Test drove a BRZ

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by Lycanmaster

I haven't but a co-worker I know has.

He didn't seem to impressed with it. He found it sporty but not sporty enough for him.

What does that even mean? It's a very "sporty" car. The handling especially. Does he mean it lacked power for him?

Originally Posted by ohio_peasant

Yes, come to think of it, that's an excellent point... it didn't occur to me to consider the Cayman. A former coworker bought the base model, in the first year or two of their advent. This was the 2.7L engine. My driving impression was fairly positive. Drawbacks were the somewhat heavy feel - not of the steering wheel, which was superb, but of the overall car - and the disappointing acceleration, for a car of that caliber. Apparently the "S" model (and the newer ones) are peppier.

Returning to the BRZ - in my personal opinion, it's an aesthetically appealing car, well-built, and of ideal size. Some people are going to have hobbies that require cargo capacity, or family-members to carry. But for a single guy looking for a commuter-car, it's an appealing choice - were it not for the aforementioned lack of torque.

Shouldn't feel heavy. The 2.7L was just over 2800 pounds. Extremely light for a modern car. Porsche steering isn't hyped and fast like some "sports" cars. That might be something you weren't used to. Get it on the track and drive it side by side with a heavier car and you'll quickly appreciate its lightness and balance.

Originally Posted by LRPct

Makes sense. But no way makes the car "boring". They can made much sharper feeling just with swaping out some bushings. Even the first gen wrx gets a much more direct feel with better steering rack bushings.Boring to me is driving something like a porsche or bmw on the street. Steering feel doesnt get me so excited unless I can do something with it... Like throw it into a 2 or 3rd gear full steering lock slide. Anything over 3/10ths on the street in anything more than a smart car gets you in trouble on the street. Driving at that level theres not that much of a difference for it to bother me. I can be just as easily accurate with the Porsche as I can a marshmellow taurus rental car.

Even a Porsche steet car is a marshmellow compared to something with real steering feel, like any one of the numerous types of formula cars. Once you're spoiled by that, the feel of any streetcar pale in comparison and the differences in these street cars becomes almost minute in the overall comparison.

Now with that, an Elise and only an Elise can give someone about a 10th of the taste of what real direct, communitive steering is like for those that cannot get a proper formula car experience. Even a Cayman is rolly polly compared to that. Heck, even an Evora feels like a tank after driving an Elise.

I like the older WRX's. Still not awesome steering feel, but totally acceptable. They also felt more raw in general, which I like. On the street, the new WRX just feels like your average rental sedan during normal driving.

The Cayman was actually really, really exciting and enjoyable at reasonable speeds on the street. The tactile perfect-ness of the steering, the brake feel, the driving position, the sound of the engine, the throttle response, the magic way it took corners. The feedback is more subtle than the Elise, but it's still incredibly enjoyable. On the track, the Cayman really shined - it was as flat as I'd ever want it to be for my skill level (intermediate) on the stiffest PASM setting, intuitive, confidence-inspiring - and that the way it turns in and rotates at the corner exit with that mid-engine layout is so much fun. My M3 was just "ok" at the track in comparison, despite having much more power.

The Elise is another beast altogether. I've never driven anything like that before or since that's street-legal. It's literally like driving nothing else, and it's not just the weight. There's very little interference between the driver and the road in many ways. But it's scary small for public roads! I would disagree on the Elise being rolly polly though, that steering was ridiculously communicative. And tiring on the track! My arms would be very sore after a day of driving without power steering.

Originally Posted by aplcr0331

Have you ever driven a 944? I owned a 944S2 and it was so much fun to drive! It may not have been the quickest thing light to light, but man in the twisties it was just a blast. As a middle income earner I have a hard time spending money on P-cars with their higher cost of maintenance and would love to pick up another reliable second "fun" car.

Any comparison between the two?

I drove an old 944 once. I think it was a 1985. Tons of fun! That's actually the first parallel I drew to the BRZ. They are similar in many ways. Similar weight, similarly lacking in power, balanced, fun, great feedback.