[joro2]

(Thanks for starting this thread, hope it's okay to add some of my first impressions on the vehicle here too.)

My first few days w/ the car and first few hundred miles; 2017 BRZ Premium:

1) A distinctly Japanese feel. This was (obviously) no surprise, it really does feel (to me) exactly as intended -- i.e. a modern updated and electronically assisted/enhanced version of my old '80s rear wheel drive analog Toyotas.

2) The one exception (to the familiar '80s Japanese feel) is the engine. I haven't yet had it over 4K RPMs (break-in) so will have to reserve final comment & analysis, however I can already tell it's a bit different. It revs as expected very freely & willingly (so much so that I've had to immediately set the rev indicator warning light/buzzer to just under 4K) but it doesn't feel like the older similarly rev happy 4-cylinder engines I remember. The boxer feels a bit unrefined & snarly (not necessarily in a bad way, but not as smooth feeling / sounding and tonally even as some more traditional 1980s Japanese inline-4s).

3) The clutch is very light, even compared with my older 1991 Miata NA. It took a few first miles to get comfortable with the "grab" point (which still feels relatively high to me). The gearbox although quite notchy feeling (in a good way) isn't as old school mechanical/precise as I'd prefer, but in this $ range (perhaps with the exception of an ND Miata?) nothing is (like the old days).

4) The car does lack power -- I'm sorry, I had to mention this -- even though it's been discussed ad infinitum it still caught me a bit off guard, especially from stand still on take off in 1st gear. I guess I simply expect more (power) from any 21st century sports car, even though I fully understand this particular vehicle isn't about power, and it's design/feel is I'm sure consistent with it's retro (AE86) heritage.
(Again, I haven't had it over 4K RPMs so I should absolutely shut up for now and avoid the annoyingly redundant "lack of power" dis'/comments until after break-in.)

5) On the inside the cabin feels a lot like what I remember of e.g. an early 80s Celica, and I mean that in a good way too -- part of the appeal for me was the retro back to basics amenities (lack of amenities).

More to come (these are literally just a few very first stream of consciousness impressions)

Oh, one more thing and this isn't about the design or driving experience, it's just a heads up to those buying brand new. I drove this car off the lot w/ it just recently having been manufactured (literally last month, 03/17), delivered to the dealer the same day I purchased (04/20/17), and w/ only 4 miles on the odometer. The first 50-75 miles the car ran "hot" (the gauge read normal but the engine bay really heated up). Also, it emitted a distinctly foul "burning" smell. This however seems totally attributable to the vehicle's newness -- after a few more miles it's already running a bit cooler, and the smell very quickly has dissipated to almost being non existent. I was briefly concerned, as it was unlike any other new car smell I've experienced -- alas, I don't remember ever having an auto literally THIS NEW (i.e. 3/17 manufacture, delivered/purchased ~30 days later, and with so few dealer miles).