If a new report out of Europe is correct, Subaru won’t be bringing the second-gen BRZ to that market. That would make the 100-run Final Edition launched in Germany earlier this year truly final. Furthermore, according to Autocar, the BRZ is going to be a US-only model. The article doesn’t say why, but we think the Supra may offer a hint.
Last year when we spoke to Tetsuya Tada, the chief engineer of the Toyota 86 and Supra, he mentioned that Toyota had to partner with BMW because he wanted to offer the A90 in as many markets as he could throughout the world. Partially, it was to throw a lifeline to the product-starved tuner industry, but also because of the complex web of changing safety and emissions regulations.
“We had already closed the plant for the inline-six, and we’d have to build another engine factory just for this engine. But it wasn’t just about the money,” Tada said. “If we had gone that route, the car would not be done, even today [in May 2019]. It wouldn’t be out for at least a few more years. The problem is, you can’t sell a car like I showed you today in 2021,” he told us. “Safety and emissions regulations are getting tighter and tighter every year.”
“I already knew that 2019 to 2020 would be the deadline for this kind of car. It would be my last chance to develop a sports car of this kind, especially globally,” Tada-san said. “So, I prioritized the time window first.”
Well, it looks like the European BRZ might have succumbed to this labyrinthine puzzle. The FA24 flat four that powers the 2021 BRZ is found in the US-market Ascent and 2020 Outback, and neither model is sold in Europe.
The second-gen BRZ will be unveiled November 18.
US-only model? something ain’t right here
With the politics of Europe being what they are, Subaru and Toyota probably think people won’t be able to afford such a type of car (not a small city car).
Makes sense, emissions across the corporate fleet is the measure, not just per car, so Toyota’s line-up of hybrids in Europe means it has the “cap space” to squeeze in the GT86 in Europe. Subaru don’t as their European-market offerings don’t similarly create that opportunity.
They don’t have that issue in the US because the corporate fleets here don’t have to meet that requirement.
We’re going to need to accept the concept of “capology” for performance models going forward, I think. At least for the next decade or two.
i wonder why they could build engines that sells over decades last time, but now they have to “Build a new factory” just to build a new engine. Can’t they just refine it over the years using the same plant to reduce cost?
also isn’t this kinda like Japanese makers has admitted that they are no match in terms of engine superiority compared to the European counterparts (which many of them are known for selling unreliable cars).
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