Latest news with #SubaruBRZ
Motor 1
19-07-2025
- Automotive
- Motor 1
The Toyota GR86 Hakone Is for the Purist on a Budget: Video Review
The Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ have an annoying shadow. To some enthusiasts–read: The Internet–it's underpowered, cheap-feeling, and not enough car to be considered a sports car. Its boxer engine inspires no passion within the hearts of drivers, while its McPherson strut front suspension is inferior to that of the Mazda Miata. To many, the Subaru-based sports car twins are simply not enough. Every single one of those people is wrong. I owned a 2023 BRZ for 16 months and found it to be one of the most pleasurable ownership experiences I've ever had. And in asking for the new, lightly updated 2025 GR86 Hakone, I wanted to see how one of the only true sports cars on the market has evolved since my ownership. The Hakone gets the typical Performance Pack upgrades: Brembo big brakes all around, and Sachs dampers on all four corners versus the BRZ tS' front Hitachi units. While there are no powertrain upgrades, it does get a stunning colorway of Ridge Green, gold wheels, and tan interior accents. Completing the effect are a steering and throttle recalibration, which all 2025 GR86s get. For our latest YouTube video, I took a close look at how the world around the GR86 has changed since its debut in 2022, and evaluated Toyota's updates versus the first versions of the car. The GR86 might be the most balanced sports car experience you can buy new. To find out the reasons why, you'll just have to watch the video above. More on the GR86 The 2026 Toyota GR86 Yuzu Edition Has Scion Vibes Toyota Built the AWD GR86 Rally Car of Our Dreams Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
CTV News
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- CTV News
Ottawa's Erika Hoffmann is Porsche's latest racecar-driving phenom
Erika Hoffmann started racing in 2019 at Calabogie Motorsports Park and now represents Canada within the Porsche Mobil 1 Female Driver Program. (Dylan Dyson/CTV News Ottawa) It was a cold call to Calabogie Motorsports Park six years ago that changed Erika Hoffmann's life. Since she first took to the streets of Barrhaven, she had a passion for driving but never felt fulfilled. 'As I got older, I got my driver's license and I was driving down the road and I was like, well, this isn't cutting it. I want to, like, actually drive,' Hoffmann told CTV News Ottawa. To the 28-year-old, actually driving is different than a zip out to the grocery store or changing lanes on Highway 417. It's a driver pushing the limits of a car, right to the edge of the track and the edge of your seat. After making a call to the racetrack in Calabogie, Hoffmann says she would do anything to thrust herself into the racing scene, whether that was volunteering at racing events, providing extra hands at the racetrack, or getting in and learning from racing teams that had garages in the Ottawa Valley. Once she found her groove, she brought out her own car, a Subaru BRZ, to Canada's longest racetrack and started clocking lap times. 'I started racing in 2019 here at Calabogie Motorsports Park. I started by taking my own car, which is the street version of this car (a Toyota GR),' she said. 'I didn't know anybody who raced. I didn't know it was an option for me. Honestly, I thought you had to grow up in Europe and be a millionaire who started karting at the age of three, so I just didn't see it as an option,' she added, referring to the lack of racing culture in Ottawa. Calabogie Motorsports Park offers the opportunity for anybody interested in racing to rent track time or the Toyota GR vehicles and learn about the sport. 'In 2022, I kind of got my big break,' says Hoffmann on when the wheels of her racing career really started turning. 'I entered this international driver search competition and there were a thousand drivers from 35 countries. And then I got to the top ten and I was like, oh my gosh, I could actually do this thing. 'I placed first overall, won a seat race in a McLaren GT4 car in Europe, immediately moved to England within two weeks, and was on grid for my first official race, racing in the UK's GT Cup.' Hoffmann has since returned to Canada and North America where she has earned a seat with the Porsche Mobil 1 Female Driver Program, becoming the first Canadian to do so. 'It's really cool to get to represent Canada within the Porsche Mobil 1 Female Driver Program. I'm the only Canadian. And it's really cool to get to see how motorsports is growing within Canada, how more and more fans are coming out.' Erika Hoffmann Erika Hoffmann has earned a seat with the Porsche Mobil 1 Female Driver Program, becoming the first Canadian to do so. (Dylan Dyson/CTV News Ottawa) Starting a racing career from scratch is as much work off the track as it is on it, according to Hoffmann. In a sport as expensive as racing, sponsors pave the way for drivers like the Ottawa native to be given a chance. From buying racing tires for her Subaru BRZ to now sitting behind the wheel of a Porsche Cayman Clubsport GT4 RS on the most notable tracks in North America, the last six years have been a whirlwind for Hoffmann. 'Whenever I'm in the paddock and I'm like looking at my Porsche, I'm like, that's my car. And being on the podium, everything has been so surreal to actually get to experience it.' During her time building a reputation on track, Hoffmann also started Slate Racing, an all-Canadian female racing team, with the goal of creating more opportunities for women in motorsport. 'I think motorsports is really growing. There are more and more women getting involved in it and it's really opening up, which I think is amazing for the sport.' In all of her races, Hoffmann competes against mostly men. According to Slate Racing, female drives make up just seven per cent of professional drivers globally. 'For me, you don't want to be a female driver, you just want to be a driver. We just want to get it to the point where it doesn't matter who you are, it just matters whether you can drive fast.' And for Hoffmann, she can drive pretty fast, reaching up to 250 kilometres an hour in her Porsche racecar. In her last two races on the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America circuit, she has landed on the podium both times. 'Currently, I'm third in the championship for my season, which is pretty awesome. Being a rookie, I also don't have much testing (pre-race) because I'm running on a pretty slim budget compared to some of my competitors.' Hoffmann says when driving a racecar, you should be looking as far ahead on the track as possible. With just four races left on the calendar for this season, she has the finish line and her future within eyesight. 'My goal for next season will be to race the GT3 Cup car, just keep moving up within the ranks and then eventually do Carrera Cup, and then IMSA is the long-term goal.'
Time Business News
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- Time Business News
2025 Toyota GR86: Price, Features & BRZ Comparison
The Toyota GR86 is a sports car that ignites passion. It's fast, stylish, and budget-friendly. For drivers who crave excitement, this car delivers. Part of Toyota's Gazoo Racing (GR) lineup, it offers pure driving joy. In this guide, we'll explore its price, features, and how it compares to the Subaru BRZ. Additionally, we'll cover models like the Toyota CHR Hybrid and Toyota GT86. Let's dive into the adventure! The GR86 is a lightweight, rear-wheel-drive coupe. It's built for thrilling drives. For example, its low center of gravity ensures precise cornering. Moreover, the sleek design and powerful engine attract car enthusiasts. The GR86 builds on the legacy of the Toyota GT86 and iconic Toyota AE86. Best of all, it's affordable compared to other Toyota sports cars. Engine: 2.4L 4-cylinder boxer Horsepower: 228 hp Torque: 184 lb-ft Transmission: 6-speed manual or automatic Drive: Rear-wheel drive Fuel Economy: 20 MPG city, 27 MPG highway (manual); 21 MPG city, 31 MPG highway (automatic) Starting Price: $31,085 The car is designed for performance. For instance, it offers sharp control. Features like Brembo brakes and SACHS dampers (on higher trims) enhance handling. Meanwhile, the Hakone Edition adds unique style with Ridge Green paint and bronze wheels. The starting price for the 2025 model is $31,085 for the base trim. The Premium trim costs $33,405. Furthermore, the Hakone Edition is priced at $36,405. These prices make it a top pick among sports cars. In comparison, the Subaru BRZ starts at $32,380, slightly higher. Here's a table showing the 2025 prices: Trim Starting Price Key Features Base $31,085 6-speed manual, 17-inch wheels, 6 speakers Premium $33,405 18-inch wheels, 8 speakers, heated seats Hakone Edition $36,405 Brembo brakes, SACHS dampers, Ridge Green paint Prices vary by region. For example, in the UAE, the Toyota GR86 price is around AED 108,000 ($29,400 USD). Therefore, always check with local dealers for exact costs. The GR86 boasts impressive specs. Its 2.4-liter boxer engine produces 228 horsepower. This is a significant upgrade from the Toyota GT86's 2.0-liter engine. As a result, it hits 0-60 mph in 6.1 seconds (manual) or 6.6 seconds (automatic). Additionally, its lightweight design enhances agility. Engine Type: 2.4L naturally aspirated 4-cylinder boxer Horsepower: 228 hp at 7,000 rpm Torque: 184 lb-ft at 3,700 rpm Top Speed: Around 140 mph Weight: 2,811 pounds (base trim) The rear-wheel-drive setup ensures sharp handling. For example, it excels in tight corners. The car also features Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), adjustable for track driving. Consequently, drivers can push the limits safely. 2025 Toyota GR86 Engine The interior is driver-focused. It has sporty seats and a simple layout. Moreover, the 8-inch touchscreen supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims add heated seats and an 8-speaker audio system. However, the rear seats are small, better suited for storage than passengers. The GR86 includes Toyota's Active Safety Suite (automatic models only). This features: Automatic emergency braking Lane departure warning Adaptive cruise control Similarly, the Subaru BRZ offers Subaru's EyeSight system. Both cars include airbags and anti-theft features. As a result, they prioritize safety without sacrificing fun. The GR86 and Subaru BRZ are like siblings. They share the same platform and engine. However, they have unique traits. Let's break it down. Both cars use a 2.4L boxer engine with 228 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. They offer manual or automatic transmissions. The GR86 reaches 0-60 mph in 5.8 seconds, slightly faster than the BRZ's 5.9 seconds. Moreover, the GR86's stiffer suspension feels sportier. In contrast, the BRZ's softer suspension offers a smoother ride. The GR86 has a bold grille and a ducktail spoiler on higher trims. On the other hand, the BRZ has sleeker lines. The Hakone Edition features unique green paint. Similarly, the BRZ's trim, limited to 500 units, sports a vibrant purple color. Therefore, both cars stand out. Both interiors are similar. However, the GR86 offers red or white accents. Meanwhile, the BRZ has blue stitching in its tS trim. The GR86's Premium trim includes Ultrasuede seats, while the BRZ's Limited trim offers comparable features. As a result, both prioritize driver comfort. 2025 Toyota GR86 Interior Here's a table compararison: Model Starting Price Top Trim Price Toyota GR86 $31,085 $36,405 (Hakone) Subaru BRZ $32,380 $37,530 (tS) The GR86 is more affordable. Ascendingly, it includes a free High-Performance Driving Experience. Choose the GR86 for a sportier feel and lower price. Pick the BRZ for a smoother ride and Subaru's reliability. Both are excellent choices for Toyota sports car fans. The GR86 isn't Toyota's only sporty vehicle. Let's compare it to the Toyota CHR Hybrid and Toyota GT86. The Toyota CHR Hybrid is a compact crossover. It focuses on fuel efficiency, not speed. For instance, it gets 43 MPG combined, far better than the GR86's 27 MPG (manual). However, the GR86 offers thrilling handling. In the UAE, the Toyota CHR price starts at AED 95,000 ($25,900 USD). Therefore, the CHR is better for daily commuting. The Toyota GT86 was the GR86's predecessor. The GR86 has a larger 2.4L engine compared to the GT86's 2.0L. It also has more power (228 hp vs. 205 hp). Furthermore, the GR86 features updated styling and a larger touchscreen. As a result, it's the modern choice for performance seekers. The Toyota GR family includes the Corolla GR. This hatchback offers 300 hp and all-wheel drive. However, it's pricier, starting at $36,500. In contrast, the GR86 is more affordable and focuses on lightweight, rear-wheel-drive fun. Consequently, the GR86 is ideal for purists. The 2025 Hakone Edition is a special trim. It's named after Japan's Hakone Turnpike, a famous driving road. This edition includes: Ridge Green exterior paint Bronze 18-inch alloy wheels Tan Ultrasuede interior Brembo brakes and SACHS dampers Only 860 units are available. Therefore, it's highly exclusive. It's perfect for drivers seeking style and performance. 2025 Toyota GR86 The Toyota GR lineup is rooted in racing. The GR86 competes in events like the Super GT Championship. Its lightweight design and balanced chassis make it a track star. Moreover, Toyota's Gazoo Racing team fine-tunes it for performance. As a result, it's a favorite among racers. The GR86 faces rivals like the Mazda MX-5 Miata and Ford Mustang. The Miata has less power (181 hp) but similar handling. Meanwhile, the Mustang offers 315 hp but is pricier. Consequently, the GR86 balances affordability and fun. For example, it's ideal for budget-conscious thrill-seekers. In the UAE, the GR86 is popular among sports car fans. Its price starts at AED 108,000. In contrast, the Toyota CHR price in UAE is lower, but the GR86 offers unmatched thrills. Both cars have sporty designs. However, the GR86 is built for performance driving. Some confuse VSC Lexus with the GR86's Vehicle Stability Control (VSC). VSC prevents skids and is standard on the GR86. For instance, you can adjust it for track driving. Lexus models, like the IS, use VSC for luxury driving. Therefore, the GR86's VSC is tailored for sporty performance. The 2025 GR86 is a top pick. Here's why: Affordable Price: Starts at $31,085, cheaper than rivals. Thrilling Drive: Rear-wheel drive and sharp handling are exciting. Unique Style: The Hakone Edition adds flair. Reliable: Toyota's reputation ensures durability. However, the rear seats are cramped. Also, road noise can be noticeable. Nevertheless, the GR86 offers incredible value for Toyota sports car enthusiasts. Before buying, consider your needs. For example, decide between manual or automatic transmission. The manual offers more engagement, while the automatic is easier for daily driving. Additionally, test-drive different trims. The Hakone Edition is exclusive but pricier. Therefore, weigh style against budget. Finally, check for deals or incentives at local dealers. The GR86 is affordable to maintain. For instance, oil changes cost $50-$80. Tires last around 30,000 miles and cost $600-$800 to replace. Moreover, Toyota's warranty covers 3 years or 36,000 miles. As a result, ownership costs are reasonable for a sports car. However, track driving may increase wear on brakes and tires. How much is a Toyota GR86? The 2025 Toyota GR86 starts at $31,085 for the base trim. The Premium trim costs $33,405, and the Hakone Edition is $36,405. Prices vary by region, like AED 108,000 in the UAE. How much is Toyota GR86? The 2025 Toyota GR86 has a starting price of $31,085. The Premium trim is $33,405, while the Hakone Edition costs $36,405. Regional prices, such as AED 108,000 in the UAE, may differ. When did the Toyota GR86 come out? The second-generation Toyota GR86 was released in December 2021 for the 2022 model year. The 2025 model, with updates like the Hakone Edition, became available in fall 2024. Toyota GR86 how many seats? The Toyota GR86 has a seating capacity of four. However, the rear seats are very cramped, better suited for storage or small children than adults. The 2025 Toyota GR86 is a dream for sports car lovers. Its affordable price, powerful engine, and sharp handling make it a standout. Compared to the Subaru BRZ, it's sportier and cheaper. Whether you choose the Hakone Edition or base trim, it delivers thrills. Ready for the ride? Visit a Toyota dealer today! TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Car and Driver
17-06-2025
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
We Build A Lifted Subaru BRZ Wilderness
The Project Car: Sometimes We Just Can't Leave Well Enough Alone There resides in the human psyche an overwhelming urge to fiddle with a good thing. Which is our excuse for project cars. We once stuffed a Pontiac single-overhead-cam inline-six into a Jaguar XK-E. Who but Car and Driver would install two engines in a Honda CRX? On occasion, projects bore actual fruit: a 212-mph Corvette—427 cubes, 603 horsepower—that we built to celebrate the magazine's 40th. A 150-mph 1998 Ford Crown Victoria that almost won the Hooker's Choice Award in a Nevada race. And an otherwise matronly 1996 Mercedes-Benz E320 that achieved 198 mph with a V-12 in its proboscis. Now, a Subaru BRZ joins that glorious pantheon. Imagine you're driving a Toyota 4Runner. A huge one. Or a Jeep. Yeah, a lifted Jeep. With big tires, antennas for comms, and a Dometic cooler full of Klondike bars. Now imagine thumping along your favorite off-road trail, mixing it up in beautiful brown mud while giant tread blocks stomp over downed tree limbs and reveling in the belief that you won't meet traffic along your secret path. Then, you see it. No, you hear it first. It sounds like a swarm of bees fighting in a civil war. Your heart sinks as the noise moves closer. You can't believe what you're about to ask yourself. Is that . . . a Subaru? Marc Urbano | Car and Driver Driving through a limestone mine is slow going. There lies some rather treacherous sand beneath this cavern's standing water, and it's best to keep the lights on to avoid dropping into the three-acre lake. But on our endeavor, traffic would be of no concern. Just north of Pittsburgh is an off-road passage that leads 250 feet underground into a limestone mine that last had a pickaxe swung at it in 1914. The 0.8-mile loop is part of an off-road tour at Mines & Meadows ATV/RV Resort, which usually allows only side-by-sides and other all-terrain vehicles to pass through the mine's 84-inch-wide entrance. However, the resort made an exception for our project Subie. In the past year, we've made some dramatic changes to one of our favorite sports cars, the four-time 10Best-winning Subaru BRZ. Last year Subaru's public-relations department called and asked what we might want to do with a BRZ sentenced to the crusher after living a life of press-car abuse. We don't know what rev-limiter agony this BRZ experienced, but we thought we'd give it a nice final outing before it met a hydraulic press. Shortly after the automaker's offer, Subaru of New England posted an April Fools' joke on Instagram: a rendering of a BRZ Wilderness. That gag became our goal. Marc Urbano | Car and Driver You're reveling in the belief that you won't see another soul on the way to your secret spot. Then, you see it. No, you hear it first. A mere appearance package wouldn't do for our BRZ Wilderness. Instead, our modifications needed to send the BRZ beyond the Target parking lot filled with TrailSports, Rock Creeks, and Timberlines and into some actual mud. To get us deeper off-road than any BRZ has been, this car would need a higher ground clearance, tires with tough sidewalls to survive many jumps, more LED lighting than a construction site, and an exhaust that would make it as loud as a Ferrari 458 Italia at wide-open throttle. Marc Urbano | Car and Driver Marc Urbano | Car and Driver To build it, we started by raising the suspension two inches. Emboldened by the lifted silhouette, we tore apart the BRZ to reduce the stock car's 2840-pound weight as much as possible. This is arguably the most satisfying part of any project: the removal and wanton destruction of things destined for the trash. It's also the easiest. The BRZ shed 35 pounds after we removed the muffler. Its interior underwent a plastecotomy as we gutted it of unnecessary weight, tearing out carpet and 80 pounds of heated front seats. They'd be replaced by proper racing buckets with six-point safety harnesses that would require a quality roll bar (we'll do a safety cage if we take this car racing). Austin Irwin | Car and Driver To get the parts we needed, the folks at Competition Motorsport in West Des Moines, Iowa, invited us to their toy store. Their showroom looks like Fernando Alonso's walk-in closet, with every size, color, and brand of racing suit, helmet, and glove on display. We left with Sparco Evo seats (weighing a mere 15 pounds each) and a bolt-in roll bar made with Docol R8 high-strength steel. The fabricators here can customize tubing for just about any application, and they welded ours together in three hours before sending it to the paint shop. That's quicker than most Car and Driver staffers answer emails. Austin Irwin | Car and Driver With the installation of new bucket seats, six-point safety harnesses, and a roll bar, we were able to rip out more than 20 pounds of airbags and seatbelts. Austin Irwin | Car and Driver To aid in the BRZ's weight-loss journey, Competition Motorsport also sent us home with a lithium-ion 12-volt battery from Antigravity Batteries. It's 21 pounds lighter than the BRZ's original lead-acid unit and helped keep the finished car's weight below 3000 pounds. Subaru didn't have many directives or guidelines but did ask that we not change the engine. So the 228-hp 2.4-liter flat-four is completely stock, which is probably the primary reason the car remains operational today. Perhaps Subaru knew what so many of us know: Engine modifications have left countless projects permanently on jack stands, much to the chagrin of neighborhood associations the world over. Austin Irwin | Car and Driver Austin Irwin | Car and Driver Forced to leave the BRZ's flat-four alone, and our cherry-picker dreams dashed, we consoled ourselves by engaging in a little Sawzall therapy: We sliced the front bumper in half. Inspired by every press release we've read from Bentley and Pagani, we embraced the "bespoke" concept for the bumper's replacement. Making a new bumper is far outside our welding abilities, however, so we headed to Ishpeming, Michigan, to visit Sub-Zero Fabrication. The owner, Cory Dennis, put together a pre-runner-inspired steel bumper in just two days using 18 feet of 1.5-inch drawn-over-mandrel steel tubing. His custom, er, bespoke solution includes a wide removable skid plate with a gap at the bottom that allows small rocks to escape. That bumper isn't there just for looks. It moves the lowest point of the front end closer to the wheels, greatly improving the approach angle. This earned it a ramp-travel-index score of 231, putting it 231 points higher than the $223,450 Porsche 911 Dakar that couldn't even climb the ramp. Cory Dennis | Car and Driver Subaru typically dresses its Wilderness models with black wheels and Yokohama Geolander A/T tires. To optimize off-road traction, we hit up Yokohama for a set of Advan A053 gravel tires in their softest compound. This rally rubber forced us into a 15-inch wheel, so we went all in on the race-car look with Speedline Corse 2118s. KATHRYN GAMBLE | Car and Driver After author Irwin burned holes through steel tubing during a crash course in TIG welding, Competition Motorsport's top welder, Russ Gyles, told us we had a bright future in flute making. KATHRYN GAMBLE | Car and Driver The Advans are a middle finger to every pothole we've hit near our office that's ever bent a wheel or flattened a tire. Built for abuse, they were unfazed by landing 15 or more jumps. On dirt, you can drive to the limits of personal bravery, and their tread will hold grip or slide the car as much as you choose. On the highway, they emit a lovely whine, a sort of tire-noise equivalent of a GT3 racer's straight-cut gears. With most of its sound deadening in a dumpster, the BRZ is as loud at 70 mph as a Jeep Wrangler 392 at wide-open throttle. The soft compound didn't enjoy going around the paved skidpad, which after just two laps grated the outside tread like it was a block of Parmesan. Though to the tires' credit, they still managed 0.85 g on their way out. More ground clearance came courtesy of a 2.0-inch lift using parts from Anderson Design & Fabrication: steel spacers that we attached above the stock struts, 1.5-inch-tall aluminum pucks that we installed between the chassis and the rear subframe. We later replaced the original struts and steel spacers with a set of Yellow Speed Racing (YSR) Dynamic Pro Gravel Rally coil-overs that promised to be more robust than the stock setup. The YSR coil-overs are giant assemblies that use 55-mm damper bodies, have relatively soft spring rates, and come out of the box as tall as the original front suspension with the spacers attached. The fronts were wonderful. They had the BRZ gliding over speed bumps, potholes, and off-road trails with supreme softness. But the rears gave a back-pulverizing ride and sent the rear end of the car airborne over our parking lot's speed bumps when we were traveling as slow as 13 mph. We're hoping a replacement set cures the harshness, but that didn't stop us from taking the BRZ where no sports car has gone before. Marc Urbano | Car and Driver We chased this April Fools' joke into the depths of that limestone mine, pursuing our goal of going beyond the wilderness and deep into the Earth's crust. The mine maintains an average temperature of 56 degrees Fahrenheit, making it a superb place for cultivating Snow Cap mushrooms; it also seems like a horrifying place to be on mushrooms. Holding up the stone ceiling are damp columns of multimillion-year-old rock that were once illuminated by the tiny headlamps atop the helmets of the men working here. Even with the BRZ's approximately 24,170 lumens of aftermarket front lighting flooding the walls (the Alien Lasers spotlights shouldn't be activated within two miles of an airport), this is still an absolutely forbidding and spooky place to off-road. Just wait until overlanders hear about underlanding. Marc Urbano | Car and Driver We replaced the seat-heater switches with a control for the front 42-inch LED light bar and rear roof- mounted SXSUSA Alien Lasers spotlights. Marc Urbano | Car and Driver A mine shaft is one of the strangest places to drive. It's a lot like parking a car in your parents' garage—a tight fit, overcrowded with stacks of materials that predate your birth. The only vista is darkness, and whatever's living in here will find you before you ever see it. It's fun, but we're still suckers for a good sunset. We put plenty of sweat equity into this build, but the parts alone add up to nearly $15,000. Lamborghini charged more than twice that to turn a base Huracán into a Sterrato, which forgoes a bedroom atop its roof. Our Subie's $46,302 as-tested price is under the starting point of a Honda Civic Type R, which, despite its giant rear wing, isn't getting as many frequent-flyer miles as this BRZ. Austin Irwin | Car and Driver Roof-rack tabs get welded to the roof. We do have regrets. Rear-wheel drive is obviously a significant limiting factor to how far off the pavement you can go. Just getting back to the staging lot of a Michigan off-road park required a running start. Our tent and rally-focused tires cost us in straight-line performance. A 2022 BRZ we tested reached 60 mph in 5.3 seconds and had a trap speed of 100 mph at the quarter-mile mark. With all the stuff attached, our BRZ slowed to 6.1 seconds to 60, and we crossed the quarter-mile 9 mph slower. Racing bucket seats look cool and save weight, but climbing in and out of the cockpit more than twice in a day is a blatant reminder of how much weight we should personally try to lose. We probably also had room for at least eight additional feet of LED lights. Oh well. Marc Urbano | Car and Driver The idea to jump the car with the tent fully open was received with disdain by other tent makers. However, the folks at C6 Outdoor told us to send it. Taking a stock car and making it into exactly what you hope for is never a straight path. It takes hours and hours, which in this case were put in mostly by this author and photo assistant Charley Ladd, whose personal cars languished during the build. Project BRZ continues our tradition of building what manufacturers have yet to make. Here's hoping Subaru's sense of humor is wild enough to sell something like a BRZ Wilderness. Austin Irwin Technical Editor Austin Irwin has worked for Car and Driver for over 10 years in various roles. He's steadily worked his way from an entry-level data entry position into driving vehicles for photography and video, and is now reviewing and testing cars. What will he do next? Who knows, but he better be fast.
The Advertiser
04-06-2025
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Ford Mustang posts best sales in almost seven years
The Ford Mustang has reclaimed its previously long-held position at the top of the sales charts to once again be Australia's most popular sports car. The Mustang coupe and convertible range posted 720 deliveries in May 2025, its best result since the current 'S650' generation was introduced in 2024, despite higher prices accompanying the new model's arrival. That means the Mustang not only beat all rival sports cars in May, but its monthly delivery figure has surpassed all of their year-to-date tallies. That includes the BMW 2 Series Coupe (422 delivered so far this year) and the Subaru BRZ (365). It was also the Mustang's best result since November 2018 when 780 were delivered, its best month of that year when a total of 6412 were delivered. It's still a far cry from Mustang's peak in Australia, which was in May 2017 with a staggering 1351 sales – making it second only to the Ford Ranger in the automaker's lineup – before its best annual tally of 9165. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The Mustang was the best-selling sports car in Australia for seven straight years between 2016 and 2022 after the nameplate was launched in 2015 with a choice of turbocharged four-cylinder and 5.0-litre V8 petrol engines. But the Mustang lost its long-held bragging rights at the top of the sports car sales tree in 2024 after delays in the arrival of the new generation saw it post six straight months of single-figure sales. It included the indignation of an official zero sales result in February 2024. The delay saw the BMW 2 Series become the best-selling sports car in Australia last year, with the Subaru BRZ adding further salt to the wound to push the Mustang back to third place in the sports car stakes. Yet the Mustang – Ford's performance car hero among its SUV- and ute-dominated lineup – has already sold higher numbers year-to-date with 2489 sales in five months than it did in all of 2024, 2023, and 2021. In those three calendar years Ford delivered 1464, 1475 and 1887 Mustangs, respectively. With a monthly average of 498 cars per month, it's set to overtake its 2021 and 2020 annual results (2827 and 2923) in June 2025. That's despite the new generation costing significantly more than its predecessor, with initial price hikes of around $10,000 followed by price rises of between $915 and $2000 for model year 2025 (MY25). The Mustang now kicks off at $66,990 before on-road costs for the 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost coupe with 10-speed automatic. The 5.0-litre V8 with six-speed manual is now priced from $78,990 with a six-speed manual, with the automatic an additional $3000. MORE: Everything Ford Mustang Content originally sourced from: The Ford Mustang has reclaimed its previously long-held position at the top of the sales charts to once again be Australia's most popular sports car. The Mustang coupe and convertible range posted 720 deliveries in May 2025, its best result since the current 'S650' generation was introduced in 2024, despite higher prices accompanying the new model's arrival. That means the Mustang not only beat all rival sports cars in May, but its monthly delivery figure has surpassed all of their year-to-date tallies. That includes the BMW 2 Series Coupe (422 delivered so far this year) and the Subaru BRZ (365). It was also the Mustang's best result since November 2018 when 780 were delivered, its best month of that year when a total of 6412 were delivered. It's still a far cry from Mustang's peak in Australia, which was in May 2017 with a staggering 1351 sales – making it second only to the Ford Ranger in the automaker's lineup – before its best annual tally of 9165. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The Mustang was the best-selling sports car in Australia for seven straight years between 2016 and 2022 after the nameplate was launched in 2015 with a choice of turbocharged four-cylinder and 5.0-litre V8 petrol engines. But the Mustang lost its long-held bragging rights at the top of the sports car sales tree in 2024 after delays in the arrival of the new generation saw it post six straight months of single-figure sales. It included the indignation of an official zero sales result in February 2024. The delay saw the BMW 2 Series become the best-selling sports car in Australia last year, with the Subaru BRZ adding further salt to the wound to push the Mustang back to third place in the sports car stakes. Yet the Mustang – Ford's performance car hero among its SUV- and ute-dominated lineup – has already sold higher numbers year-to-date with 2489 sales in five months than it did in all of 2024, 2023, and 2021. In those three calendar years Ford delivered 1464, 1475 and 1887 Mustangs, respectively. With a monthly average of 498 cars per month, it's set to overtake its 2021 and 2020 annual results (2827 and 2923) in June 2025. That's despite the new generation costing significantly more than its predecessor, with initial price hikes of around $10,000 followed by price rises of between $915 and $2000 for model year 2025 (MY25). The Mustang now kicks off at $66,990 before on-road costs for the 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost coupe with 10-speed automatic. The 5.0-litre V8 with six-speed manual is now priced from $78,990 with a six-speed manual, with the automatic an additional $3000. MORE: Everything Ford Mustang Content originally sourced from: The Ford Mustang has reclaimed its previously long-held position at the top of the sales charts to once again be Australia's most popular sports car. The Mustang coupe and convertible range posted 720 deliveries in May 2025, its best result since the current 'S650' generation was introduced in 2024, despite higher prices accompanying the new model's arrival. That means the Mustang not only beat all rival sports cars in May, but its monthly delivery figure has surpassed all of their year-to-date tallies. That includes the BMW 2 Series Coupe (422 delivered so far this year) and the Subaru BRZ (365). It was also the Mustang's best result since November 2018 when 780 were delivered, its best month of that year when a total of 6412 were delivered. It's still a far cry from Mustang's peak in Australia, which was in May 2017 with a staggering 1351 sales – making it second only to the Ford Ranger in the automaker's lineup – before its best annual tally of 9165. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The Mustang was the best-selling sports car in Australia for seven straight years between 2016 and 2022 after the nameplate was launched in 2015 with a choice of turbocharged four-cylinder and 5.0-litre V8 petrol engines. But the Mustang lost its long-held bragging rights at the top of the sports car sales tree in 2024 after delays in the arrival of the new generation saw it post six straight months of single-figure sales. It included the indignation of an official zero sales result in February 2024. The delay saw the BMW 2 Series become the best-selling sports car in Australia last year, with the Subaru BRZ adding further salt to the wound to push the Mustang back to third place in the sports car stakes. Yet the Mustang – Ford's performance car hero among its SUV- and ute-dominated lineup – has already sold higher numbers year-to-date with 2489 sales in five months than it did in all of 2024, 2023, and 2021. In those three calendar years Ford delivered 1464, 1475 and 1887 Mustangs, respectively. With a monthly average of 498 cars per month, it's set to overtake its 2021 and 2020 annual results (2827 and 2923) in June 2025. That's despite the new generation costing significantly more than its predecessor, with initial price hikes of around $10,000 followed by price rises of between $915 and $2000 for model year 2025 (MY25). The Mustang now kicks off at $66,990 before on-road costs for the 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost coupe with 10-speed automatic. The 5.0-litre V8 with six-speed manual is now priced from $78,990 with a six-speed manual, with the automatic an additional $3000. MORE: Everything Ford Mustang Content originally sourced from: The Ford Mustang has reclaimed its previously long-held position at the top of the sales charts to once again be Australia's most popular sports car. The Mustang coupe and convertible range posted 720 deliveries in May 2025, its best result since the current 'S650' generation was introduced in 2024, despite higher prices accompanying the new model's arrival. That means the Mustang not only beat all rival sports cars in May, but its monthly delivery figure has surpassed all of their year-to-date tallies. That includes the BMW 2 Series Coupe (422 delivered so far this year) and the Subaru BRZ (365). It was also the Mustang's best result since November 2018 when 780 were delivered, its best month of that year when a total of 6412 were delivered. It's still a far cry from Mustang's peak in Australia, which was in May 2017 with a staggering 1351 sales – making it second only to the Ford Ranger in the automaker's lineup – before its best annual tally of 9165. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. The Mustang was the best-selling sports car in Australia for seven straight years between 2016 and 2022 after the nameplate was launched in 2015 with a choice of turbocharged four-cylinder and 5.0-litre V8 petrol engines. But the Mustang lost its long-held bragging rights at the top of the sports car sales tree in 2024 after delays in the arrival of the new generation saw it post six straight months of single-figure sales. It included the indignation of an official zero sales result in February 2024. The delay saw the BMW 2 Series become the best-selling sports car in Australia last year, with the Subaru BRZ adding further salt to the wound to push the Mustang back to third place in the sports car stakes. Yet the Mustang – Ford's performance car hero among its SUV- and ute-dominated lineup – has already sold higher numbers year-to-date with 2489 sales in five months than it did in all of 2024, 2023, and 2021. In those three calendar years Ford delivered 1464, 1475 and 1887 Mustangs, respectively. With a monthly average of 498 cars per month, it's set to overtake its 2021 and 2020 annual results (2827 and 2923) in June 2025. That's despite the new generation costing significantly more than its predecessor, with initial price hikes of around $10,000 followed by price rises of between $915 and $2000 for model year 2025 (MY25). The Mustang now kicks off at $66,990 before on-road costs for the 2.3-litre turbocharged four-cylinder EcoBoost coupe with 10-speed automatic. The 5.0-litre V8 with six-speed manual is now priced from $78,990 with a six-speed manual, with the automatic an additional $3000. MORE: Everything Ford Mustang Content originally sourced from:
