Tag Archives: boxer engine

A Quick Subaru BRZ – Turbo and WRX Rumour Mill Update

Motor Trend is reporting today that a spokesperson from Subaru of America has confirmed that not only will the Subaru BRZ receive a turbo charged engine which will be branded as a WRX model.  But all of the brands WRX models will be receiving the FA20 2.0-liter boxer engine that was jointly developed with Toyota.  Current WRX models are powered by a 2.5-liter turbo boxer engine that has its power dialed up to 265hp in WRX format and 305hp in STI models.

2013 Subaru BRZ - How good would a Trubo look in that Engine Bay?

The FA20 engine which is producing 200hp and 150 lb-ft of torque in its naturally aspirated form will see an increase of 70hp through the use of turbo charging.  Oddly enough though this same spokesperson also indicated that the same turbo charged engine will be used in the Toyota GT-86 and Scion FR-S twin sisters.  This statement contradicts a second report that we uncovered yesterday from Toyota that indicated that Toyota’s TRD performance division had decided to go the route of supercharging the FA20 engine in their models.

The co-developed Subaru / Toyota - FA20 2.0-liter 4-cylindar boxer engine

We will let you know how the chips fall as soon as they do.

To read more about the Subaru BRZ, Turbo Rumor Click Here: http://wp.me/p1sgG3-In

To read more about the Toyota/TRD, Supercharger Rumor Click Here: http://wp.me/p1sgG3-HF

To get the full Subaru BRZ Specs Click Here: http://wp.me/p1sgG3-Hg


The Toyota FT-86 Concept – Hero or Zero?

The Toyota FT-86 Concept has left me with many more questions than answers. Questions that I don’t think Toyota wants us to ask. We should be curious about the Performance numbers, the fuel mileage, and can anyone with legs fit in the back seat?

Instead I am wondering if Toyota can still remember how to build a sports car? The last model year for the now legendary Supra was back in 2002, and the Celica took its last breath early in 2006. Then there was the newest hyper car the Lexus LFA. That car only took 9 years to bring to production a fact that is reflected in the astronomical price tag. That leaves us with Scion, but ops this post is about sports cars. Which leads into another question; has anyone in the Toyota engineering department ever been caught day dreaming on the job about cruising up the Sea to Sky Highway in a tC? Somehow I doubt it.

I question their decision to go with a non-traditional boxer 4 cylinder engine? When traditional inline 4 cylinder engines are one of the pillars that Toyota built their company on? Bullet proof 4 cylinders? So why then go over to the boxer dark side instead of investing in direct injection technology? I can only guess that engine development was a homework task for project partner Subaru, which is strange because you would have thought that Subaru would have wanted to have put their name on the sign-up sheet beside drive train. My experience has shown me that they are a company known for three things: 1) Being a serious manufacture competing for the world rally championship year after year 2) Symmetrical all wheel drive 3) The love of watching over weight men wash cars. The third item must be a Japanese thing?

In reality there is really only one question that I truly need answered. When the Toyota FT-86 Concept goes into production will it be a hardcore sports car like the Supra or a 2 door wash out like the Celica?


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