Who’s The Rival for The All-New Toyota GR 86 and Subaru BRZ in The US?

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Germans And Japanese To Rival And Compete

When we talk about sports cars that are popular in the American market, we can’t forget about Porsche and its entry model, the 718 Cayman.

The Porsche 718 Cayman S
The Porsche 718 Cayman S

However, in contrast to the GR 86/BRZ, which is a four-seater, the 718 Cayman is a two-seater, with the engine placed in its rear part.

This German too, has a selection of engines like the Americans.

Entry-level model comes with a 300hp 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged boxer, starting at $60,500. The top GTS 4.0 model comes with a 394 hp 4-liter 6-cylinder naturally-aspirated boxer, and starts at $87,400.

By the way, the current Toyota 86 starts at $27,000 in North America. Just by comparing the entry-level models, the 718 Cayman is more than twice the price of the 86.

Its body size may be close, but the price range is very different.

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Japanese sports cars that are popular in the U.S. are not limited to the 86 and BRZ.

While the Honda NSX and Nissan GT-R are far apart in both price and performance from the 86/BRZ, the Nissan 370Z and Mazda MX-5 RF are close enough to be called rivals.

The Nissan 370Z 50th Anniversary model
The Nissan 370Z 50th Anniversary model

Although the current Z is soon to be replaced by the next generation, the current model is equipped with a 350 hp 3.7-liter V-6 engine and starts at $30,000. Its engine has more power than the 86/BRZ, but the price is quite close.

Mazda’s two-seater targa top, the MX-5 RF, comes with 181 hp 2.0-liter I4 and starts at $33,045.

The Mazda MX-5 RF
The Mazda MX-5 RF

Compared to the two Japanese two-seaters, the GR 86/BRZ has an advantage in two ways: it is a four-seater and is more affordable.

The GR 86/BRZ 4-seat coupe, powered by a 2.4-liter naturally-aspirated engine, should be close in terms of price range with its predecessor, which is around $30,000.

Considering that, the rivals for the new models in the North American market will be the entry-level Mustang and Camaro, and the Z and MX-5 RF as rivals sharing the same nationality.

Writer MotorVehicleNewsEditorialDepartment
Translator Hiroto KATO
Born and raised entirely in Japan, Hiroto has been a gearhead since he was a baby. He always had his toy cars around him, which he currently owns about 5,000 collections. Since 2016, he starts to attend the SEMA Show, delivering the latest American custom scene to Japanese readers. He is also familiar with "Itasha", "JDM", "Kyusha（Japanese classic cars）" and "Japanese animation".

GALLERY

  • Interior of the all-new GR 86
  • The all-new GR 86
  • The all-new GR 86
  • The all-new GR 86
  • The all-new GR 86
  • GR 86’s front bumper
  • GR 86’s wheel
  • GR 86’s FA24 engine
  • GR 86’s interior
  • GR 86 and BRZ
  • The all-new GR 86
  • The all-new GR 86
  • The all-new GR 86
  • BRZ’s FA24 engine
  • BRZ at the circuit
  • BRZ at the circuit
  • BRZ’s rear seats
  • The all-new BRZ
  • The all-new BRZ
  • The all-new BRZ
  • The all-new BRZ
  • The all-new BRZ
  • BRZ’s front bumper
  • BRZ’s wheel
  • BRZ’s interior
  • BRZ’s front seats
  • BRZ’s engine
  • The Ford Mustang
  • Mustang’s interior
  • The Ford Mustang
  • The Ford Mustang
  • The Ford Mustang
  • The Chevrolet Camaro
  • The Chevrolet Camaro
  • The Chevrolet Camaro
  • The Camaro Coupe and Convertible
  • The Porsche 718 Cayman
  • The 718 Cayman and Cayman S
  • The Porsche 718 Cayman S
  • The Porsche 718 Cayman S and 718 Boxter S
  • The Nissan 370Z 50th Anniversary model
  • The Nissan 370Z 50th Anniversary model
  • The Nissan 370Z 50th Anniversary model
  • The Nissan 370Z 50th Anniversary model
  • The Nissan Z Proto
  • The Nissan Z Proto
  • The first Z with the latest Z Proto
  • Z Proto’s interior
  • The Mazda MX-5 RF
  • The Mazda MX-5 RF
  • The Mazda MX-5 RF
  • The Mazda MX-5 RF
  • The all-new GR 86 and BRZ, revealed on April 4th
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