Subaru BRZ vs Mazda MX-5 vs Hyundai Genesis Coupe

In our ongoing $25k sports car poll, the Subaru BRZ has taken a clear lead with 20 percent out of more than 6,100 votes cast up until today. Oddly enough, its Scion FR-S twin has only managed to gather 7 percent (despite being the same car), the same as the Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0 Turbo, which is still enough to place both higher than the Mazda MX-5 that has secured 4 percent of your votes.
Why do mention these cars specifically? Because Road&Track magazine brought together the Subaru BRZ, Hyundai Genesis Coupe 2.0 Turbo and the MX-5 soft-top roadster to find out which of the three ticks the most boxes for enthusiasts looking for a fun, rear-wheel drive sports car without breaking the bank.
As you would expect, we won't spoil the video by telling you the outcome. However, once you've seen it, feel free to hop over to the comments section to voice your thoughts.

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Japan's Subaru BRZ Declares War on the 2013 Ford Mustang V6

After we learned how much Subaru's all-new BRZ costs in the States, someone was bound to put the Japanese sports coupe up against the quintessential American pony car, the 2013 Ford Mustang in V6 trim. And that someone was Angus MacKenzie from MotorTrend magazine. The similarities between the two sports coupes begin with their price and end with their front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout.
The 2013 Ford Mustang is a modernized version of an old formula that combines a solid rear axle with a contemporary 3.7-liter V6 that churns out 305hp at 6,500rpm and 280 lb-ft (380Nm). Ford's pony car tips the scales at 3,511 pounds (1,593kg).
In the U.S., the Mustang V6 starts at $22,995 (€17,400), with the model tested by MT in this comparo priced at $30,830 (€29,400).
The BRZ was designed by Toyota and Subaru from a clean sheet of paper with the goal of creating a modern and reasonably priced, nimble sports car for the masses. It sports a Subaru-sourced 2.0-liter flat-four with direct-injection that generates 200hp at 7,000 rpm and a peak torque of 151 lb.-ft. (205Nm) at 6,400 rpm. It has a curb weight of 2,747 lbs (1,246kg).
Pricing for the BRZ begins at $25,495 (€19,300), with MT's tester listed at $28,245 (€21,400).
If you believe that the Ford's 105-horsepower advantage over the BRZ (despite the weight handicap) matters when it comes to straight-line acceleration and track times, you are right, but does that make it a better sports car?
You probably already know the answer to that question, but if you want to hear it for yourself in detail, hop over the break to watch MT's video test.

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2013 Subaru BRZ Completes 0-60mph in 7.3s

Something tells us that in the States, the 2013 Subaru BRZ will most likely carry a similar MSRP to its sister model, the 2013 Scion FR-S, at around $25,000, but until the Japanese automaker announces official pricing, we have a new video to share with you. The crew over at Edmund's Insideline took the North American specification BRZ to the race track to see what kind of numbers it could put down.
Like the Scion FR-S and the Toyota 86, the BRZ is motivated by a 2.0-liter flat-four fitted with a direct fuel injection system yielding 200-horsepower and 151 lbs.-ft. of torque. Power is directed to the rear wheels via a standard six-speed manual gearbox or an optional automatic transmission with the same number of gears.
The news site tried out the manual version that completed the 0 to 60mph (96km/h) sprint in 7.3 seconds (7.0 seconds from a 1-foot rolling start) and the quarter mile run (400m) in 15.3 seconds with an exit speed of 92.1mph (148km/h).
Edmunds notes that the BRZ did considerably better on the slalom (69.1mph or 111.2km/h), the skid pad (0.92g) and in braking (114 feet to stop from 60mph), beating the 2013 Hyundai Genesis in all three tests (67.4mph, 0.89g and 116 feet respectively), and the 2011 Ford Mustang GT in all but braking (67.3mph, 0.91g and 109 feet respectively).
You can watch the test in the video that follows below.

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Subaru Shows European Market BRZ and New Impreza

The 2012 Geneva Motor Show marked the European debut for Subaru's newest models, the rear-wheel drive BRZ sports coupe and the latest generation of the Impreza hatchback. The 200PS (197bhp) BRZ, which as most of you know by now was developed as a joint-project between Subaru and Toyota, will go on sale across Europe by this summer offered with a choice of two 6-speed transmissions, a manual and an automatic.
While most countries will get two trim levels, certain markets like the UK will also get a third, low-cost and stripped out grade similar to the one offered in Japan. Pricing for the BRZ has not yet been announced.
Also making its acquaintance with European buyers is the new five-door Impreza hatchback that is shown alongside its sister model, the new XV compact crossover. Engine options at launch will include a 114PS 1.6-liter petrol, a 150PS 2.0-litre petrol, and a 2.0-litre turbo diesel producing 147PS and 350Nm.

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Subaru BRZ Black Edition

Prova, one of the more notable Subaru tuners in the Land of the Rising Sun, teamed up with the Japanese automaker to display a bespoke edition of the new BRZ sports coupe at this past weekend's 2012 Tokyo Auto Salon. The BRZ Black Edition is supposed to be a more mature tuning take on the rear-wheel drive model that goes on sale worldwide this spring.
The package combines a blacked out body with orange pinstriping and a styling kit that includes a front lip spoiler, side skirts, a different rear diffuser and a (not so mature…) massive rear wing, along with new 19-inch alloy wheels from Enkei shod in beefier rubber.
A high-performance braking system and a sports exhaust system with central mounted tail pipes plus body hugging Recaro bucket seats and a new audio system inside round out the changes on the Black Edition showcar.
Neither Prova nor Subaru said if they have any plans to produce the BRZ Black Edition.

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Meet the 1999 Subaru Impreza Casa Blanca Limited Edition

Subaru is one of those automakers that will either bore you to death or irk you with the styling of its products, but scarcely, if ever, cause any excitement with its designs.

The Impreza series is a characteristic example going from boredom to controversial and vice versa not only with each new restyling, but sometimes even within the same generation.
Time to meet the Impreza Casa Blanca - a special edition version of the first generation Sport Wagon with the 1.5-liter boxer engine that was introduced in Japan in 1999 to address the craze consumers had for retro styled cars at the time.
And yes, you read that correctly: the Casa Blanca isn't a abomination creation from some unknown coachbuilder but an official Subaru product and it was produced from 1999 to 2000 in a limited run of 5,000 units!
Burn your eyes to some pictures from a used model found up for sale in Japan along with two videos below.

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