If you’re old school – like me – you’re going to love the limited edition 2018 Subaru BRZ tS sports car.
The Subaru BRZ delivers a purist sports car driving experience while also offering comfort and practicality for everyday driving. Limited to 500 production units, the tS (which is shorthand for tuned by STI) delivers track handling performance and exclusive aerodynamic design enhancements.
BRZ is powered by a four-cylinder, direct-inject, Subaru Boxer engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The rear-wheel drive generates 205 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 156 lb.-ft. of torque at 6,400 rpm.
The car officially seats four, but the bucket seats, which provided comfortable legroom for front passengers, left zero legroom for rear passengers. My thinking is it’s a great two-seater, with extra storage space in the back. The rear seats fold flat, which – surprise, surprise, surprise — allows enough room for two full size golf bags.
Despite my inefficient driving style — a guys gotta do his job, right? — the BRZ tS delivered 26 miles per gallon in combination of city and highway driving
The BRZ tS takes full advantage of the sports car’s light weight, ultra-low center of gravity and precision handling, adding greater flexibility and better control and stability. But it’s probably not built for 61-year olds, as I fell into the driver’s seat, and fought gravity and creaky knees to extract myself.
How does all the magic happen? STI-tuned front and rear dampers and coil springs as well as flexible V-braces in the engine compartment for starters. New draw stiffeners are added to the chassis and sub-frame to improve steering response.
All I know is the BRZ tS turns with the slightest nudge of a finger. It glides around corners at speed — so I’m guessing it would perform even better on a track. The finishing touch is an exclusive STI carbon-fiber rear wing, which is manually adjustable to fine-tune rear down-force for track driving. The addition of STI front, rear and side under-spoilers helps control airflow for better traction and stability.
BRZ tS features special cabin appointments including black leather and Alcantara upholstery with contrasting red stitching. The front seats feature red leather bolsters, and the seatbacks are embroidered with the tS logo. Red accents appear throughout the interior, including the steering wheel, door and dash panels, knee pads and the shifter and parking brake boots.
BRZ comes in premium and limited trims, upholding Subaru’s tradition of outstanding value with a long list of standard amenities. Key among these is the Starlink multimedia system that includes a 6.2-in. high resolution multi-function touch screen display, AM/FM/XM stereo and HD radio, single-disc in-dash CD player, eight speakers, Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity and audio streaming, smartphone integration with Pandora and Aha and a rear-vision camera.
My tester also included dual-zone automatic climate control, keyless access with push-button start and a full security system that augments the engine immobilizer.
The BRZ tS made me feel young — and wish that I was on vacation with visions of my bride and I racing down the Pacific Highway, Monterrey, and Big Sur.
Base Price: $34,355
Price As Driven: $34,905
Base Price includes destination charge. Vehicles are provided by the manufacturer. List price may vary at local dealerships.
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