Subaru BRZ: A few dozen for the summer

Subaru NZ boss Wallis Dumper with a near-production version of the BRZ 'Toybaru' - a lightweight rear-drive coupe developed in conjunction with Toyota.

Subaru will launch its BRZ sports coupe in New Zealand on 12/12/12 - with 12 examples.

The lead-up to the December 12 date will be supported by an ongoing promotion on the Subaru NZ website, where customers will be able to order the BRZ online before it arrives.

"We have had constant calls from people asking when the BRZ would get here," said Subaru NZ managing director Wallis Dumper.

"There are production challenges and we can only get so many. So we decided to launch it on the 12th of the 12th of the 12th with 12 cars.

"We are going to give people the opportunity to order those 12 cars through the internet.

"We will have limited edition number plates for them when they arrive, and we will also have (rally driver) Emma Gilmour giving the buyers driving instruction."

Dumper said the price of the BRZ hadn't been fixed, but those who ordered it online would be given an "indicative price."

The BRZ website is expected to go up with two weeks.

Dumper unveiled a near-production BRZ in Auckland on Thursday, shipped in from Australia for 72 hours for Subaru dealers to view.

The BRZ was developed with the Toyota GT 86 in a collaboration coming from Toyota's 16.7 per cent share in Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries.

The Toyota 86 will arrive in New Zealand in August.

Both two-door 2+2 models share a normally aspirated 2-litre twin-cam flat-four that develops 147kW of power at 7000rpm and 205Nm of torque at 6600rpm.

The flat-four is from Subaru and Toyota has equipped it with its D-4S dual-injection system that uses direct and port injection.

The BRZ's dimensions are identical to the GT 86, at 4.24m long, 1.775m wide and 1.285m high, and all main metal panels - including the lightweight aluminium bonnet - are a match.

The BRZ apparently has a slightly different suspension set-up to the Toyota 86, suggesting the Subaru version is slightly sportier.

Both coupes have a 53:47 front-to-rear weight distribution and a very low centre of gravity - they were benchmarked against the Porsche Cayman.

The BRZ is expected to have 17-inch alloy wheels, limited-slip differential, electronic stability control, seven airbags, cruise control, climate-control air-conditioning, and a six-speaker CD sound system.