Quote:
Originally Posted by RabidRat
How's it compare with the S2000, what're your impressions there?
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So bear in mind my S2000 was highly modified, with coilovers, tuned engine, exhaust, and so on.
Just to save the time for those who don't want to read: S2000 is the better experience, BRZ is the better car.
The S2000 wins in the top down experience, the engine, and possibly the transmission. The raw feeling of the car, the VTEC crossover, the overall feeling - the S2000 is truly a special car. The early models, like what I have, also have this frisson of mortality every time you drive it hard as it has no safety nets beyond your own driver skill. The engine and the transmission is better than the BRZ. For a top down, exhilarating drive, hard to beat this car.
The BRZ is the far better and modern vehicle, as you would expect from a vehicle designed 15 years after the S2000. The interior is larger, as it is a 2+2, and the seating position is better because of the fully adjustable steering column. The chassis is better than the S2000, as it is far stiffer and modern, and the steering is better. The FA24 of the 2nd gen is much better than the FA20 of the 1st gen - in fact I refused to consider the 1st gen at all because of the engine. Having Carplay and a backup camera is also quite nice lol. The sound system is trash though, even if the tS is supposed to have the "upgraded premium" system. The stock exhaust and engine sound is also quite uninspiring. Subaru tractor noises.
Being able to carry a full set of wheels/tires, tools, and luggage for track days was also a big consideration for me as it was very limiting in the S2000 in terms of what I could carry with me when I went for multi-day track trips (VIMC or Ridge, for example). I haven't had the chance to drive the car on track or auto-x yet as I am still getting used to it, but I had a chance to drive it on the ice at Barnes Lake and the BRZ/86 is a far friendlier chassis than the S2000. The car really lets you know what is going on via your butt and hands, and you can control the chassis so easily and hold it at the limit. With no experience, I could toss the car into a turn on the ice and just hold an angle as desired. The S2000 comparatively will bite you once you step over the edge if you don't catch it in that split second you have to react, and the limit with my modified S2000 was so high that it took a LOT to hit the limit but once it did go over it really went over. I've spun the S2000 multiple times at auto-x, and had many brown pants moments on track.
I look forward to driving the BRZ on track when my new summer wheels show up, I think it will be much more confidence inspiring and much better as a learning platform for me than the S2000 was. Plus, the running costs should be lower than the S2000 as parts are plentiful and cheap, and do not carry the rarity tax of the S2000 parts catalog these days.