Finally! Subaru announces pricing for the BRZ

If you’ve been waiting to make a decision about your next sports car, then you don’t need me to tell you how frustrating it’s been whilst Subaru decide what price to sell their new BRZ for.

You see, whilst the BRZ/GT86 is a joint Subaru/Toyota programme, Toyota are very much wearing the trousers in the relationship and came out first with details of the GT86 pricing.

Currency exchange rates have been another factor in the delay – over the past 3 months the Japanese Yen has risen almost 14% when compared to the pound, making the task more than a little tricky for the corporate finance team at Subaru UK’s parent company.

But now we know BRZ pricing will range from £24,995 to £27,995 (on the road) – identical to that of the Toyota GT 86.

The BRZ will be offered from launch in two model variants: 2.0i SE, and 2.0i SE Lux with a choice of a six-speed manual or, for £1,500 more, a six-speed automatic with paddle shift operation. A more basic S model is anticipated for launch in 2013. The BRZ’s power plant is a 2.0-litre flat-four “boxer” unit delivering a maximum of 197bhp.

Both the SE and SE Lux will come equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, a sophisticated torque-sensing limited slip differential and fully automatic air conditioning with dual-zone controls.

When Subaru say ‘Lux’, don’t expect that to imply Mercedes S-Class levels of electronic trickery – the only differentiating feature is heated leather seats (which, by the way, are £100 less than in the GT86), so for all intents and purposes they’re equally as focused when it comes to driving dynamics.

The SE and SE Lux also feature electrically-folding door mirrors with heaters; keyless Smart Entry with push-button engine start; leather-trimmed steering wheel, parking brake and gearshift lever; and a high-quality six-speaker audio system with CD, radio and iPod connectivity. In addition to all these features, the SE Lux also has heated leather seats.

There are just two optional extras: Pioneer satellite navigation (£1,000 – £250 more than the GT86) and special paint finishes (£500 – £50 more than the GT86).

Six bodywork colours will be available: Satin White Pearl, Sterling Silver Metallic, Dark Grey Metallic, Crystal Black Silica, San Remo Red, and WR Blue Mica.

Pricing and specification

Model	Price OTR (£)	CO2 g/km
2.0i SE manual	24,995	181
2.0i SE automatic	26,495	164
2.0i SE Lux manual	26,495	181
2.0i SE Lux automatic	27,995	164
Standard features for SE and SE Lux models:
17-inch alloy wheels
16-inch front brake discs
Torque-sensing limited slip differential
Cruise control
Paddle shift-operation for automatic transmission
Fully-automatic dual-zone air-conditioning
Six-speaker audio system with iPod connectivity
Front fog lamps
Electrically folding and coloured door mirror with heater
Smart Entry and pushbutton engine start
Leather-wrapped steering wheel, parking brake lever, gear shift lever
Unique to SE Lux model:
Leather seats, with heating