Originally Posted by lpnnlp
I am going to say this from the perspective of a buyer who is looking at the FRS/BRZ for a DD w/ AT, so before you guys gang up on me that I don't get it or whatever, keep this in mind.
Having seen the FRS in person in Arcadia last night, the owerwhelming feeling I got from it in comparison to the BRZ that I saw @ Pacific Subaru is... cheapness. There were the usual suspects like the extra cheap upholstery on the seats, the vinyl parking brake lever, the missing trunk lid liner, the cheesy white on the tach, the ricey front end that is trying way too hard, and the headlights just seemed dim. Here is a new one also: missing lights on the visors (BRZ had them.) These are only the things that we could see, and I bet there are also missing materials that would have contributed to less NVH. Some are thinking that this is great because it makes the car lighter, but for the DD, this is bad.
Now it makes a lot more sense to me how Toyota and Subaru are splitting the market. The FRS is for the wannabee drifters but can also work as the cheaper DD. This group will be younger, single, less afluent, and more likely to opt for the MT. The BRZ is for the older, fatter, married, and more afluent, that is more likely to opt for the AT.
Some of us were appaled when we learned what the target segment Subaru was shooting for, and from this perspective, maybe it makes sense why they would sell less than the FRS. However, the Suabru is going to make the better DD, especially for those who don't have false drifting aspirations and instead appreciate the extra creature comforts and better NVH caharacteristics. We already made peace with our love handles, so a few more pounds on the car is insignificant.
Speaking of love handles, it seems to me the BRZ seats were wider as well. The first thought I had when sitting in the FRS was that the bolsters were too narrow. When I sat in the BRZ I felt... at home. I know it would be cheaper to have only one seat covered by different fabrics, but since the target crowd is different (young/thin v. older/fatter), there could be a legit reason to have slightly different seats.
Now it all comes down to the price of the BRZ....
As a side note, I thought the regular stereo in the FRS is just fine. It complements the level of equipment in the car just fine. It makes no sense to put in a fancier head unit in an otherwise cheap cabin. The BRZ is better suited at this.
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