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Originally Posted by TRDLiquidSilver
having driven the car more than a few times.
S owners who love their S when they finally drive the GT-86/FR-S will love the car. there's something familiar but not familiar about the car.
the engine sweetspot like i've said before all the media write ups is between 3k and 6500k, there's really no need to push it beyond 7k. in fact when i first drove it the cut-off from what i remember was at 7900-8k rpms and recently the pre-production was cutting sooner at 7600rpms. when you do feel the 2nd cam kick in at 3k its very linear and then tapers off past 7k. the car doesn't need to shift as much as the S entering and exiting into corners. powerwise how does it compare to the S? comparable, but the S is stronger up top. they could've given it a bit more power but there's a reason why it has 200hp.
cool feature that they learned from the LFA. they pumped engine noise into the cabin, at first your going to roll down the window thinking its better to hear but in actuality its better to hear it when the windows are up. the sound is like a subie at idle through 3k but not from 4-7k, weird. in fact that's the only reason the push it beyond 7k just so you can hear the engine. it sounds great on 4 to 3 to 2nd downshifts.
shifter is not S-like but what is. it's direct with a little bit of notchiness entering the gates but not like the 350z more miata like in feel. the pedals are perfect for heel and toe for my 10.5 feet. also the throttle pedal is mounted to the firewall like your pushing down a button, its not a j-arm or floor mounted like some supercars. great driving position for all drivers even for those who are above 6'3". plenty of seat travel, there's height adjustment with a tilt and telescope wheel. also even with the seats set to the lowest setting along with the wheel, my 5' 10" frame could still see perfectly out where the doors and dash wasn't above my shoulders. also, the alcantara red stitched seats are well bolstered on both the torso and thigh area. if you can get people in the back they're also treated with "rear passenger" sport bucket like seats.
the suspension is actually better than the S. driving it on LA freeways compared to the S is a lot more forgiving but you would think that would affect the handling, not! its fluid, agile, direct and super responsive to inputs. in fact a lot of people will probably hate it when they read it, its actualy a little better than the S. the best and easiest way i can say it. if you've ever driven the 3rd gen mr2 or miatas and then drove the S, that's what it feels like. the S though is a little flatter during constant left to right transitions where the FR-S has a little more body roll but not by much.
i wondered after getting in the S how the car would do if it was fitted with stickier summer tires with a staggered wheel and tire set-up, thought-thought-thought.... it will actually ruin it. it will understeer more whereas it transitions so easily and when the rear breaks loose its very progressive, unlike the S. even new rwd drivers with enough seat time will learn how to control this car right away. its off-flick-gas-opposite-super wide grin, and....... its not scary, you and it is very-very much in control. everything from the power, the chassis, the suspension and its michelin primacy mxm4 tires works in perfect harmony.
only gripes with usdm FR-S. the interior materials (dash, door sills, front seats, steering wheel) are of very nice quality and that's because it is shared with GT-86 and BRZ. the a/c controls were lifted from the corolla, tc, yaris, xb parts bin, where the GT and BRZ has digital dials with toggles. also we won't get the smart key with push button start but these features might make it with RS series. tms fought hard to keep them but we want to undercut the price of the BRZ when its avialbale stateside, and we are still negotiating final price with tmmc.
if your looking for a 2+2 S or even a car that similar to the S but you can't get a new one, the FR-S is it. another huge plus will be the price point for a lightweight fun to drive rwd coupe.
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