The hotly-anticipated new-generation Subaru BRZ sports car will make its global debut as soon as this month, with a teaser campaign kicking off for the all-new model via Instagram.
As carsales reported two weeks ago, the Japanese brand is close to revealing the second-generation rear-wheel drive BRZ – to be built alongside its mechanical twin, the Toyota 86 – and, as our sources indicated, Subaru has started previewing the new model’s design and performance potential.
On the latter, the new BRZ is expected to emerge with a bigger 2.4-litre boxer engine.
“The all-new 2022 Subaru BRZ – World Premiere coming this Fall,” reads the Instagram post, which shows the front wheel, small disc brake/twin-piston calliper and quarter panel of the camouflaged coupe.
The northern hemisphere fall (or autumn) usually spans September through to November, suggesting the new model will be revealed earlier than expected.
The current Subaru BRZ’s 2.0-litre boxer engine (147kW/205Nm) is likely to be replaced by a bigger, more potent beating heart in the form of a 2.4-litre four-cylinder boxer engine (162kW/240Nm).
Subaru has not yet confirmed the new BRZ’s vital statistics, gearbox options or performance details, but the first sneak preview shows a new vertical air outlet that could be brake venting.
That said, it could also be purely cosmetic.
If Subaru does confirm more than just the exterior design and divulges the engine type this year, it would potentially steal Toyota’s thunder, which is still to provide details on the forthcoming Toyota GR 86.
There’s been plenty of speculation the redesigned sports car twins will be based on a development of the current BRZ/86 platform architecture and won’t use Toyota’s more advanced TNGA underpinnings.
As it stands, the second-generation Subaru BRZ is set to arrive in Australia no later than November 2021 and could roll onto Aussie terra firma as early as September next year.
It is expected to continue the current model’s ‘affordable’ performance positioning, priced at around $40,000 – roughly the same price as a front-drive hot hatch.
Stay tuned for more details.