Subaru BRZ 2022: custom orders halted in the US to help ride out the car’s supply crisis

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Those hoping to spec the best rear-wheel-drive coupe they can in the US might be disappointed to learn that Subaru USA has quietly put a halt on any custom orders. 

According to reports by Carscoops, since January 13, Subaru has called a halt on dealers allowing customers to spec a new BRZ how they wish, instead forcing them to choose from available showroom stock that has already been built. 

That means that if a US customer is planning on buying a new BRZ, they’ll need to find a car somewhere within the country that meets their specification – otherwise, they’re out of luck. 

Subaru is just one of many manufacturers caught in a supply chain debacle, with semiconductor issues still affecting the company. Carscoops says there are potentially 45,000 unfulfilled orders at Subaru already, and that the US inventory of cars has dropped to just five days of supply – well down from a comfortable 45-day level. 

 The one upside to the situation is that Subaru fans can still purchase a BRZ, although it likely won’t be exactly to the buyer’s preferred specification. A Subaru spokesperson told Carscoops that customers can still purchase a BRZ, just not a custom order. 

It’s also likely that the Subaru BRZ’s twin, the Toyota GR 86, will be simultaneously impacted by these supply-chain issues, seeing that it comes from the same Gunma factory in Japan that builds the BRZ.

Does this affect Australian BRZ supply?

Having already sold out its first 500-unit batch of BRZs to come to Australia (with deliveries occurring over the next couple of months), Subaru told Australian motoring media at the local BRZ launch that another batch of cars would be forthcoming, but couldn’t provide a firm date of arrival.

Subaru Australia had earlier told Chasing Cars that the next batch will arrive “in due course … but sooner rather than later”, and that those keen on acquiring a car from the second wave of BRZs should enter an expression of interest, which can be done on Subaru’s website. 

The Australian release of the Toyota GR 86 has already been delayed by almost 12 months but this is due to the company tinkering with its suspension tune. 

Subaru BRZ 2022: prices in Australia

All prices listed are before on-road costs.

• BRZ Coupe manual: $38,990
• BRZ Coupe S manual: $40,190
• BRZ Coupe auto: $42,790
• BRZ Coupe S auto: $43,990