Subaru unveiled a new version of the BRZ for the Japanese market tuned by STi for track use. The “Cup Car Basic” trim is designed to compete in a new racing series thus receiving a number of upgrades making it more suitable for its new role.
The Subaru BRZ “Cup Car Basic” comes with
black-finished 16-inch steelies and is available in seven different colors (WR
blue pearl, Ignition Red, Sapphire blue pearl, Crystal White Pearl, Ice silver
metallic, Magnetite gray metallic, and Crystal black silica). The most
important features however are hidden under the skin. Inside the cabin, there
is a roll cage, a six-point seatbelt for the driver, and special floor mats,
while the side curtain airbags have been removed.
Under the bonnet, there is a naturally
aspirated 2.4-liter boxer engine producing 232 hp and 250 Nm in Japanese specification. Power is sent to the rear wheels
through a six-speed manual transmission with the help of a limited-slip
differential. The latter has added fins for improved cooling, while the engine
has an oil cooler making it more suitable for track use.
The BRZ “Cup Car Basic” is exclusively
available for Japanese customers starting from ¥ 3,338,500 (US$ 28,934). The
special version is designed to participate in the Toyota Gazoo Racing GR86 /
BRZ Cup racing series that is scheduled to start in 2022. The championship will
include five races, with the first taking place on July 16-17 at the Fuji
Speedway. A few weeks ago Toyota unveiled the Toyota GR86 “Cup Car Basic”, with
both sportscar siblings ready to compete in the single-make, or should we say
dual-make, series.
