The long-awaited second-generation Subaru BRZ arrives very soon — on Nov. 18 to be precise. Subaru has released a teaser video over its social media outlets; hidden within is a very brief snippet in the full video on Subaru’s website that appears to show the rear wheel of the new BRZ turning in as it rounds a corner. In other words, this clip would seem to suggest the BRZ will be getting a feature found on much fancier sports cars like the Porsche 911 and Ferrari 812 Superfast: rear-wheel steering.
Rear wheel steering, as the name implies, brings the rear wheels into the turning process. They turn in slightly in the opposite direction to the front wheels at low speeds, allowing the car to turn more tightly. On a big sedan, rear-wheel steering makes it more agile in a parking lot; in a car like the BRZ, it would mean even sharper and more precise cornering.
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We can’t confirm that Subaru added the feature yet, much less whether it will be standard or optional. But it seems like a logical feature for the new BRZ to receive to distinguish it from its first-gen predecessor.
Details about the new BRZ are scarce, though what we’ve read does not suggest a radical overhaul. Our money is on the BRZ using a modified version of the current platform. And while the rumored replacement engine is Subaru’s larger 2.4-liter boxer four engine, it’s unsure whether that engine will be turbocharged. A 250-ish horsepower turbo BRZ would fit below the new, alleged-300-hp base WRX within Subaru’s lineup; however, it would present a problem for Toyota and its 86 twin, which needs to slot below the 255-hp four-pot Supra.