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Is the Subaru BRZ STI being teased really only a tS version?

Teaser images of a purported Subaru BRZ STI were uncovered last night and sent the internet into a collective state of hysterics. That's not hugely surprising, though, considering the reverence that the BRZ, along with its fraternal twins, the Scion FR-S and Toyota GT86, have garnered from the automotive media. The sole sticking point, really, has been its mere 200 horsepower. People have been chomping at the bit over a higher output version of the sublime rear driver.
Those same people may be in for a disappointment, though. See, the BRZ STI that was teased last night might not be a real STI. Instead, it's looking like it might be a BRZ tS. According to 7Tune.com, the timing of the photos posted on Subaru's website lined up with Subaru's 86 Festival at Fuji Speedway, where the Subaru BRZ tS debuted. Despite wearing STI badges, the tS isn't the full-tilt STI model we've been hoping for. Instead, you can think of the relationship between tS models and STI models as sort of like the difference between a BMW 3 Series M Sport and a BMW M3.
Certainly, the speccing of the tS supports that idea. The engine of the BRZ remains untouched in both tS models, which is one of the primary things we expect a full-bore STI to address. A number of interior and exterior styling items have been added, along with Bilstein suspension pieces and six-pot Brembo brakes. The tS sports two different trim levels, with the higher end using Recaro seats, black alloy wheels, and a carbon-fiber rear spoiler. The base tS features silver wheels, standard seats, and all the same suspension and brake upgrades. Adding fuel to the fire that these are not the true STI models is the limited production run - Subaru will only build 750 tS cars.

Production Mazda Vision Coupe concept, GRMN Supra, new BRZ/86 coming

After writing about what's in store for the next-generation Subaru WRX, Japan's Best Car magazine is back with more spy work on what's ahead for the coming Mazda sedan, fighting-spec GRMN Toyota Supra, and next-generation Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86. All three are supposedly headed for previews at this year's Tokyo Motor Show before rolling out in 2021 and 2022. Mazda showed the Vision Coupe concept at the 2017 Tokyo show, then sneaked a mention of a rear- and all-wheel drive "Large Architecture" and two inline-six engines into a 2019 investor's report. Best Car says that concept's production version will house a 3.0-liter Skyactiv-X SPCCI inline-six with "M-Hybrid" 48-volt assistance. Output figures remain a mystery, but the mag says engineers are aiming for 345 horsepower. The real deal isn't slated for dealers until 2022, bringing what Mazda bills as a "BMW, Audi quality car at the price of Volkswagen." A further treat: Best Car says the Hiroshima automaker is laying out a two-door version on the same platform. Not even a month after 2020 Toyota Supra chief engineer Tetsuya Tada told us, "With a sports car, the promise is to offer more performance with each additional version," this report says the full-fat GRMN Supra will raise the stakes. Expected in the latter stages of 2021, the current 335-hp Supra will get an "output eventually close to 400 ps" (about 394 horsepower) from its BMW-source 3.0-liter straight-six. Along with that will come a lighter, stiffer body, and a sportier suspension tune to manage and make the most of the 60-horse increase. Best Car says the next-generation Toyota 86 / Subaru BRZ will move to a new platform, without specifying whether it would be Toyota's TNGA platform suggested by a report in April — not that there are many other options. Neither the footprint nor the body dimensions are predicted to change, and transmissions will continue to include a six-speed manual and a six-speed automatic. The new platform will hold a new engine, although it won't be the revelation many fans want. The magazine says the Subaru 2.0-liter FA20 will retire, making way for the Subaru 2.4-liter FA24. The FA24 is the same engine in the Subaru Ascent crossover, where it produces 260 hp and 277 lb-ft. There'll be no such fireworks for the sporty twins due in the first half of 2021, output reported to be "improved to 220 ps," or 217 hp — a 12-hp bump over the current figure.

Subaru's new, more powerful Crosstrek is nearly as efficient as the existing model

Subaru quietly confirmed the Crosstrek will receive a bigger, more powerful 2.5-liter flat-four engine for the 2021 model year. It hasn't released technical details yet, and it kept its silence when Autoblog reached out for more information, but fuel economy figures reveal buyers who order the new four won't spend more time at the pump. Searching for the 2021 Crosstrek on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website shows two engine choices: a 2.0-liter, which has been available since the model went on sale, and a 2.5-liter, which is new for 2021. The latter's fuel economy checks in at 27 mpg in the city, 34 mpg on the highway, and 29 mpg on a combined cycle. For context, the 2.0 posts 28, 33, and 30, respectively. These are tiny differences that most motorists won't notice in real-world conditions, because fuel economy also depends on a variety of factors (like driving style). Subaru's time-tested all-wheel drive system comes standard regardless of displacement, and the EPA data (which our eagle-eyed colleagues at Motor Trend first spotted) suggest the 2.5-liter will exclusively be offered with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The smaller flat-four's fuel economy figures drop to 22, 29, and 25, respectively, when it's bolted to the six-speed manual gearbox Subaru offers as standard. As we reported earlier, the 2.5-liter will power a Crosstrek trim level named Sport that will join the range for the 2021 model year. The existing Limited model will receive the bigger engine, too, while the rest of the range will carry on with the 2.0-liter. The extra horsepower will carry a price premium, but pricing hasn't been announced. Its horsepower and torque figures remain under wraps, too, but we're betting the Crosstrek will receive the naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter already available in the Forester, the Outback, and the Legacy. It makes 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque in all three applications, numbers that will very likely carry over to the Crosstrek's specifications sheet. The 2.0-liter is rated at 152 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. Subaru will introduce the 2021 Crosstrek in the coming weeks. And, although the Impreza is very closely related to the Crosstrek, there's no indication it will also receive the 2.5-liter, though Subaru could surprise us. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.