Few cars have elicited as much praiseand anticipation as the Scion’s upcoming FR-S sports coupe and its fraternal Subarutwin, the BRZ. These “Toyobarus” are dynamic, daring machines, designed torevamp their respective manufacturers’ brand images from sensible to aspirational.Though these vehicles have yet to hit American shores, the FR-S/BRZ have alreadyestablished themselves as the most desirable sportscars of 2012. We will be fortunate enough to get firsthandexperience with the Scion version next month, and to help us better understand theexcitement surrounding these cars, we figured it best to analyze what is currentlyknown.The FR-S/BRZ are incredibly important cars toToyota/Subaru, especially in their native Japan. The FR-S -- called the Toyota GT 86 inJapan -- is the successor to one of Japan’s most definitive and iconic sports cars,the AE86 Trueno/Sprinter. Remaking an automotive legend is a monumentally challenging taskfor any manufacturer, and releasing a vehicle that is anything less than exceptional wouldcarry only the stigma of failure. Thankfully, with Toyota handling the planning and designof the car, and Subaru tackling the engineering challenges, the FR-S/BRZ twins carry onlythe best aspects of their parents’ DNA.Lighter sports cars are better sports cars,so “Toyobaru” engineers kept a close focus on weight. However, the mandatethat this sports car remain affordable limited the amount of exotic materials Subaru coulduse. Outside of the lightweight aluminum hood, the rest of the body is comprised ofhigh-tensile steel. Still, this is the lightest set of twins outside of the Olsenhousehold, with the FR-S/BRZ weighing in at hundreds of pounds less than comparable cars,including those from Porsche andLotus.With fewer pounds to haul around, the BRZ/FR-Scan be competitive with a smaller, more efficient powerplant. Powering the“Toyobaru” is an all-new, Subaru-designed 2.0-liter flat-four(“Boxer”) engine. Rated at 200 horsepower and driving the rear wheels, thismotor’s compact size allows it to be placed in a way that significantly optimizesweight distribution and transfer. Add in a low curb weight and WRX STI-sourced suspensionarchitecture, and it’s easy to see why many are calling the FR-S/BRZ the bestdriver’s cars of the year.Initial hands-on impressions saythat these cars immediately react to input; steering ratios and power bands are matchedperfectly to the chassis. Power delivery is predictable, its six forward gears areexpertly spaced to keep the engine singing in the sweet spot, and the pedals arethoughtfully placed with perfect heel-toe downshifts in mind. Early reports say that thiscar is so balanced, even user error can’t upset it.Unlike other cars in the Scion and Subarulineups, the FR-S/BRZ combo does, fortunately, have the looks to back up the performance.Identical save for some subtle differences in the front fascia and trim, these are sleek,elegant coupes, looking more like they flowed from the passionate penwork of an Italiandesign studio than from Akihabara’s Gundam café. These cars are lithe andathletic. Wheels are pushed as far out to the corners as they can go, and the fendersstrain and bulge to keep things contained. It’s a bold design that adds some visualheft to the cars’ actual, compact size.Race buckets comestandard in both cars. The BRZ’s seats are trimmed in leather, giving theSubaru’s cabin a more premium feel. In the Scion, premium sport fabric comesstandard, making it the likely favorite of the track day set. The rear seats, thoughunusable by adult standards, are designed to accommodate forward-facing child seats,allowing the family man to justify buying a FR-S or BRZ over, say, a two-seat 370Z. BothSubaru and Scion are quick to tout these cars as track-day machines and gloss over thecar’s golf-bag-carrying capability to instead highlight the cargo area’sability to haul a full set of tires and tools.Though primarilyfocused on performance, the Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S offer just enough practicality tomake them usable and reliable day-to-day transportation. The BRZ version, apparently, isso perfect it has even caught Subaru by surprise. Already on sale in Japan, Subaru’sBRZ is outperforming initial sales projections by over 400%. Expect to see the same here,as only 6,000 Subaru BRZs are set to ship to the U.S. We are anticipating theScion’s numbers to be similarly limited, but next month, one of these will be ours-- for a fleeting moment, at least. Continue Reading

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