This is a little juicy tidbit of info in this short interview:
Source:
Motor Authority article
Quote:
Subaru’s product planning chief and head developer of the BRZ, Toshio Masuda, has revealed to us that the joint-developed sports car was originally conceived by Subaru and that there were several reasons why his design team didn’t want it to be all-wheel drive.
Toyota’s intentions notwithstanding, Masuda explained that Subaru wanted to showcase its road-holding and traction expertise in a rear-wheel drive application.
Subaru already sells front-wheel drive cars in markets outside the U.S., so launching a new rear-wheel drive model was the final frontier, so to speak, where the automaker could implement its latest engineering knowhow.
Masuda also pointed out that some of Subaru’s all-wheel drive models have been tested during development with up to 90 percent of their torque being sent to the rear wheels, virtually mimicking the dynamics of a rear-wheel drive car.
And the results of this knowhow speaks for itself. Prototypes of the BRZ have been tested at speeds above 50 mph in heavy snow--something normally unthinkable in a lightweight rear-wheel drive sports car.
Key to its prowess will be its very low center of the gravity of around 17.8 inches, one of the lowest of any car currently on the market.
Look out for the respective debuts of both the Subaru BRZ and its Scion FR-S sibling at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show this December. First sales are scheduled to start in the first half of next year.
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Summary:
*Subaru wants to polish its powertrain laurels by proving its mettle with an FR application
*The BRZ prototypes have shown excellent snow tractability
*CoG quoted at 17.8"
