Subaru BRZ Wins 2012 Wheels Car of the Year

Tokyo, December 19, 2012 - Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. (FHI), the maker of Subaru automobiles, today announced that its Subaru BRZ sports coupe has been named the 2012 Car of the Year by the Wheels magazine, one of the most influential monthly motoring magazines for car enthusiasts and journalists in Australia. The Wheels Car of the Year award is the longest-established, most coveted automotive accolade in Australia and the winner is selected by expert judges based on functionality, technology, efficiency, safety and value. In its 50th anniversary, the magazine's top prize has been jointly awarded to the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86, which gives Subaru its fourth win of this prestigious award, its first being the 1994 title on the Liberty ("Legacy" in other markets), second with the Liberty wagon in 1998 and third in 2000 won by the Impreza.

"This win is testament to the fantastic engineering skills of Fuji Heavy Industries," said Nick Senior, Managing Director of Subaru Australia. "Subaru BRZ has captured motoring enthusiasts' attention in every market in which it has been launched and has received multiple awards worldwide, with the general impression being that it offers one of the most thrilling drives around at a fraction of the cost of its sports car competitors."

Subaru's latest sports car won over the Wheels' panel of jurors for being affordable, remarkably rewarding to drive, efficient and safe and was also praised as making pure driving pleasure so accessible as never before. The magazine also acknowledges the successful collaboration between Subaru and Toyota that has created remarkable products for each brand that is often hard to attain in a joint project.

Developed with the "Pure Handling Delight" concept, the Subaru BRZ delivers exceptional handling performance enabled by the ultra-low center of gravity packaging with Subaru's horizontally-opposed Boxer engine mounted as low as possible. The front engine, rear-wheel drive sports car has been received with great enthusiasms and won accolades worldwide.

(Jointly awarded to Toyota brand model)

[PDF/343KB]