NAIAS - Detroit Auto Show Coverage

The BRZ is actually a Toyota/Subaru love-child. Toyota built the FT-86 concept quite a few years ago and the successor to the AE-86 Sprinter (Corolla) that is a cult classic in Japan.

I don't know at what point they decided to share the platform with Subaru, but the low centre of gravity they could achieve by using a boxer engine was a factor. So, Subaru went ahead and developed a brand new flat four which will début in the Subaru BRZ/Toyota GT-86/Scion FR-S.

I'm very curious myself what the performance envelope will be on this car... it's got less hp than the WRX or STi since it's normally aspirated, but it's substantially lighter with near 50/50 weight distribution. I think the BRZ has it's sights set squarely on the MX-5 personally. Nearly 30hp more than the Mazda, and less than 200 pounds more I believe.

TRD and STi are already working on parts for the car, so there's probably going to be a nice go-fast catalogue ready by the time it makes it to showrooms.

I would pick this new Bentley Continental GT with 4l V8 on 500 hp. But not in this color and certainly not with the toy wheels...

Just wondered if it was as pretty in the flesh as I had wished for and at around $35/40,000, nice. I like a mad Italian (as long as he's not at the wheel!).

Well Toyota already has the Lexus LFA in the "stratosphere" level of supercars, but the head of TRD has openly stated that given how popular the GT86/BRZ already is before it's even available they want to work on a Supra-level car next. Who knows if management and the bean counters will go for that though. It'll depend on the success of the 86. It can't hurt Toyota to shed some of their "old man sedan" reputation they've been carrying for the past decade.

Wonder if in the cards might be a flat-six 987-ish P-car fighter from Subaru/Toyota.

And, styled like that Alfa.

Yes please.

The same guy did the Lotus things.

THANKS for the great pics!

Loren,

The motorcycles have quite an advantage in acceleration as well as top speed. They can exceed 200 mph in some places of the TT course. The Subaru has an advantage of AWD which helps in the corners. Nevertheless, impressive performances by both.

As far as I know the closest car is the Bugatti Veyron that does the 1/4 mile in about 10.2 seconds or so. From what I've read the fastest liter bikes do the 1/4 mile in the mid to high 9's.

For a quick, streetlegal car its hard to beat this one.

Video | Ariel Atom USA

Windshield wipers are for wimps!

Here's a Caparo T1. Basically a "street legal" F1 car. It has about 650 hp and weighs about 1500 lbs. It can be driven on the street, but it's really designed to be a track day racer. The power to weight ratio for this rocket is twice that of a Bugatti Veyron.