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Subaru BRZ Fastest Car Off Dealer Lots in May

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Via NY Times:

Quote:

Buoyed by positive press and tight supplies, the rear-wheel-drive Subaru BRZ spent the least time in American showrooms than any car in May, according to Edmunds.

The service tracked the days to turn, commonly known as churn rate, for the coupe in May, its first month of sales. Demand for the 271 units sold by dealers translated to a churn rate of four days, Edmunds said. The Scion FR-S, which was co-developed with the BRZ, experienced a five-day churn.

With so much competition for so few BRZs — initial interest from customers in Japan was four times higher than the automaker’s projections — how could Subaru so severely underestimate demand for the coupe?

One conclusion seems to be a lack of certainty by Fuji Heavy Industries, Subaru’s parent, that a brand built around all-wheel-drive capability could readily stretch to accommodate a lightweight, rear-drive sports car.

“The BRZ being rear-wheel drive, we made a conservative production request,” Michael McHale, a spokesman for Subaru of America, said in a telephone interview. “We pegged our allotment roughly to sales of the WRX,” he said, referencing the brand’s rally-oriented all-wheel-drive sports car.

That conservative approach has led to gripes from every market where the BRZ would be sold. “There are only so many that can be built in the year, and if you want more, you have to take from another market,” Mr. McHale added. “And nobody wants to give up their allocation.”

Contrary to most Japanese automakers, who have been shipping production overseas to preserve their profit margins in the face of a strong yen, Fuji Heavy Industries intends to increase domestic production in the fiscal year ending in March 2013. Subaru has not announced its 2013 production targets for the BRZ, but American dealerships are expected to receive 6,000 units by the end of 2012.

- http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012...t-off-the-lot/

And think of all the people that said the BRZ would never sell because it wan't turbo or AWD. LOL!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draco-REX (Post 266593)

And think of all the people that said the BRZ would never sell because it wan't turbo or AWD. LOL!

+1

They can all suck some lemons. :paddle:

hahaha! That terrible, horrible nasioc thread comes to mind :)

Yeah that whole Subaru WRX fanbois --> BRZ hatered thing is basically just people either incapable of seeing past what they personally get a kick out of, or insecurity IMO.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Draco-REX (Post 266593)

And think of all the people that said the BRZ would never sell because it wan't turbo or AWD. LOL!

^^:word:^^

anybody else find it odd that the Scion took 5 days in May but wasn't on sale officially until June?

Yeah... although I know that there were a few dozen legit sales in May on top of the First 86 program.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5hairpins (Post 266606)

anybody else find it odd that the Scion took 5 days in May but wasn't on sale officially until June?

Some dealerships got their cars early, and there were the First86 as well.

All the turbo and AWD talk reminds me of reading "Night Imports" photo comments whenever the site admin puts one up.

The sales figures and demand shows the up. :)

Still annoying to read though. :D

went to my first car show at a toyota dealership this past saturday and I couldn't believe what i was hearing from the sales guys at that dealership..

Sales guy "excuse me! did you change your front bumper?"

Me "no why?"

Sales guy "Oh cause we sell the FRS and i thought that the FRS was the same as the BRZ, so i thought that was an aftermarket bumper"

Me " ohhh no no the BRZ is alittle different from the FRS"

Sales guy "I'm sorry but your BRZ looks like it WANTS TO BE A FRS!"

Me "hmmmm OKAY THANKS!"

Also heard from there sales manager that walked by my BRZ say "no wonder you dont see that many of them.....they look ugly!"

After hearing that....I was just thinking in my head! yeah there might not be a lot of there but there's a reason! the BRZ beats the FRS with looks, interior and MOTORTRED Magazine :D haha

Quote:

Originally Posted by 86design (Post 266746)

After hearing that....I was just thinking in my head! yeah there might not be a lot of there but there's a reason! the BRZ beats the FRS with looks, interior and MOTORTRED Magazine :D haha

I personally like the FR-S better than the BRZ, but by no means would I say the BRZ is an ugly car... They look too similar that the small differences are hardly noticeable. Heck, if it weren't for the grill insert on the BRZ I would barely be able to tell a difference. Sounds to me like the salesmen were just being jackasses.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MattIsBuffalo (Post 266822)

Yeah the FR-S still have the better looking front bumper for the ugly headlights kill it vs the BRZ.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 86design (Post 266746)

Sales guy "I'm sorry but your BRZ looks like it WANTS TO BE A FRS!"

You should have said "I'm sorry but your FR-S looks like it wants to be a Toyota. At least my BRZ made it to North America without being rebranded as something nobody wants!"