Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ: Japanese curry used to differentiate sportscars

A new curry dish in Japan is hoping to showcase the differences between the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ twins.

Sold at the Crane Garden restaurant situated within Japan’s famed Fuji Speedway for a limited time, the dish is served on a red and blue tray designed to depict each car – with the meal on offer during the 'Fuji 86 Style with BRZ' meeting at the racetrack earlier this month.

Although each curry is said to feature the same base, the red GR86 side is claimed to be sharper and spicier than the sweeter and richer blue BRZ side.

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Speaking with Japanese publication Spyder7, GR86 development driver Masahiro Sasaki said the red-plated curry is “a little spicy, or it's seasoned with spices, and the spiciness is a little stronger. It feels like a car,” while Subaru racer Takuto Iguchi stated he is "not good at being too spicy. So I like the sweet and rich taste [of the] BRZ".

The idea for the unique separate curry dish was inspired by a meal available in the cafeteria at the Ohta, Gunma, factory which produces the GR86 and BRZ twins, according to marketing representatives from Toyota and Subaru.

As for the cars, there are small differences between the identical GR86 and BRZ – just like the curry dishes.

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Toyota GR86

Mostly located in the suspension, these alterations include cast iron knuckles to connect the struts to the front wheel hubs and carryover rear trailing link bushings in the GR86, rather than the aluminium knuckles and stiffer bushings found in the BRZ.

In addition, the Toyota is said to sport a seven per cent lower front spring rate and 11 per cent higher rear spring rate, with separate damping tunes to assist with the mechanical changes.

The GR86 also utilises a solid 18mm front sway bar, with the BRZ instead featuring a hollow 18.3mm part.

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Subaru BRZ

Other differences – such as a thicker rear sway bar mounted to the subframe in the Toyota and a smaller bar mounted directly to the unibody in the Subaru – all combine to ensure the GR86 is ever so slightly more focused on responsive steering, and the BRZ on stability and precision.