ZC6 · 2012–2020
One car, several badges — and a genuine 50/50 joint development.
Traced to Toyota's 2008 acquisition of a 16.5% stake in Fuji Heavy Industries, this project was proposed and led by Toyota chief engineer Tetsuya Tada; Subaru reportedly resisted initial involvement over AWD-brand-dilution concerns before committing after driving a prototype. Toyota led the overall project and exterior design (via its European ED2 studio); Subaru supplied the Impreza-derived chassis and the flat-four's core engine design, which Toyota's D-4S injection system then completed — the resulting engine carries two names, FA20 (Subaru) and 4U-GSE (Toyota), with its 86mm×86mm bore/stroke the literal source of the '86' name. First-generation output ran 200–207 PS (147–152 kW), 151 lb-ft at 6,400 rpm.
Global; sold under multiple badges depending on market and partner — Toyota 86/GT86, Scion FR-S (North America 2012–2016) — all built at Subaru's own Gunma plant.
CoverageGeneration tracer-bullet · 23 July 2026
Powertrain
Engine options
| Engine | Years | Power | Torque |
|---|---|---|---|
| FA20D / 4U-GSE | 2012–2020 | 200–207 PS | 151 lb-ft at 6,400 rpm |
Configuration
Trims and transmissions
A 2013 BRZ tS limited edition (500 units worldwide, max 250 with the GT Package) added STI-sourced suspension, wheels, and bodykit. A 2015 STI Performance Concept previewed a 300 bhp turbo 2.0L but Subaru explicitly stated it would not reach production. A c.2020 Australian dealer photo shows a first-generation-body car badged 'BRZ tS' that fits neither the documented 2013 limited run nor the later MY2024 relaunch — an open, unreconciled thread.
Identify & buy
Identification and ownership notes
Toyota's version of this exact chassis wore Scion FR-S badging in North America through 2016 before switching to Toyota 86; Europe used 'Toyota GT86.' A 'BRZ tS' badge outside the documented 2013 window is a genuinely unresolved dating question, not necessarily a misbadge.