Toyobaru Have Room for Nice Perf Packages?
 

I feel like BRZII/GR86 are in a land of their own. What else is there that is RWD, light and handling focused? I'm looking at this as someone without kids, but also wants to throw his backpack or "groceries" (liquor store) in the back seat instead of walking around and dealing with a trunk.

Miata? - Different- Sit higher, no back seat/storage. Pushes $38 anyway in the retractable hard top. Personally, in Pittsburgh, I am thoroughly anti-convertible. I want a dedicated coupe.

Supra? - They're around $55k right? And BMW motor so see below.

BMW M2? - Not the same as far as reliability. But ignoring that if you buy new and have warranty so don't care, they're still around $60k I believe.

All the other "competition" is FWD or AWD, so GTFO.

Seems Toyobaru could offer a sweet $6k performance package like:
-Light forged wheels
- Cool brakes (hopefully light, and also good)
- Nice exhaust
- Suspension package
- Baffled oil pan? Or other useful cooling items?
- Probably a couple other lame things like seat stitching or something

Main point is, they seem to have $6-$7k of freedom to offer a sweet, high-end performance package and still come in way lower than Cayman, Supra, M2, etc. To me, Mustangs and Camaros with performance packages are kinda different market. Anyway, the Camaro 1LE is around $50k, not $40k.

As Japanese supplier performance packages go, $6-$7k could go pretty far.

Anyway, just a thought that popped into my head now. Feeling like Toyobaru could make a high-end serious performance package if they want and still not compete against other cars very much. Like a BRZ STi.

Have you seen 2018 BRZ tS? :)

But personally I'd prefer they offer a ~$1k Brembo package (no Sachs),
and use the remaining $5–6k to pick aftermarket wheels-suspension-exhaust myself.

Trust me they know this and are very very likely doing a BRZ STi in the next couple of years here.

The problem is that when the BRZ gets into the mid-high $30s, the competition starts to look more attractive. I don't keep my cars long enough to worry about reliability ... they have a warranty and if the car is a nightmare, i'll lose some money and sell it.

BRZ: $30k - bargain - RWD, M/T

GTI: Starts at $30k, FWD :( ... poor resale

M2: Vaporware right now, they're out of production until 2023 model year, reliability of the S58 has been okay so far, the Supra uses the similar B58 and no horror stories yet (get an extended warranty if you plan on keeping it)

Supra: Looks cool, $55k. See below

M240ix: Best reason not to buy a Supra. AWD, Coupe, back seats, trunk, $52-55k MSRP very nicely equipped. x

Nissan Z: $40k, performance version that we'll want will be $45k-50k

Golf R: $45k, they're smoking crack for $45k, drop a bit more coin and get the M240ix

WRX/STI: Also relative bargain for the price.

Subaru could add a perf package for a couple k, but can't get too close to Nissan Z pricing with 400HP. I suspect they'll do it in a couple years to reinvigorate interest. Also, once this chip shortage ends, you'll be back to being able to buy a Mustang GT for $35-37k.

M2 has a S55. Those slip crank hubs :D.

cost cutting is just a part of the car business.

i had cross-shopped the focus st/rs for a little while when i first started looking in '14. my overall limit was about $50k, so either vehicle fit the bill with plenty of room to spare.

i just couldn't get past all of the cost-cutting measures taken in the rs/st. they're tarted up economy cars. the E-LSD function, and poor rwd adaptation on the RS is most infuriating to me, though the interior just feels like added stickers on a barbie car. even if they had gone with a proper mechanical LSD, the price would've jumped only $1-2k. on a car that already batted above it's price range. i wouldn't have batted an eye at an extra $2k for solving the problem mechanically instead of yet more software.

but they didn't, and toyota/subaru didn't. so here we are.

I'm not convinced that price is what is keeping 86/BRZ owners from cross-shopping AWD cars (M240ix, Golf R, WRX/STI).

Every conversation about WRX/STI and BRZ I've had at a Subaru dealer indicates that one is a vastly lower volume car than the other. If people were seriously cross shopping (e.g., last-gen when the base models were within $1000 of each other)I wouldn't expect that kind of a gap.

People who wish they still made the 240 (sx) new from the factory get the BRZ. Those who get one for another reason probably won't keep it for long...

I do indeed wish this, sadly Nissan said goodbye a long time ago, they just haven't accepted yet that they are dead......