Which car should I buy? Mazda MX-5 GT RS v Subaru BRZ

I’VE HAD MY HEART SET ON THE NEW SUBARU BRZ FOR A LITTLE WHILE NOW, BUT MY HEAD HAS BEEN TURNED BY THE GT RS VERSION OF THE CURRENT MX-5. SHOULD I NAB ONE OF THESE NOW OR LAY DOWN A DEPOSIT FOR THE FORTHCOMING BRZ?
-SHAUN B

We're yet to get a pedal in the new 2.4-litre Subaru BRZ, so unfortunately we can’t dispense any sage advice on which is the superior driver’s car. However, we do know that the new BRZ will out-muscle Mazda’s firmer and fitter MX-5 GT RS, enjoying a 27 per cent power advantage and a 22 per cent torque bump over the roadster from Hiroshima.

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Given that the Subaru weighs 25 per cent more, there’s not going to be a huge amount between them in terms of outright pace. One thing we do know is that the MX-5 GT RS is getting expensive. With typical options and on-roads, that’s going to be a $52K+ car.

And I’m guessing that if you were looking at a BRZ, the attraction of the Mazda’s soft-top may not carry a great deal of equity for you. Of course, plan B may well be to try to negotiate a run-out deal on a 2.0-litre BRZ tS, which you could well pick up for somewhere around $40K, as only 407 examples of the BRZ were shifted last year, so it can be a sticky fixture in showrooms.

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You’ll always run the risk of rampant FOMO if you ever park your posterior in the new car, though. Given the buzz around the new FA24 engine in the BRZ and how it fills the old car’s notorious midrange torque hole, we’d be tempted to get a deposit down on the Subie.

The ND MX-5 is six years old now and while it has worn those years well, there’s no doubt the new BRZ, with its big customisable instrument panel and slick touchscreen is going to feel a whole lot more modern. Chances are it’ll drive pretty well too, if Tetsuya Tada still has his say.- AE

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