Redesigned Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 Spotted in the Wild

The Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 twins are getting an exterior redesign.

It’s something we’ve known for a while, but spy photographers have spotted the reworked prototype in the wild, giving us a clue as to how company’s collaborative rear-wheel drive sports car will look in 2021.

Photos of the newly redesigned sports coupe have begun filtering out to the internet. While the camouflage wrap obscures the details, some features are still visible.

The most striking feature is a bigger, squarer grille. The car’s current trapezoidal grill is a little generic, making it nearly indistinguishable from the Nissan 370Z. The headlights have been narrowed to complete the meaner look of the fascia.

Also visible under the camo is a bulging hood, adding to the aggressive aesthetic. Where the current-gen Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86 features a long, flat hood, the redesigned version looks like it’s hiding a far bigger engine.

The side view reveals that the cockpit appears to have shifted forward a little, making the new BRZ look a little more like a mid-engine sports car. We expect to see the new and improved BRZ/86 in late 2021.

Exciting though the new look is for the BRZ/86, we’re more interested in what the performance specs will be. The joint effort between Toyota and Subaru got gearheads excited with its sporty suspension and rear-wheel drive configuration, and the result was a worthy competitor for the vaunted Mazda Miata.

However, the biggest knock on the Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86 has been its underwhelming power numbers. Of all the major automakers, Toyota and Subaru are the two most reticent to offer turbocharged versions of their vehicles.

Thus, the 2.0-liter Subaru boxer engine that powers the BRZ/86 is naturally aspirated and delivers power numbers on par with smaller turbocharged powerplants.

While it’s unlikely we’ll ever see a turbocharged BRZ/86, we’re hopeful that the 2022 update brings with it some exciting powertrain upgrades as well.