Future of the "twins"

[Skyhound]

The holy grail of motoring has become eco-friendly, high MPG/completely electric, while still boasting good handling, and performance that any car enthusiast would enjoy. Plus, it has to be affordable.

This is where I think the FR-S is heading. Probably electric MAYBE hydrogen fuel cells being used, all providing what the FR-S is already giving us. Maybe boost the price up to near BRZ levels and you have a winner in the current market.

[Captain Insano]

Originally Posted by regal

The FA20 is not going to gain significant power non-aspirated, the boxer design is just a limitation. With the rwd, the powertrain losses are too great to notice small hp improvements like an intake and exhaust, and I think idea that heads/cams and a higher redline will be nixed due to reliable with a boxer, boxers just aren't designed to rev.

What the hell are you talking about?

Originally Posted by chrisl

Maybe you should let these guys know that they've been doing it wrong this whole time...

http://www.porsche.com/usa/models/91...ve-performance

Thank you. I can't believe I read that in the first post. Don't agree with most of it. Especially this part about how the OP thinks the boxer engine cannot be designed to rev. Just because Subaru doesn't typically make boxers with 7K+ redlines (this one actually does rev pretty decent to 7400) doesn't mean a boxer engine cannot be designed for high revs.

[regal]

Originally Posted by Captain Insano

What the hell are you talking about?

Thank you. I can't believe I read that in the first post. Don't agree with most of it. Especially this part about how the OP thinks the boxer engine cannot be designed to rev. Just because Subaru doesn't typically make boxers with 7K+ redlines (this one actually does rev pretty decent to 7400) doesn't mean a boxer engine cannot be designed for high revs.

Subject is Subaru boxers not Porsche, name one Subaru engine that rev's past 7k other than the FA20 in the last 20 years, they have stretched their skillset with this engine. This FA20 doesn't even have forged pistons or rods. Don't get me wrong the car is a great drive, but long durability is always risky with a new design, even Porsche had problems when they first went water cooled and again Subaru ain't Porsche. My point is they won't squeeze many more NA HP out of this with an STI version.

[carbonBLUE]

Originally Posted by regal

Subject is Subaru boxers not Porsche, name one Subaru engine that rev's past 7k other than the FA20 in the last 20 years, they have stretched their skillset with this engine. This FA20 doesn't even have forged pistons or rods. Don't get me wrong the car is a great drive, but long durability is always risky with a new design, even Porsche had problems when they first went water cooled and again Subaru ain't Porsche. My point is they won't squeeze many more NA HP out of this with an STI version.

[Captain Insano]

Originally Posted by regal

Subject is Subaru boxers not Porsche, name one Subaru engine that rev's past 7k other than the FA20 in the last 20 years, they have stretched their skillset with this engine. This FA20 doesn't even have forged pistons or rods. Don't get me wrong the car is a great drive, but long durability is always risky with a new design, even Porsche had problems when they first went water cooled and again Subaru ain't Porsche. My point is they won't squeeze many more NA HP out of this with an STI version.

EJ207 - 8K redline stock

Thanks for playing. Again, you don't know what you are talking about. Subaru doesn't typically make higher revving boxer engines because it costs more to do (like ANY engine designed for higher revs). NOT because a boxer configuration engine cannot handle high revs... The way your first post reads.

And, they definitely could get more power out of this engine NA. They might not as production costs could rise. But technically it is very possible with head flow design and other tweaks.

[CSI:86]

Originally Posted by carbonBLUE

LOL!

[CSI:86]

Originally Posted by regal

Subject is Subaru boxers not Porsche, name one Subaru engine that rev's past 7k other than the FA20 in the last 20 years, they have stretched their skillset with this engine. This FA20 doesn't even have forged pistons or rods. Don't get me wrong the car is a great drive, but long durability is always risky with a new design, even Porsche had problems when they first went water cooled and again Subaru ain't Porsche. My point is they won't squeeze many more NA HP out of this with an STI version.

Put a intake, headerback, headers, Ecutek tune, wider grippy tires and call it a day!

[Zyo81]

Originally Posted by carbonBLUE

Thank you! I was thinking about that car, the pic made my day.

[chrisl]

Originally Posted by regal

Subject is Subaru boxers not Porsche, name one Subaru engine that rev's past 7k other than the FA20 in the last 20 years, they have stretched their skillset with this engine. This FA20 doesn't even have forged pistons or rods. Don't get me wrong the car is a great drive, but long durability is always risky with a new design, even Porsche had problems when they first went water cooled and again Subaru ain't Porsche. My point is they won't squeeze many more NA HP out of this with an STI version.

That makes about as much sense as if I were to say V8s weren't designed to rev because the one in the Mustang can't rev any higher than 7k (if I remember right). Of course Subaru isn't Porsche, but they do both use a boxer configuration, which makes the fact that Porsche makes an engine that redlines at 9k relevant as a counterexample to your statement that boxers can't rev well (similarly, the Ferrari 458 would be a valid counterexample to my statement that V8s aren't designed to rev, even though a Mustang is not a Ferrari).

That EJ207 looks pretty awesome too - I didn't know it went to 8k

[Speedy000]

i wonder if the people in the mx5 forums are power hungry trolls too!?

[civdaddy]

Dude was probably thinking of Subarus only in terms of what is in the USA. Gotta include the rest of the world buddy lol.

[fatoni]

Originally Posted by Speedy000

i wonder if the people in the mx5 forums are power hungry trolls too!?

no. they have the opposite kind of trolls where power is stupid. kind of how people here can tend to omit the strengths of other cars for the sake of comparison (that "all esle equal" clause)

[regal]

Originally Posted by civdaddy

Dude was probably thinking of Subarus only in terms of what is in the USA. Gotta include the rest of the world buddy lol.

One word reply: Open Deck.

[FRSupra]

This is a good thread.

I think a lot of people are overlooking the car already, I'm a little surprised by what most of the community has said about this car.

It's not about what the fr-s/brz is or isn't, what it does or doesn't have to make it better. In my opinion, (and I think a lot of people will agree without admitting) 50% of what makes this car great is that it is a chance to own what once was, even if it's just a taste. People are calling this car "the car that will revive the scene". I big part of the reason I bought the FR-S is my love for all the 90's sports cars. There's not much of a market for someone looking to own a car like that new.

Any less and I would still love this car. Great handling and the driving experience is just a bonus.