Officially sponsored by Subaru, Subiefest is California’s biggest gathering of Subaru fans, which makes it the perfect place to show off an updated BRZ. And that’s exactly what’s coming in just a few days. In a teaser accompanied by a single shot of a headlight with the model name printed on it in red, this updated BRZ will apparently be “sharper and more focused,” but that’s unfortunately where the details end.
There are a few different ways Subaru can sharpen and focus its rear-drive sports car, so let’s dig into some of the possibilities. Some are more realistic than others but, since Subaru isn’t giving us much info, we can have fun speculating.
It’s possible that Subaru will slap some of its JDM STI Performance parts on the BRZ. In Japan, Subaru offers STI Performance parts for this car, such as exterior aero bits, a large rear wing, gold wheels, a strut brace, and an upgraded exhaust. Japan also offers a slightly more powerful, 232-horsepower version of the same 2.0-liter boxer engine—the one we get makes 228 hp. Some of those parts could make it to the U.S.-market BRZ to make it a bit sportier than normal.
Alternatively, could this finally be the year that Subaru offers a turbocharged STI version of the BRZ? Fans and enthusiasts have long hoped such a car would be made, ever since the first-generation BRZ launched. So far, though, no such luck and we doubt that luck will change but it’s fun to hope.
Or maybe Subaru is just launching a BRZ “S” or “R” or some other sporty-sounding version with a touch more power, stiffer suspension, and some more aggressive looks. Of all the possible scenarios, that seems like the most likely one.
Obviously, this is all purely speculative at this point. Subaru provided no information except that something sharper is on its way and it will debut at Subiefest on July 23. Hopefully, whatever it is doesn’t disappoint the fans who could be expecting something big.
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