We’ve known for a while that a successor to the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 twins is in the works, but now we know just how close the next-gen jointly developed sports car is. A photo of a Subaru future product presentation was leaked to enthusiast forum GR86.com, and in it is the automaker’s product plans through 2023. There are many juicy tidbits in the timeline, but the one that jumps out immediately is the BRZ replacement, which the leak suggests will launch next spring.
That’s earlier than expected, and likely means the car is close to fully developed. A set of spy photos posted to GR86.com confirm that test mules are already out and about, with one spotted testing alongside a Ford Mustang. The car is still heavily camouflaged, so it’s hard to make out any details, but it appears the next-gen Subaru BRZ will maintain the basic dimensions and proportions of the current model. As we learned recently, the BRZ is skipping the 2021 model year, so expect the new one to be a 2022 model.
With the BRZ so close to launch, its near mechanically identical Toyota sibling can’t be far behind. As we’ve previously reported, the 86 successor is expected to adopt Toyota’s Gazoo Racing (GR) branding, changing its name from 86 to GR86. At this point the name has changed so many times, from Scion FR-S to 86 to GT86 abroad, that one more won’t hurt.
The fact that the next-gen BRZ/GR86 is being benchmarked against the Mustang is encouraging. Currently, the Toyobaru’s naturally aspirated 2.0-liter flat-four pumps out 205 hp at most, a far cry from the base Ford Mustang EcoBoost’s 310 hp. But the new model should even the odds a bit with a (finally) turbocharged 2.4-liter flat-four derived from the mill used in the Subaru Ascent SUV, which makes 260 hp and 277 lb-ft of torque. And from the limited look we have underneath in the spy shots linked to above, the rear differential and suspension looks very similar to the current model.
Back to the product timeline, look closely and you’ll also see it covers the next WRX and STI, which are slated to arrive in fall 2021 and fall 2022, respectively. Then there’s the mention of a Subaru EV—probably an SUV co-developed with Toyota as part of their ongoing business partnership—which drops in spring 2022, according to the leaked document. That’s a steady cadence of big reveals for just two year, and we’re happy it all kicks off with the next-gen Subaru BRZ.
