Subaru BRZ/Scion FR-S
Superb handling, and the ultimate driving experience are phrases that have been common amongst the new 2013 Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ. The ONLY negative comments about either of these cars has been the lack of acceleration. It turns out that the Subaru BRZ has been clocked repeatedly with a zero to sixty of around 7.5 seconds, far too long for any reputable sports car. With a curb weight of around 2800 lbs one might expect the 200 HP BRZ to scoot to zero to sixty faster than 7.5 seconds. To make matters seem even worse for the BRZ, it is similarly priced with the Subaru WRX at a base price of $25,495. The WRX blows it away with an acceleration of zero to sixty in a mere 5 seconds.
There is more than meets the eye here though, because for the BRZ to achieve 60 MPH requires a shift up to third gear in the BRZ which adds a relatively significant amount of time. So the numbers here don't quite give us the full story. Albeit, the complaints keep rolling in.
To quench the thirst of those who require more acceleration, Subaru is planning on giving the almighty STI badge to the BRZ as well. We assume that the STI version will follow what it has added in the past; large rims, better suspension, more power. With these features added to the BRZ, true car enthusiasts should finally be able to accept the BRZ for what it is, a true sports car.
Despite the controversy amongst car enthusiasts, BRZ and FR-S sales have performed extremely well. Toyota and Subaru have sold many more of these cars than originally expected. This turns out to be much more beneficial to the affordable sports car market than the average buyer might realize...
With the success of these two cars, other companies have without doubt taken notice. While each car, indeed has some flaws, what they have done is sparked a very underexposed opportunity for companies to get involved in the affordable sports cars market. Nissan has announced its interest in creating a smaller more affordable version of its flagship 370z sports coupe. Other companies such as Infiniti, Toyota, Audi, and Acura have shown interest in getting involved as well. So while you may hate these cars as many hardcore auto enthusiasts do, it is doubtful that you will hate the affordable sports car era that they may have created.