CarAdvice: BRZ is coming to Australia!

[Nambo]

Not confirmed officially by Subaru yet though. Wonder which dealership is saying so...

Source: http://www.caradvice.com.au/151271/s...-to-australia/

Subaru Australia will abandon its long-standing all-wheel-drive-only branding and import the new rear-wheel-drive BRZ sports car in 2012.
One of Subaru’s biggest dealerships has told CarAdvice the BRZ will arrive in May in limited numbers – potentially pipping its well-publicised twin, the Toyota 86, to the local market.

Subaru Australia wouldn’t comment on the latest twist to the on-going will-it-won’t-it saga, which follows Monday’s report by CarAdvice that the BRZ was being imported to New Zealand.

The company has been torn between introducing a car that would excite enthusiasts but would also contradict a marketing strategy that has been built around all-wheel drive since 1997.

Nick Senior, Subaru Australia’s managing director, hinted strongly to CarAdvice at last month’s Tokyo motor show that he was contemplating the BRZ as an exception.

“Rear-wheel drive is in keeping with our brand; it delivers driver confidence,” said Senior. “It’s a driver’s car – and Subarus have always been a driver’s car.”

CarAdvice believes Subaru Australia may retain its localised “All 4 the driver” slogan despite the introduction of the rear-drive BRZ.
The Subaru BRZ is one half of a compact sports car joint project shared with Toyota – and since dubbed the “Toyobaru” by the industry. It was revealed in production guise for the first time at the 2011 Tokyo motor show last month, along with the Toyota 86.

Both cars will be built by Subaru in Japan. The Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ are virtually identical, including copycat exterior styling bar the odd detail.
The platform is derived from the Impreza small car’s underpinnings and is powered by a Subaru 2.0-litre horizontally opposed “boxer” four-cylinder engine but featuring Toyota direct fuel injection technology.

Toyota Australia is expected to price the 86 from between $35,000 and $40,000 when it lands in mid 2012.

[DA1]

Just look at the current Subaru models .Beauty is not high on the list.

[Nostalgia1987]

This is great news to hear.

Finally Subaru has gained its 20th century charm again in its product range.

....limited numbers. Wondering how limited is limited in terms of actual numbers.

[Slide]

I think limited numbers means just for the month of may just so they can say it was out before the 86... i would think 100 for all of oz.

[armythug]

Yea we'll see. I can only hope we get the car....