Subaru BRZ performance variant teased for the US, Australian plans unclear

Japanese car-maker Subaru has teased a new flagship variant of its BRZ sports coupe, but it is not yet clear whether the upcoming performance-focused grade will come to Australia.

The US division of Subaru confirmed this week “a sharper and more focused BRZ” is due to be revealed on July 23 (US time) at Subiefest California – a gathering of enthusiasts dedicated to the Japanese marque.

Included in the announcement was a close-up image of the sports coupe’s headlight, though with the addition of a small ‘BRZ’ logo in its top corner – utilising a similar colour to the iconic ‘Cherry Blossom’ red from the Subaru Tecnica International (STI) performance division, known for the WRX STI sports sedan.

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In Australia, Subaru sells STI-branded cosmetic accessories for the BRZ – such as front, side and rear bumper extensions – as well as minor suspension and gear-shifter upgrades for improved performance, but not as a complete package.

However the previous-generation Subaru BRZ was offered in 'tS' form – short for 'Tuned by STI' – in Australia and Japan, with stiffer suspension, larger brakes, unique wheels and tyres, and some visual tweaks.

The BRZ tS sold in the US went even further with a tall, manually-adjustable rear spoiler.

In late 2020 – just a few weeks after the second-generation Subaru BRZ was officially revealed – a camouflaged version of the sports coupe was spied testing with front lip spoiler winglets, which spawned rumours of a new ‘Tuned by STI’ variant.

As previously reported, Subaru has not ruled out a BRZ STI, though the performance division later announced it would shift its focus to electric cars in March 2022 – resulting in the axing of the WRX STI.

The 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine in the current-generation BRZ and 86 is based on the ‘FA24’ engine found in the Subaru WRX, but without a turbocharger.

While Subaru has remained tight-lipped on whether it plans to introduce a BRZ with turbo power, reports from Japan have claimed the next-generation GR86 will be developed exclusively by Toyota – and launch with a three-cylinder turbocharged hybrid engine designed by Toyota, not Subaru.

Toyota has already confirmed it is testing a GR86 with a 1.4-litre turbocharged engine – modified from the 1.6-litre unit found in the GR Yaris and GR Corolla hot hatchbacks – in the Japanese Super Taikyu race series, running the sports car on hydrogen rather than petrol.