Posted Thursday, February 22, 2024 at 9:55pm
We love the Subaru BRZ (and its Toyota GR86 twin). Our long-term 2023 Limited model has provided us with the opportunity to soak in the pluses and minuses of Subie’s sports coupe for nearly 40,000 miles. But it’s also given us a chance to see if a few aftermarket upgrades can make it even better, and indeed they do.
While we haven’t touched our BRZ’s suspension, engine, or drivetrain, some simple brake-and-tire upgrades have noticeably enhanced its capability when pushed to its limit—both around Virginia International Raceway and when subjected to our usual battery of handling and braking tests. We embarked on this undertaking to see if budget-minded upgrades could address the BRZ’s (and the GR86’s) primary shortcoming: weak brakes that don’t stand up well to heavy abuse, which result in longer braking distances on the track and, ultimately, slower lap times.
