Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ: Same But Different?

摘要

THE MUCH-ANTICIPATED SCION FR-S AND SUBARU BRZ are finally reaching dealerships. While I'm excited that these new coupes - rear-drivers that fully embrace traditional sports-car virtues - are in the marketplace, I can't help but feel that there's something strange about the way they're marketed. In case you haven't noticed, these two cars are mechanically identical and look very similar. We've seen more than a few cars in the past share engines and platforms. In some cases, they were offered by the same manufacturer with different body styles (an example is the Toyota Camry/Lexus ES 350). In other cases, manufacturers from different countries marketed "fraternal twin" products to their respective customers (Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe and Mercedes-Benz SLK/Chrysler Crossfire). But in the case of the FR-S and BRZ, manufacturers from the same country are marketing "identical twin" cars to basically the same customer.