Can a pure handling car survive? The 2013 Subaru BRZ

By -

Autoblog just reviewed the 2013 Subaru BRZ and the result is... this is one of the best handling cars on the market, bar none. Subie used the Porsche Cayman for comparison (and perhaps a little reverse engineering also), and it seems like they have built a mini cayman.

But the issue is this: the car only has 200hp and 150lbs of torque. Now, it only weighs 2,700lbs... but still, that's not a lot of power.

And here is really the question: can a car with amazing handling but down on power make a dent on the market? My answer is no.

Exhibit one: The Mazda RX-8. Every reviewer loved it when it came out about 8 years ago. It was one of the best handling cars on the market, but like the BRZ was down on power, especially torque. Torque tends to matter more in day to day driving and passing situations (unless you are revving the engine like mad - which most people don't). The RX-8 has never sold well, and is now getting old, with Mazda making no plans to build a replacement model.

And while the BRZ is a good looking car...

2013 Subaru BRZ side view
2013 Subaru BRZ front view2013 Subaru BRZ rear view

It is not that good looking. I mean, I much prefer the previous generation WRX, or the 370z, or.. especially.. the 300hp Mustang v6.

And that is my basic problem. No one is sure yet what the car will cost.. but autoblog has heard every number from $22,000 to "somewhere around the WRX," which is $25,595, to $28,000. Of the broad competitive set Subaru listed, a 210-hp Genesis 2.0T Coupe starts at $22,250, a 300-hp V6 Mustang is $23,105, the Mazda Miata is $23,190 and the RX-8 is $26,795.

So, I love Subaru's, but I am not sure this really represents value (at least to me) vs. a 265hp $26,000  WRX.
2012 Subaru Impreza WRX Sedan
No one ever called it pretty...

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Top 10 Ways to Not Suck at Driving

By -
Image
There are a lot of shitty drivers out there. Actually, most people are shitty drivers. They don't really know anything about cars, about driving, about limits of adhesion, how to react when things go badly, or what snow does to your ability to drive. In fact, most people think that driving slowly, regardless of what lane you are in, whether you are merging onto a highway or holding up 50 cars behind you, means "being a good driver." Just because you have spent many years driving in the left lane at 65mph does not make you a good driver, in fact, just the opposite. A good driver means you know how to drive, not that you have gotten lucky or simply average for the past 10 years. Personally, I would love to see a class in high school devoted to driving. I think it could be fun and informative while greatly reducing the number of accidents (especially fatal ones) on the roads every year. Right now, the driving exam is basically a joke, it means that you know what the pedals
Read more

This is just disgusting....

By -
Image
British teen Stacey Irvine hospitalized after eating nothing but chicken nuggets for 15 years By Ryan Jaslow Topics News  , Kids and family  , Food and Drink  , Strange 24 Comments Have Your Say Email Story Send to a Friend Share This Tell Your Friends Tweet This Tweet This More Share It (Credit: istockphoto) (CBS) Talk about being a picky eater. A British teenager reportedly has eaten "practically nothing" but chicken nuggets for the past 15 years. And now she's paying for it. PICTURES: Yum - or yuck? 20 freakish fried foods Seventeen-year-old Stacey Irvine didn't think her nugget habit was a big deal - until she collapsed one day work, The Sun  reported. When Stacey arrived at the hospital, doctors were horrified to find she had eaten chicken nuggets every single day and "never" ate fruits or vegetables. "My main meal is always chicken nuggets every day," Stacey told the paper. "I
Read more