Daily Slideshow: Rocket Bunny BRZ Makes Do With a 6.2-Liter LS3
Toyota and Subaru's rear-drive coupe is an amazing little car, with one caveat - it doesn't pack much punch. But like everything else in life, an LS makes them infinitely better!
Great, but Not Perfect
The Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ burst onto the scene with a fury, shocking the world in the process. After all, in a world where everyone seemingly wants nothing but crossovers and SUVs, was there really room for a rear-wheel-drive performance coupe? And yet, both captured the hearts of enthusiasts everywhere, mostly thanks to an amazingly flickable chassis. The only problem? Both cars are seemingly purposely underpowered. But of course, there are plenty of solutions for that.
>>Join the conversation about this LS3 Equipped Rocket Bunny BRZ right here in LS1 Tech.
More Means More
Sure, you could just slap a turbo or supercharger under the hood and call it a day. But Enrico Sartori, the man behind Italian drift and time attack car builder Brill Steel, wanted more. He wanted to build perhaps the ultimate example of the BRZ, taking full advantage of all that chassis' inherent goodness. Of course, there's arguably no better way to do that than with the lightweight, infinitely modifiable LS platform. So out came the original 2.0-liter flat-four cylinder, and in went a 6.2-liter LS3. The result of his efforts was so excellent that it caught the eye of Speed Hunters.
>>Join the conversation about this LS3 Equipped Rocket Bunny BRZ right here in LS1 Tech.
No Compromises
Despite the injection of a much different powerplant, Sartori wanted his BRZ to remain reliable and comfortable. Everything you might want to keep is here, from the ABS brakes to air conditioning. To fit the LS into the BRZ, Sartori had to use a custom subframe with ZR1 engine mounts. With an upgraded cam, better heads, and stainless headers, the V8 pumps out 580 horsepower - more than enough to rocket this compact coupe to speed in a jiffy. Shifts are handled by a Tremec T56 transmission, connected to an R32 GT-R rear with a custom driveshaft. Amazingly, the whole setup weighs a mere two pounds more than the stock drivetrain!
>>Join the conversation about this LS3 Equipped Rocket Bunny BRZ right here in LS1 Tech.
Smile Machine
Nearly tripling the power in a car like this does require some extra work, of course. So Sartori added Bilstein adjustable dampers at all four corners to keep it glued to the ground. With a sticky set of rubber protruding past the stock fenders, there's no doubt that this BRZ can live up to its reputation for excellent balance and the ability to generate endless smiles around corners.
>>Join the conversation about this LS3 Equipped Rocket Bunny BRZ right here in LS1 Tech.
One Car to Do It All
Then there's the unmissable bodywork, of course. The widebody BRZ sports a Version 1 aero conversion from none other than Rocket Bunny, producer of some of the world's most revered bodywork. Throw on a set of Valenti taillights and Miura’s signature ducktail spoiler, cover it all in matte grey, and you've got a winner in anybody's book. The best news of all, however, is that you can buy this very car for yourself. Brill Steel will sell you one for around $56,000. Considering the performance potential of a ride like this, that seems like a bargain!
>>Join the conversation about this LS3 Equipped Rocket Bunny BRZ right here in LS1 Tech.
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