The Subaru Boxer engine, Rear-wheel drive, Zenith (BRZ) is a legend amongst gearheads. It's affordable, has a boxer engine, and rear-wheel-drive, all of which combined make the BRZ the perfect base car for any racer.
Developed jointly by Toyota and Subaru, and eventually manufactured at Subaru's Gunma assembly plant, this 2+2 fastback coupe has had a production run from 2012 to 2021, with a new and improved model being released in 2022. The all-new 2022 Subaru BRZ has already made some waves in the market. Some enthusiasts are a bit upset that it won't be released with a turbocharged motor, but that might change.
But as the first generation waves goodbye to the showroom floor, it is still one of the best entry-level sports cars on the preowned market and has been reached a legendary status that's honestly not surprising.
Whether you're into production car racing, Group A touring car racing, rallying, or drifting, this is a solid car to call your own. And while it is perfect for all these motorsports, it's also simple and has tons mods for you to do, which eventually will ensure your Subaru BRZ takes the podium. So, let's talk about what modifications you should do on your Subaru BRZ!
8 Wheels
A stock Subaru BRZ | Toyota 86 is packaged with 17" x 7" tires. Which means you'll have no problem fitting 17" or 18". Just be aware to allow space for upgraded brake calipers. Some brands will ensure that these aftermarket wheels will be accomodating.
Enkei RPF1 are sleek and elegant rims, available in black, white, and silver. We'd recommend splashing out on tires and wheels. The more budget you set aside, the better your grip will be.
You'll want to wrap these wheels in the best rubber. Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 will allow you to tear it up around the track and will still take you home. And if you're looking for a wider tire, you can fit a pair of 18" x 9,5".
Although if you're keen for semi-slicks, for extra grip, you can fit a set of BFGoodrich R1S. Just be warned not to fit them as a daily runner set. Depending on your plans for the car, the stock tires are totally suitable for regular driving. But those aren't your plans for your beauty! Now that you've selected your wheels, it's time to invest in some epic brakes.
7 Brakes
There's no point in upping the power under the hood if you can't stop. The stock brake caliper set is good for everyday driving, but we're certain you want to take it to the track, or mountain gravel track! The Brembo GT M kits are perfect for this. According to Brembo's website, the kit consists of:
...one-piece or composite ventilated discs that can be either drilled or slotted; 4, 6 and 8 piston aluminum calipers; a complete set of high performance pads; metal-braided hoses and high quality hardware.
As you'd expect, they use motorsports-derived components to ensure you fit the best to your Subaru BRZ.
While this kit delivers racing technology, it also looks great with multiple color options.
6 Suspension
Dialing in your car's suspension is important when you're looking at going faster. Which in turn means you'll be able to out-handle your competition on the track. When your car rolls off the assembly line it usually has softer suspension to ensure you don't push it too hard on the street.
Ensuring that your suspension is tuned for the exact racing you're planning for will help you climb to that podium position. And, when choosing your coilovers, make sure to do some research with regards to spring rates, spring and valve adjustability, top mount, and monotube design. You can fit your BRZ with an Öhlins Road and Track BRZ Coilover set, as it has 20 damping adjustment levels, 4kg/mm spring rate on the front, and 3kg/mm on the rear, as well as being a monotube construction.
Öhlins is one of the world's biggest suspension companies and with such a huge selection of adjustable levels you can really tune your suspension to what you need.
While this set is all-inclusive, if you're looking at being a track day BRZ driver, you'll still need to install some sway bars to ensure that you cut out that understeer bias that your car came with from the factory setup. By stiffening the car you make sure to push it to the ragged edge. Products like the Voodoo13 Sway Bars will ensure that you don't snap your standard sway bars while going sideways around a corner. They also allow for adjustments, depending on the track and motorsport you're involved in. If you're looking to just upgrade the car for aesthetics, then an air-suspension set is the way to go, but if you're looking to hack down on those lap times in your BRZ it's time for more power.
5 Headers
For those who want their Subaru BRZ | Toyota 86 to pump out as much power as possible you'll need to consider installing a new set of headers. These headers direct the exhaust gas away from the cylinder head along runners, eventually moving towards a collector. There are two type of headers, the first is the equal-header, which directs the exhaust gases along equal lengths of runners. The second is the unequal-length which will force gas along two runners of unequal length to the merge point.
Equal headers will ensure increases in power throughout the rev-range, and if you have the cash you can splash out on an ACE Type-A 350 tuned by Delicious Tune. It's ceramic coated so, less heat is emitted and more is retained, pushing up power.
As we mentioned, these headers eventually merge together into the midpipe, going into the muffler and out of the exhaust pipes/tips. So, let's look at exhaust systems for your BRZ.
4 Exhaust
The Subaru BRZ | Toyota 86 come's standard with a cat-back exhaust system. This comprises a mid pipe, muffler, and two exhaust tips. With aftermarket systems, you're looking for straighter and wider pipes. This ups power, as well as noise.
If you are looking for more power, but not an over the top "farting"* (*the manufacturer not us) noise system, the Perrin BRZ Exhaust System is easy to install, looks good, and allows for extra airflow to help you grab some extra power out of your boxer engine, while still offering forced induction.
While this does deliver more power, if you're looking at catapulting your Subaru past the competition, then it is time to remap that ECU.
3 Remapping ECU
The ECU (Engine Control Unit) is the brain of your engine. It controls the fuel and air mixture, which ignites different cylinders, and if you have a turbo, will control that sucker too. When it leaves the factory the ECU is programmed for daily driving, but you want to drive your BRZ to the limit.
Just be warned if you do remap your ECU you can void your powertrain/engine warranty. But if you own a 2013 Subaru BRA that's expired now.
Anyway! Make sure to select a trusted brand when doing a remap, like Openflash or EcuTek as skimping on a budget can have major knock-on effects. This being said, a properly remapped car can produce more power, become more fuel-efficient, sync with your phone for on-the-move information, and perform tasks such as launch control, flat-foot shifting, set per-gear rev limits, and more. All of these benefits will help you go faster with some programming.
But then again - some of you want to go FASTER!
2 TURBO!
While the new 2022 Subaru BRZ isn't being sold with a turbo that doesn't mean you shouldn't slap one on yourself. After all, you've already poured days into this upgrade!
Every turbo kit guarantees massive power gains. If you're feeling like your car should be edging into supercar levels, slapping a full-blown Motorsports Kit stage 2 will do the trick. This kit can support well beyond 700 horsepower with additional mods.
Basically, if you fit this into your vehicle it's in a new league. We'd recommend only that experts make this modification. But if you're wondering why anyone would want this much power under the hood, and you just want your car to look the part. Then let's talk about something else.
1 Aerodynamics
While the manufacturers of these kits will claim that a performance aerodynamics kit will help with high-speed handling on and off the track, we think it also looks cool.
There's such a huge variety to choose from, with options in every price range. It's up to your personal tastes what you want to add.
With the Subaru BRZ | Toyota 86 there are honestly so many tuning options. You can spend a lifetime inspecting every listing on the web for individual parts.
Other modifications you can think about adding include: seats, sound systems, lights, paint, seat belts, nitrous, and pulleys. At the end of the day, you do you! And honestly, we need more cars like the Subaru BRZ.