FT-86 to be named FR-S...

[crimespree]

these seem true enough...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=romf-G6CZ7g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RArSO...WLT21EN3bcY58=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5x_Pd3f0kI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IBYykWNT44

[MRMOPARMAN]

The manual would still be connected to the same dog of a motor...

but would make driving the car more involving. and i wouldnt say its a dog of a motor. toyota never goes out to set records, or be the best, with their mainstream car shit.

[GHaST]

Any 4 banger non boosted auto is fairly average to drive.

[perthdrivers.txt]

Autocar did a comparo with the exact same cars (370Z and NC) and the BRZ convincingly came out on top. Mind you they used a manual BRZ and the MX-5 was the retractable hardtop version so it weighed more than the BRZ...

Neither the 370Z nor the MX-5 can thrill at that level. Compared to Subaru, they look like blunt, dull communicators here, outclassed by a new affordable driver’s car of amazing delicacy and extraordinary talent. One that could be the best sports car to come out of Japan since the Honda NSX, and that must be worth £25k from anyone who knows what sunny weekends and great roads were really made for.

[Captain_Slow]

I hope someone does a comparo not just with the obvious stuff but with everything else that's fun-oriented and in its price range. Personally I'd be cross-shopping this against hot hatches but I'd never consider an MX-5 or a 370Z.

[oioioioioi]

RWD puts the Mazda and the Datsun in there. Infact the MX5 is probably one of the closest cars to this on the market, lightish, cheapish, RWD, 4cyl and N/A.

[oioioioioi]

RX8 and pov pack 1 series BMW are the only others I can think of in the same ballpark.

[GHaST]

I thought that same about mx5 being closest competition.. But rx8 would be too

[MRMOPARMAN]

do they make an XR4 fiesta any more?

[Sturmovik]

do they make an XR4 fiesta any more?

Next year, and will have an Ecoboost 1.6.

[rj_astra]

The closest hot hatch would be the Clio RS 200.

[teamtoken]

They better undercut the megane rs by a decent margin because anything in the mid 40's will have people looking elsewhere

"I hate to say it but the BRZ feels like it needs more power or a wet surface to to fulfill its obvious and tantalizing appeal. Meanwhile, the bloke in the megane on the same road is up to his neck in the action, grinning like a fool and wondering how you can have more fun than he is right now. The simple answer is, at this price, you can't. And when you slow down and relax the megane is simply a nicer place to be and feels more special despite its humble roots. Yep, oversteer obsessed EVO gives the nod to the front drive megane"

It was auto, which i certainly dont think did it justice, but i dont think a manual would have turned the tide enough to see it win.

Despite that I'd still give this review a lot of credibility seeing as most of the evo crew's opinions were unanimous BUT, mostly because its actually on real roads. The majority of rave reviews have been under toyota's watch i.e a wet racetrack with cheese cutters for tread. Any car's going to be fun as fuck in those conditions.

Overrated? not quite, hyped up to please a whole lot acne face teen fucks? most likely

[Rezz]

i dont think a manual would have turned the tide enough to see it win.

Why not?

That EVO article sounds like they *wanted* to test an auto simply so they could go against the grain and cause some controversy...

[Captain_Slow]

RX8 and pov pack 1 series BMW are the only others I can think of in the same ballpark.

125i hatchback is $46k, RWD, 160kw/310nm. If you weren't hell bent on a coupe this would have to give the 86 a run for its money. Styling is debatable though (I don't mind it but plenty hate it).

I think my shopping list for about that money would be 86, 125i, Megane RS and maybe GTI if none of the other three worked for me (but I've driven the GTI and didn't come away wanting one).

[Asteroid]

Agree ^
Any 2l na auto is going to be as dull as dishwater. Waste of time.