when? Given the current scenario with the WRX/STi , I could see them showing a performance BRZ at the Tokyo show next year as a swansong for the first generation using the new FA25 and the regular models soldiering on with the FA20 until the second generation when all models would get the FA25.

[ichitaka05]

This thread is way too funny lol

[marvey]

Originally Posted by anthros

But is it a notable upgrade? I keep hearing that it's just some slightly stiffer bolts which were a running change first implemented in cars built in October 2013.

I'm currently trying to decide between a 2014 that's on the lot and a 2015. I'd love to hear from anybody who knows what really changed in the 2015 suspension--that goes double if you've actually driven a 2015.

Anybody?


Thanks!

Jason

Yes. Suspension characteristics are different. Better rebound and settling characteristics from quick lane change type maneuvers. Slightly better turn in. More willing to rotate. With a little gas around a corner, 2014 BRZ was neutral. 2015 BRZ with a little gas gives me a tiny bit of oversteer. Biggest difference is less body roll. Crappy tires slip less because of better contact patches to the road.

Bottom line is that with the 2014, I would have gone with an aftermarket suspension by now. 2015 makes me think otherwise. With the 2015 car as it is, it's really dialed in for the street and occasional track. I'll probably stick with 2015 stock suspension until the shocks wear out a bit more or I remove enough weight to increase the fender to wheel gap an additional 1/4".

I've driven both 2014 and 2015 BRZ near and past limits. I can't say anything about 2014 FR-S as I've only sat in one, but never driven it.

[marvey]

Just to follow up, some comments on the steering feel and comparison to 2014 FR-S.

First off the steering. This is something I had forgotten about with the 2014 as I took the steering improvements on the 2015 for granted. One of the things that really turned me off about the car was the numb and somewhat disconnected feel of the steering when I first drove the 2014 BRZ. I know making such a statement will rile up some people here, but it's really a matter of perspective and relative comparison. I preferred the steering feel of the Honda CRX, the BMW E46, the Evo, etc. Heck I think even preferred the Toyota electric steering of the Lexus CT Wagon over the 2014.

The 2014 steering compared to the 2015 is numb and has a larger area of squishiness where wiggling the wheel doesn't do anything. The 2015 also has a weightier feel. The topic of adding the Perrin thingamajigs which lock down the steering rack came up from a buddy of mine who owns a 2014 FR-S. I was like whoa - that would be too much - I'm done with my Evo days where I could feel it when I ran over a dime on the road.

Thankfully, my friend realized that there could have been some significant changes to the 2015 steering, so he asked me to drive his 2014 FR-S, just to make sure. This definitely confirmed the differences. My friend also has an MRS, so he certainly appreciates good immediate steering feel. Personally, I'd be doing the same thing as him (installing the Perrin steering rack lockdown) if I had the 2014. However, the 2015 does not need it - micro millimeter adjustments to the wheel translate directly and precisely on the road. This is a really awesome feeling. Yes, there's that much of a difference. This keeping in mind that both of us have the Hotchkis strut tower bar; and we've gotten rid of the spare tire and tools. The only other differences were that my friend has the TRD door stabilizers and I have a lightweight battery (these little things do add up and matter - if you think they are placebo, just stop reading).

Now I have no idea if the 2015 BRZ and FR-S have the same suspension - it seems from what others have said that they do. Regardless, the 2014 FR-S suspension is not nearly as good at the 2015. The 2014 FR-S tends to have oversteery behavior, that while fun, tends to get old after a while. It's overwillingness to rotate is in fact slightly annoying and actually worrying (having driven Fox platform Mustangs in the past, I'm still to this day very cautious toward oversteer.)

The overall suspension of the 2014 FR-S is softer. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but the main issue was the the front was significantly softer than the back. This was very obvious going over speed bumps or slight imperfections in the road. This imbalance had a tendency of creating certain oscillations with some rough roads down where I live. Kind of like an effect of having my teeth mash together at a certain frequency. The other side effect was that transitions tended to more disjointed. Smoother more disciplined driving was necessary for the 2014. The 2015 BRZ, I could just "toss" around with more confidence (the 2015 was also much easier to steer with the throttle - more responsive). It comes down to driving style of course.