Stripped-down 86 and BRZ for car modifiers

12 February 2012 - 12:00

Stripped-down 86 and BRZ for car modifiers

Toyota and Subaru have unveiled stripped-down versions of their 86 and BRZ sportscars – blank canvases designed with car modifiers in mind.

Costing significantly less than the specced-up versions, these purist versions (known as the 86 RC and BRZ RA) will come with basic 16-inch steel wheels, unpainted front and rear bars, no foglights, no stereo, no air conditioning and no rear spoiler. It doesn’t even come with a gear knob.

The normal brakes are also gone in place of a basic package, and the car loses its limited slip diff in place of a cheaper mechanical unit.

Given all the things missing from the RC/RA, it unsurprisingly weighs 40kg less than the normal 86 and BRZ. And with so many goodies stripped off the car, the price has also been slashed. In Japan, the 86 RC will cost the equivalent of AUD$24,000 and the BRZ RA, AUD$24,850.

The idea is that many people will be buying their 86 or BRZ for the explicit purpose of completely modifying it – or stripping it down for race use. Toyota and Subaru have identified a market and thus, are providing the appropriate product.

But there’s a catch: it’s only for Japan at this stage. Toyota Australia spokesperson Mike Breen told TopGear that it wouldn’t be coming to Australia.

“We won’t be taking the bare bones model, no,” he said. “It’s a little bit too bare bones for our market. Ours will have a few more luxury features, but not too many.”

Japanese customers will be able to buy an RC/RA when they go on sale in March. The 86/BRZ will go on sale in Australia in June.

Click here for pics of the stripped-down 86 and BRZ.