Bare-bones Subaru BRZ Cup Car Basic Rebooted In Japan

Yes, folks. Those are in fact 'budget' 16-inch steelies primed in this Subaru BRZ!

No, you’re eyes aren’t deceiving you, you really are seeing a Subaru BRZ that’s primed with ‘budget’ 16-inch steel wheels. That’s because the BRZ pictured isn’t an ordinary version of the popular boxer-powered sports coupe.

Rebooted in the Japanese market recently, the Subaru BRZ Cup Car Basic special sees the Japanese automaker continue to bait avid driving enthusiasts. This bare-bones special was devised especially for those seeking a base for a budget project car or trackday car, in fact.

Regular BRZ (left) versus newly rebooted 2024MY Cup Car Basic (right).

Apart from the rolling stock mentioned, this Cup Car Basic version of the recently updated second-gen BRZ is visually similar to the regular, fully-kitted version. For those wondering, the 16-inch wheels are shod in 205/55-profile tyres, which most buyers will swap out of.

The same can be said about its cabin, though the changes here go beyond the surface. That’s because the cabin of this BRZ Cup Car Basic special has been stripped of its side and curtain airbags, as well as most of the sound insulation lining the cabin.

Crucially, the driver's seat has been upgraded with eye bolts for a six-point harness, and there’s even a factory-fitted roll cage present. The latter has been revised from the last version of the Cup Car Basic introduced in 2022, and it now features a new shape and revised sidebar.

Like the previous 2022MY version, the new 2024MY reboot sees the Cup Car Basic rock a factory-fitted roll cage in its stripped cabin. It has been updated, though it does render the side A/C vents and sun visors redundant.

Said roll cage did prompt the adoption of new and different floor mats. It also renders both the side air-cond vents and sun visors useless. What’s surprising to note here is both that speakers and the Eyesight ADAS suite remain present here still.

Under the hood, the standard roadcar version’s 2.3-litre horizontally-opposed (boxer) 4-cyl petrol mill is unchanged, and it continues to serve up 232 HP and 250 NM to the rear wheels. Naturally, this Cup Car Basic is exclusively equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission only.

For this latest 2024MY iteration though, Subaru has beefed up said powertrain slightly by adding an extra engine oil cooler, new engine seals, as well as extra cooling fins on the standard-equipped limited-slip diff.

The only major mechanical change here is the adoption of an additional oil cooler.

Sales of this rebooted new Subaru BRZ Cup Car Basic has already kicked off in Japan. Its JPY3,700,400 (approx. RM115,830.18) price tag does see this spartan special stand as the second most expensive BRZ trim next to the fully-loaded STi Sport.

For reference, the current-gen Subaru BRZ offered by distributors Motor Image locally is priced at RM245,249 in 6MT guise, and at RM259,245 in 6AT guise when it landed in Malaysia back in 2022. This makes said Subaru stand slightly more affordable that its Toyota GR86 twin that we tested recently.

Nevertheless, one can’t argue that said figure does make this trackday or project car ‘blank canvas’ of sorts relatively affordable and accessible to those seeking such as base.

Would you fancy one if Motor Image offered it? What would be an acceptable price tag for one? As usual, share your thoughts in the comments section below, as well as our social media pages…