After years of absence from Europe’s sports car scene, Subaru is considering a bold return — and it may come with an electric twist.
Speaking to Autocar, Subaru executives revealed that a third-generation BRZ is being explored for European markets, this time potentially as a battery-electric vehicle (BEV). The move would mark Subaru’s re-entry into a segment it’s been absent from since 2020, when the first-generation BRZ quietly exited the continent.
The second-generation BRZ, launched globally in 2024, remained off-limits for most European buyers due to tightening emissions and safety regulations. While its Toyota twin, the GR86, made a limited appearance, the Subaru badge was notably absent.
But that could soon change.
“Our options are open,” said David Dello Stritto, Subaru’s European chief, hinting that the beloved BRZ nameplate could return — albeit in electric form. Backing up that possibility, Inoue Masahiko, Subaru’s global EV product boss, confirmed that an electric BRZ “was under consideration” and had been previously discussed with long-time partner Toyota.
However, he cautioned that the timing and mutual benefit with Toyota were key. “We did consider electrifying the BRZ and GT86,” Masahiko said. “But the win-win relationship is more important, and for the moment we can’t get the kind of benefits for both sides.”
The idea of an electric sports car is not entirely new to Subaru. The brand previewed a potential direction with the high-riding Subaru Sport Mobility Concept in 2023 — a radical vision of what a future electric performance model might look like.
For now, Subaru’s focus remains firmly on its mainstream lineup. The company is pushing hard in the family EV segment with models like the E-Outback, the Solterra, and the upcoming Uncharted SUV — the latter seen as a litmus test for the brand’s future in Europe.
“We feel very positively about Subaru enthusiasts,” said Stritto, “but we need to see how Uncharted does first.”
When asked whether the current BRZ could be retrofitted with an electrified powertrain to meet European standards, Masahiko was realistic: packaging constraints make such a move “difficult.” A purpose-built electric model, he suggested, would be “easier” to develop from the ground up.
And while the idea of a small allocation — say, 100 units — of the current BRZ coming to Europe was floated, Stritto dismissed it as commercially unviable. “That wouldn’t make long-term sense,” he said.
Subaru fans across the continent will be watching closely. With EV performance heating up, the return of a BRZ — silent, swift, and emissions-free — could be just the spark Europe’s sports car scene needs.
Source: Autocar; Photo: Subaru
