[regal]

No one knows the real reason Toyota (not Subaru) made this public announcement that sales are off target. But where there is smoke there is fire. I strongly disagree with comparing our cars with a Miata. The only thing they have in common is they are both good at autocross and that counts for a small fraction of sales.


My speculation is the turbo gen coupe is killing both the GT86/BRZ/FRS is sales and profit.


The problem with the GT-86 platform is it is a one off. It was built from scratch ground up new chassis. This takes a tremendous amount of sales momentum to pay back the capital investment. This all has to be paid back before the platform is in the "green" and true improvements can be made. I hope they pull things off and give an engine without the flat torque dip. But the odds of sales increasing with the FA20 are slim as buying the car is no longer making the owner the only one in town. The informed consumer knows about the engines performance.


Its still a great car. As an owner the worst thing that could happen would be a quick death. This engine is unlikely to be used in anything else and an early death will make a replacement engine or other parts expensive years later when we need them.