One model BRZ for Australia

[Mr Franky]

I know most of this info is old, but there are a few lines in the article that haven't popped up anywhere else.

The first Subaru BRZ has already been sold in Australia - without a price or delivery date.

The Japanese sports car is finally confirmed for local owners in the first half of 2012 with a promise that it will deliver the real-world enjoyment of the best computer driving games.

"We want to take kids from Gran Turismo simulation to grand turismo reality," Nick Senior, managing director of Subaru Australia, tells Carsguide.

He is promising a breakthrough sports car that - despite being shared with Toyota as the 86 - will deliver on Subaru's strengths and satisfy the early adopter in Adelaide who was first with a local deposit.

"This is a chance for us to appeal to younger people, the 25-35 year-olds, and people who might not have considered a Subaru in the past. It's also for people who might not have been able to afford a WRX," Senior says.

He refuses to be drawn on price but admits Subaru will only have a single, full-loaded BRZ with just one option - most likely a sunroof. With Toyota planning a sub-$35,000 starting sticker for the 86, that points to a BRZ at less than $40,000.

"It's all about the offering to the customer. We will only get one specification. We won't have a base model and there will be only one option," Senior says. "We haven't even talked pricing with the factory yet. I'll do that in February."

Senior says Subaru will not go head-to-head with the Toyota 86, even though the cars are virtually identical from their Subaru chassis and the 147 kiloWatt engine package to the Toyota-styled coupe body.

"That's the challenge. Part of the whole decision making process was that we have to think about doing things differently. Being a bit innovative," he says. "We'll be looking at the whole-of-life benefits to our customers. That's where the focus has been, and continues to be."

Subaru took months to finally commit to the BRZ and Senior says the decision was influenced by everything from the car's Subaru DNA to the response from Australian buyers.

"We have been overwhelmed by the response to the BRZ since its unveiling in Tokyo. People have been pleading for us to bring the BRZ into the country."

The BRZ will take a new place in the Subaru Australia range, without the company's signature all-wheel drive or the turbocharged engine - it's a naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre four - fitted to the WRX and STI hero cars.

“It’s a driver’s car, so is in keeping with our fun to drive philosophy. But the STI will always be the pinnacle," Senior says.

"As the factory has said, the next generation of WRX and STI is going to be a standalone nameplate. For performance, STI will be the pinnacle. So the BRZ is like a taster, or a sampler plate at a restaurant. It's a precursor to getting a WRX or an STI later on. We hope to get a younger audience. And traditionally WRX has been over 35. So we would like to get an under-35 audience. There will be an older group too, and they are likely to be the 'weekend warriors' who like to enjoy their cars, maybe occasionally with some laps on a track."

Source: Carsguide.com.au

[JDLM]

Thought the reports denied a sunroof

[Nardi330]

I'd think the option is auto tranny. Or maybe sat nav or 18s.

".......It's also for people who might not have been able to afford a WRX," Senior says.

This makes my day!! Very good news!!!

[70NYD]

Hmm they somehow got the point of this car.. I am very surprised. Well done Nick, I have restored faith in that brand now
The option I recon will be the auto or manual
Now let's see if they price it right. The wrx here starts at 44k dries away, so BRZ should be substantially less than that, and for comparison sake since we are all ozzies, the s2 ss starts from 42k drive away and the xr ford from 35k at the moment, so I think the price will be important wether this car will actually make money to Subaru or not here

[Slide]

Originally Posted by 70NYD

Hmm they somehow got the point of this car.. I am very surprised. Well done Nick, I have restored faith in that brand now
The option I recon will be the auto or manual
Now let's see if they price it right. The wrx here starts at 44k dries away, so BRZ should be substantially less than that, and for comparison sake since we are all ozzies, the s2 ss starts from 42k drive away and the xr ford from 35k at the moment, so I think the price will be important wether this car will actually make money to Subaru or not here

Yes they understood what the car was about now just tell us the fringe price and the only option with be an auto! stupid people who wrote this article!

Not relivent but good to know. So that means Australia should have a good pull with this car and get some good numbers delivered... Hope this makes 2nd hand parts cheap

Subaru Australia commands the largest share of any major market for the brand outside Japan and is established as the third biggest market worldwide.

[Nostalgia1987]

One option.

Guessing the same price as the WRX, with all the extras you really do not need. Novelty features essentially.

If this is the case will have to abandon Subaru and opt for the Toyota 86.

Entry level manual, pure white, none of this pearlescent metallic crap, base 17" will do the job fine.

Going to keep my eye on car journals and sites to see what Subaru Australia eventually offers on the BRZ.

[70NYD]

I'm guessing it will be the premium trim the us gets rather than the limited.
It can't be same as wrx.. It simply won't sell in Australia. This is a country of commodores and falcons, performance and sports cars that are over priced have failed time and time again because they are so over priced. MX-5, well, that car has its own class

[Nambo]

Thanks for posting the article Mr Franky!

I don't mind if Subaru only offers one option as long as its the Premium - if the WRX is 44k drive away, I think the car will be priced around 37,999 + ORC (bit more than the Toyota but considerable less than the WRX).

[Type[R]+]

Don't you just love newspapers.....

This article from before Christmas. 19th to be exact. Thought it was old news?

http://www.themotorreport.com.au/530...thats-official

[DA1]

Todays telegraph newspaper cars section featured the BRZ with release date
for FT86 as May and BRZ June. Not set prices but Subaru boss Nick Senior
stated the BRZ will be one model fully loaded and that car will have only one
option for just under $40k.The toyota will be more than one model and prices
should start sub $35k.
This is all good news they would not keep quoting possilble $$$ in this region
and Nick Senior loves to play the will we won't we games Knowing they are going to anyway.

[DA1]

Parramatta Subaru dealership salesman who is waiting to buy a BRZ gets his information from this site.
Go Figure!!!

[70NYD]

This site has more info than dealerships because they haven't been given anything official yet I don't think and we get constant leaks

[Slide]

Originally Posted by Nambo

Thanks for posting the article Mr Franky!

I don't mind if Subaru only offers one option as long as its the Premium - if the WRX is 44k drive away, I think the car will be priced around 37,999 + ORC (bit more than the Toyota but considerable less than the WRX).

if it's 37999 + orc it will be close to if not more then 40k... so may as well get a wrx lol!

Better be 35999+orc... still too close to the wrx :S

[coyote]

The cost of a car is the difference between your purchase price and whatever you eventually sell it for, plus holding costs.

If the BRZ has substantially better resale due to higher spec and subsequent market positioning, I don't care if it costs $10k more than the rebadged version.

The same would apply to the Toyota, but I see they are already pushing theirs car into a market that can barely afford it ... and that does not bode well for resale.