UPDATE: Subaru BRZ local launch now expected in December

Update, May 31: Subaru Australia has told WhichCar its next-generation BRZ will most likely be launched locally in December, with customer deliveries expected at the same time.

The hotly anticipated two-door sports coupe was expected to be released slightly earlier in the fourth quarter of 2021, however, it now seems certain we'll have to wait just that bit longer before we see the BRZ Down Under.

It's not been confirmed at this stage why the BRZ's local launch has been pushed back, but with the global semiconductor shortage affecting almost every automaker in the world, we'd hazard a guess it has something to do with the delay.

May 3: The 2021 Subaru BRZ has been teased on a recently added section of the Japanese automaker’s website that allows Aussie buyers to register their interest in the new two-door coupe.

The second-generation sportscar is due for a local launch later this year, with Subaru confirming customer deliveries will begin in quarter four of 2021.

Pricing and specifications are still to be unveiled, however, new details indicate the six-speed automatic variant of the BRZ will come with a revised sport mode and Subaru’s EyeSight driver assist technology – a first for the moniker.

10

The carmaker was also keen to point out that less than 50 examples of the current-generation BRZ were left in Australia.

Aside from revised styling that gives the sportscar an overall more mature and sophisticated appearance than the car it will replace, the new BRZ also gets a significant bump in performance, not only mechanically, but also dynamically.

The 2.0-litre four-cylinder boxer engine has been bored out to 2.4-litres, and the increased displacement has brought with it a power bump to the tune of 170kW and 250Nm (up 18kW and crucially 32Nm on the outgoing BRZ).

10

This increased shove is said to fix one of the current BRZ’s biggest problems – the disappointing lack of torque which occurs roughly halfway through the car’s rev range.

Speaking of redlines, the new BRZ’s has dropped compared to its predecessor, now revving to 7500rpm rather than 7700rpm.

A thoroughly reworked chassis provides approximately 60 per cent more front lateral bending stiffness and roughly 50 per cent more torsional rigidity than the current iteration of the sportscar.

10

Subaru says the taught new body translates to a better steering, nimbler handling and a more composed sportscar all round, which should make for a better experience on both road and track.

Be sure to circle back to WhichCar as we bring you more details about the new 2021 Subaru BRZ.