When it arrives in the fall of 2021, the 2022 Subaru BRZ will be armed with 228 horsepower. It will weigh as little as 2,815 pounds. The center of gravity will be even lower than the current BRZ, on par with some of the world’s most expensive hypercars. And its chassis will have 50% more torsional stiffness than the current model.
The BRZ is a sports car in the mold of sports cars from the 1960s, when GT cars like the Triumph GT6 or the MGB GT not only provided the basis for an intimidating competitor but could also bring the driver, a passenger, and a weekend’s worth of luggage and equipment to the mountains for a ski holiday. With the model’s fixed roof and generous cargo area, it’s the sports car to own when your only car is a sports car.
This is the recipe for sports car purity.
How much horsepower does the 2022 Subaru BRZ deliver?
The 2022 Subaru BRZ arrives with 228 horsepower from its 2.4-liter, naturally aspirated 4-cylinder SUBARU BOXER® engine. With 228 hp, this engine delivers up to 14% more power than the current BRZ. Torque is also up by 15% in an engine that redlines at 7,000 rpm.
Watch pro driver Scott Speed and the 2022 BRZ make a cameo in the latest Gymkhana video.
How much does the 2022 Subaru BRZ weigh?
In the early days of sports car racing in the United States, it wasn’t unusual for competitors to arrive at Lime Rock in Connecticut or Willow Springs in California and then remove items like spare tires, passenger seats and inner door panels to reduce weight. You can go fast with power, but you can also go fast with lighter weight.
Depending on the trim level and transmission, the BRZ will tip the scales at 2,815 pounds. That makes it the lightest 2+2 rear-drive sports car in America.
When a car this light gets up to a 28-horsepower increase, it’s major news – and that’s because of how much weight each of those ponies has to move around. Think of it this way: Each of the 2.4-liter’s 228 horses moves about 8.0 pounds of BRZ.
Where is the center of gravity in the 2022 Subaru BRZ?
A high center of gravity makes a car feel as if it wants to topple over when it corners. Lower center of gravity is always an improvement.
All Subaru vehicles, including the BRZ, have a horizontally opposed Boxer Engine. Instead of the cylinders being mounted vertically, they’re aimed horizontally and the cylinders, pistons and cylinder heads are mounted as much as a foot lower than a conventional inline engine, which keeps the center of gravity amazingly low.
The 2020 Subaru BRZ already had one of the lowest centers of gravity of any vehicle in production. The design and engineering of the 2022 BRZ push it even lower, putting it on par with some of the world’s most exotic hypercars.
What is the weight distribution of a 2022 Subaru BRZ?
The BRZ has always benefited from a near-50/50 weight distribution. With a low center of gravity and evenly split weight distribution, the result is what engineers refer to as a “low polar moment of inertia.” In the simplest terms, when mass is concentrated in the center of the vehicle – top to bottom, side to side, front to rear – it’s easier to turn.
How stiff is the chassis of the 2022 Subaru BRZ?
Like the model that came before it, the 2022 BRZ uses a bespoke chassis. But it uses design elements from the Subaru Global Platform, which has allowed vehicles like the Forester and the Crosstrek to become stiffer than ever before. As a result, the BRZ chassis is now more rigid than ever with a reinforced chassis mounting system, subframe architecture and other connection points.
Engineers measure front lateral bending rigidity to understand just how much a car flexes during hard cornering. The front lateral bending rigidity of the BRZ has been increased by 60% for the 2022 model, which translates into improved turn-in – the transition from straight-line driving to cornering.
What transmissions are offered on the 2022 Subaru BRZ?
This is a driver’s car, no matter which transmission you choose. The standard transmission is a six-speed manual that gives the driver the ultimate in control and connection.
There’s also a six-speed automatic transmission option that’s dramatically improved with advanced programming for a heightened driving experience. The transmission has a new Sport mode, allowing for rapid downshifts as well as automatic rev-matching that uses the car’s yaw sensors to hold the transmission in a lower gear during hard cornering.
What advanced safety technology is available on the 2022 Subaru BRZ?
Selecting the automatic on the Limited trim also opens the availability of Subaru EyeSight® Driver Assist Technology with automatic Pre-Collision Braking1 for the first time on the BRZ.
EyeSight monitors the road ahead to notify you of a situation that could cause a crash, and it can apply the brakes fully if you don’t react in time. EyeSight also includes advanced cruise control functions that allow the driver to set a prescribed distance between the BRZ Limited and the car ahead, which will adjust the speed accordingly down to a full stop.
Are there design changes in the 2022 Subaru BRZ?
The BRZ is a sports car unlike any on the road today. It allows drivers to avoid the sacrifice between driving performance and practicality.
The BRZ allows room for up to four, and the folding rear seats open up a cargo area large enough to carry a mountain bike, golf clubs or even a full set of tires for track day. The BRZ features an aluminum roof, front fenders and hood, further assisting the center of gravity.
For 2022, the BRZ was penned with striking new styling: modern, agile and powerful, with focused and functional aerodynamic details. The car is just over an inch longer and close to a half inch lower than its predecessor.
Aggressive fender arches up front are functional; they allow room for the uppermost suspension points. The “greenhouse” – the glass portion of a car’s passenger cabin – is narrowed and accentuates the bold fender flares. Those fenders have large, functional side vents that direct airflow from under the hood and fenders to a side sill spoiler that creates down-force at track speeds. Even the small fin at the back of the rear-wheel arch is functional, adding to stability at speed. The rear hatch terminates in an upturned “ducktail” spoiler.
What does the interior look like on the 2022 Subaru BRZ?
The interior of the BRZ was completely redesigned with an emphasis on improving driver focus for 2022. Despite riding in deeply contoured bucket seats, the BRZ still offers the driver a clear view of the road ahead thanks to thin A-pillars.
The car features a new, customizable 7-inch digital dashboard with a dial tachometer front and center and the speed shown as an integral digital readout. A programmable meter to the left of the tachometer can be customized to show amps, water temperature or a G-meter.
In Track mode, the tachometer automatically shifts to a linear graph with a color display for quicker reading, allowing the driver to focus on the road.
The focal point of the center stack is a new 8.0-inch infotainment touchscreen with the latest SUBARU STARLINK MultimediaSystem,2 including standard smartphone integration with Apple CarPlay3 and Android Auto4 as well as Bluetooth5 hands-free phone connectivity and audio streaming, rear-vision camera and SiriusXM6 services.
The 2022 BRZ arrives Fall 2021. Click here for the latest updates from Subaru.
1 EyeSight is a driver-assist system that may not operate optimally under all driving conditions. The Pre-Collision Braking System is designed to provide automatic braking that either prevents a collision or reduces the severity of a frontal impact. The driver is always responsible for safe and attentive driving. System effectiveness depends on many factors, such as vehicle maintenance, weather, and road conditions. See your Owner’s Manual for complete details on system operation and limitations. 2 Compatible smartphone and application required. For applications to operate, latest version of each application required. Data provided by smartphone is displayed on head unit screen. Some state laws prohibit the operation of handheld electronic devices while operating a vehicle. Smartphone apps should only be launched when vehicle is safely parked. Your wireless carrier’s rates may apply. 3 Apple CarPlay® is a registered trademark of Apple, Inc. 4 Android Auto™ is a trademark of Google, Inc. 5 Bluetooth® is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. 6 Activation and required monthly subscription sold separately. Includes trial subscription. See your retailer for details.
