- the next-generation subaru brz and toyota 86 are coming, and there's a lot of speculation on what will power them.
- they're expected to use a version of subaru's 2.4-liter flat-four, either turbocharged to produce around 260 horsepower or naturally aspirated with around 217 horsepower.
- the 2022 subaru brz and toyota 86 will debut shortly after production of the current-gen cars ends this year, and they should arrive in the u.s. sometime next year.
subaru and toyota's shared brz and 86 rear-wheel-drive sports cars are finally getting their first redesign since they debuted for the 2012 model year. subaru has confirmed to car and driver that it will not offer the brz for the 2021 model year, and toyota says it will end production of the 86 this fall, meaning the new generation is coming. the second-generation sports cars should arrive next year, and here's what we know about them so far.
as seen in spy photos and our illustrations, the brz and 86 will retain the same sports-coupe-esque shape but with a slightly more sloped hood and more pronounced hips. the headlights will get a more streamlined look and the grille will be marginally smaller with a black honeycomb pattern. an integrated lip spoiler will replace the first-generation car's small fixed rear wing, and the new taillights could have either an led light bar that connects the two or a stylistic line between them.
toyota could also add two letters to the 86's name as well, naming it the gr86 and adding it to its gazoo racing portfolio alongside the gr supra and the upcoming gr corolla hot hatch.
the biggest question is if the next-gen sports cars will continue to use a naturally aspirated engine or switch to forced induction to make more power. the consensus of the many rumors swirling about the new cars' powertrain is that they will use a version of subaru's 2.4-liter flat-four, either turbocharged to produce around 260 horsepower or naturally aspirated with around 217 horsepower. either way, this engine will provide a bump over the current-generation's naturally aspirated 2.0-liter flat-four with 205 horsepower and 156 lb-ft of torque. but we're really hoping for the turbo's additional 55 ponies, and if the next-gen sports cars don't come standard with a manual gearbox, we'll be very disappointed.
subaru and toyota both declined to confirm whether or not the new 86 and brz will use the more potent turbocharged engine. the 260-hp four would, however, outmuscle the supra 2.0's 255-hp turbocharged four-cylinder. that much overlap between the 86 and the base supra might seem odd, but we think it's possible, as the supra lineup also includes a significantly more powerful inline-six and may expand to include even higher-powered variants in the future.
the 2022 subaru brz and toyota 86 should make their official debut shortly after the current-generation cars' production ends, which could mean as soon as the end of this year. they'll arrive in the u.s. sometime next year with a starting price around $30,000.