We should all know by now that the BRZ is the Toyota 86's fraternal twin. That means they're about 95% identical inside and out. They pack the same 2.0L flat-four boxer engine that puts out 200 hp and 205 Nm of torque, mated to a six-speed manual or six-speed auto gearbox, depending on which one you prefer. Likewise, the Torsen LSD, Vehicle Stability Control, Push Button Start, and 17-inch alloy wheels are shared by the two featherweight sportsters. Heck, even the humdrum 2 DIN head unit was carried over.
The BRZ, however, has some aesthetic differences that set it apart. Although similarly shaped, the BRZ’s lights slightly differ with LED strip daytime running lights, and its front bumper has an inverted trapezoidal grill unlike the 86’s hexagonal grill. While we can't exactly tell if there's actually any difference at the back, we're glad that the 86's twin-piston badge on the front fenders have been replaced by better-looking longitudinal vents.
The changes on the inside are pretty minor, too. The passenger-side dash panel is now silver, and the seats are covered in a leather-alcantara combo. Other than those minor tweaks, the BRZ is a dead ringer of the 86.
If you really wanted one from the very beginning, you don't need us to tell you that the Motor Image Pilipinas have been accepting orders for quite some time now. Both manual and automatic versions of the BRZ are listed at P1,928,000. That's P278,000 more than the equivalent Toyota 86, but some customers are more than willing to shell out the extra dough just to avoid the long queue at local Toyota dealerships.
Colors available are WR Blue Pearl, Red Lightning, Satin White Pearl, Sterling Silver Metallic, Dark Gray Metallic, and Crystal Black Silica.
At moment, we're estimating that around 10 lucky souls have already received the keys to their brand-new BRZ’s. Motor Image Pilipinas General Manager Mike Luyun also announced that they're expecting 21 more units to arrive from Japan in the next few weeks. At this rate, we're confident that there'd be more BRZ's on the streets of the Philippines than 86's by Christmas.
