#exhausts for 2.4L Boxer

[vividracing]

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Top 6 Best Exhausts for the Toyota GR-86 / Subaru BRZ

At Vivid Racing, we love to be your plug for the best advice, recommendations, and car products on the market. We don’t shy away from giving our expert opinion and continue to do so to all car enthusiasts who reach out to us and read our blogs. When it comes to the Toyota GR-86 / Subaru BRZ, we have shared the best coilover suspension upgrades, the most underrated upgrades for the 2.4L Boxer, and more. Today, we are going to share the top 6 exhaust upgrades meant to increase horsepower and torque hence improving performance, enhance throttle response, and provide a more aggressive exhaust note and we have videos to prove this.

So, if you own the 2.4L Boxer, here are the best exhaust upgrades that you should go for. We are sharing 6 of them so that you have more options, and brands to choose from.

1.) VRP 3-Inch Titanium Catback Exhaust

Made by our very own, VR Performance, this is our first recommendation because it is one of the lightest and budget-friendly Titanium Cat-Back options. You know what if a titanium one isn’t what you prefer, just to give you more options, you can save (almost) ALL the money by going for a Stainless Steel Catback Exhaust one. But if you are still reading this, hence interested in knowing more about the Titanium one, you should know that it solves two issues found in the stock exhaust;

It delivers the glorious rumble that a stock exhaust fails to

Eliminates the hindering back pressure created by the factory system

With no modification required for installation, the VRP 3-inch Titanium Catback Exhaust Subaru BRZ | Scion FRS | Toyota GT86/GR86 2013+ will unlock the true tone of the 2.4L boxer engine.

2.) MRT Street Race Header Back Exhaust System

We recommend this second option because we know that your engine deserves to be heard. This American-made Street Race Header Back Exhaust System by MRT Engineered Performance will give your car that loud ramble it has been missing. What makes this system special is the fact that it was engineered for the best sound to match your 86 and it also increases performance from increased exhaust flow, on top of it being manufactured using a corrosion-resistant T304 Stainless Steel. If you want to set yourself apart on the road, this is the system to go for.

3.) ARMYTRIX Valvetronic Exhaust System Toyota GR86 2022+ | Subaru BRZ 2.4L Non-OPF

We wouldn’t be recommending the best products on the market if we didn’t mention an exhaust from Armytrix. So our third recommendation for you is the ARMYTRIX Valvetronic Exhaust System Toyota GR86 2022+ | Subaru BRZ 2.4L Non-OPF 2013+. The brand is known for manufacturing quality exhausts with high-end features and their signature sound. Apart from the deep, sporty sound which as seen in the video below, should be enough to convince you to grab this Valvetronic exhaust, this system will also deliver a reduction in weight and an increase in power especially in the low and mid-rev range.

4.) HKS Legamax Sports ZN8 | ZD8 FA24 Toyota GR-86 | Subaru BRZ 2022+

Our fourth option is from a brand that is well-versed with the Toyota GR-86, and we have recommended their products for a full GR86 build before, CLICK HERE to check them out. When it comes to manufacturing high-performance products, HKS never disappoints, matter of fact the HKS Legamax Sports ZN8 | ZD8 FA24 Toyota GR-86 | Subaru BRZ 2022+ (seen in the video below) has us scratching our heads wondering, is this the most refined exhaust option? Here’s why we think so, this system is guaranteed to provide excellent exhaust efficiency as it delivers a sporty sound in the high rpm range, accompanied by a modest sound at the low rpm range all this while having a low back pressure, if that won’t have you wondering the same too, we don’t know what will.

5.) Quicksilver Sport Exhaust System with Sound Architect Toyota GR-86 | Yaris 2020+

Our fifth recommendation is the Quicksilver Sport Exhaust System with Sound Architect Toyota GR-86 | Yaris 2020+ which was manufactured to please all enthusiasts with its bass-heavy presence and rising note under acceleration. The thing that differentiates this system from others in the list, is the fact that you have both sound options, Quiet or Loud – at the touch of a button. The quiet mode provides sound similar to the stock system but the loud mode, the loud mode is the main reason this system made the list, Check out this video below to see what we mean.

Features:

Significant weight reduction – OE system is 12.9 kgs QuickSilver is 8.9 kgs.

Easy Installation – Literally ‘Plug & Play’.

Carbon-Fibre Tips – Black carbon tips to match the roof and other black elements.

The Sound – A massive improvement see below.

This system fits the GR86, and the Toyota Yaris 2020-2022. Bet you didn’t expect this one… GR Yaris has entered the conversation and has some authority at this table. Keep in mind, that the GR Yaris is equipped with a 1.6L turbocharged three-cylinder motor (G16E-GTS), similar to the stateside GR Corolla. The flat-four Boxer engine (FA20) will output a very different sound, but this video will give you an idea of the luxury quality standards being produced by the Quicksilver brand.

6.) Tomei Exprem Ti Full Type-D Titanium Muffler Kit

Would this be a proper buyer guide if Tomei didn’t have a seat at the table? Here’s how they earned it. Manufactured by Tomei, this system was made with overall engine performance gains in mind. When it comes to its design, every tube’s length and size were carefully crafted to maximize torque, response, and exhaust flow efficiency from start to finish. Manufactured using the best Titanium grade materials, this high-quality system is also light, hence causing a weight reduction. When it comes to manufacturing the Exprem Ti system, the brand pt to use their knowledge, and decades-long of experience to make sure that they deliver unrivled system for your GR86.

We made sure to cover the best in this guide, but you know what we also answer any lingering questions you may have about Toyota GT-86 | Subaru BRZ, so please do not hesitate to contact us for questions or if you need more information on products in our shop. You can reach us by phone at 1-480-966-3040 or via email at sales@vividracing.com.

[adrenalineguide]

2019’s Top Rides: Part 3/Buick Regal GS, Subaru Ascent and Golf R

By Michael Hozjan

Buick Regal GS AWD: Buick gets it right

At 12, I wanted to be a car designer. Fate however had different plans for me. With an eye for automotive design, I grew up loving Buicks; from the ’57 Special to the ’59 Invicta, with the ’64 Wildcat stealing my heart time and again. Cadillacs took a close second, Fords were ok but I found Chevs too feminine. Buicks, were masculine with broad shouldered front fenders and creased lines, personifying the designing cues of GM greats, Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell.

Then came the Riviera. One snowy December afternoon as I headed to my post office, there on St. Lawrence Boulevard, with six inches of snow on the ground sat a ’65 Riviera. My heart skipped several beats and I must have studied its lines for what seemed like an eternity.

Well into the ‘70s there were some noteworthy designs that came out of Buick’s design studios however, the last four decades have been anything but exciting. That has all changed with the launch of the Regal GS – the sexiest Buick to come out of Detroit in, well the last four decades.    

The Grand Sport designation is nothing new to the Buick line up, having been associated with ‘70s era muscle cars but this is the first time that it has been used in a European sports sedan context. The stylish GS goes up against some well established rivals like the Acura TLX, Lexus ES, BMW 3 series and the like, a tough field to say the least. The Regal GS is more than just good looks, it’s a bona fide sports sedan. In fact a rebadged, German built, Opel Insignia, so the GS starts with the right genes. European engineered handling makes it the best tarmac gripping Buick ever.

Red Brembo brake calipers immediately tell everyone that this is not your typical Buick.

While different drive options/trim levels are available elsewhere around the globe, we Canucks get only one trim/drive option- also the most desirable one - the all-wheel-drive version motivated by the 310 horsepower DOHC, 3.6L V6 with variable valve timing punching out 282 lb-ft of torque through a 9-speed automatic.  

Entry price is $44,045, my tester came with the Buick Experience Package ($3,495) that included the moonroof, a Bose premium 8-speaker sound system, wireless charging, an 8” touch screen, HD radio, LED leveling headlights, The Driver Confidence Package (yes you read that right) at $1,995 includes adaptive cruise, forward collision alert with automatic braking, lane keep assist, front pedestrian braking and heads up display. The Ebony Twilight Metallic paint was a premium option at $495.

The all-wheel-drive gets a torque vectoring rear axle, which only improves traction in slippery conditions and makes the Buick eat up the corners. Buick has also given us three driving modes to choose from, Touring, Sport and GS 

Inside you’ve got one color choice, black. The supportive Recaros have a massage feature as well as being heated/cooled. Both driver’s and passenger seats have 14 adjustments to suit your body, including adjustable bolsters. Following with the German sport sedan traits, it includes a flat-bottomed steering wheel.

Rear seat passengers get ample legroom, but headroom is tight for taller occupants. With 30.cu.ft of space under the hatch with the rear seats up, with over 60 cu.ft with the rear seats folded, it betters many compact crossovers!

Is it perfect?

Non-functional air intakes in the front valance are mickey-mouse and a step backwards. Why not leave them open and help cool the brakes? No spare tire but a useless tire fix kit –that’ll help when you have a blow out or bend a wheel on Quebec’s pot holes. On the comical side, the audio system had mixed up the Cirius station numbers it’s 60s on 6 and not 660s on six….and the same could be said for 50s on 5 not 550s on 5, as well as 70s, 80s and 90s.

You can go through the gears manually with the console mounted shifter but paddle shifters would have been a nice touch to compliment the smooth 9-speed automatic.

Will the GS steal buyers away from BMW? I hardly doubt it but it does give of us a formidable option to keep our performance dollars with domestic manufacturers, and the GS buyer has nothing to be apologetic for. 

 Price as tested: $52,050*

*Includes destination charges and a/c excise tax

 Subaru Ascent: If at first you don’t succeed…

If you thought that Subaru already had a large SUV you’re right. The magic word here being had. The B9 Tribeca, later shortened to just Tribeca debuted in 2005 to, lets just say a less than stellar sales, and by 2014 had moved into the automotive history books of what once was.

It takes guts to admit that you were wrong, and it takes even big cojones to come back with a similar sized vehicle. Truth be told the SUV market has also changed over the last decade with SUVs growing increasingly larger, just like the population. Subaru appears to have been ahead of its time back in 2005 when 3-row SUV’s didn’t proliferate our roads, and minivans still reigned supreme for getting the platoon to school. But times have changed and so the new Ascent is the company’s answer to the latest trend.

The Ascent is also Subaru’s largest vehicle to date, with 142 mm longer wheelbase and 134 mm longer in length than the Tribeca, so yes passenger comfort has been greatly increased. The midsize SUV is built on the company’s Global Platform, a chassis that is easily adaptable; serving as the basis for everything from their Impreza and Crosstrek to the Ascent.

Available in four trim levels – Convenience, Touring, Limited and Premier - with the entry level 8-passenger Convenience starting at a meager $36,695. Regardless of trim, there’s a new 2.4L direct-injected, turbocharged boxer four cylinder dolling out 260 horses and 277 lb-ft of torque through the High-torque Lineartronic CVT (continuously variable transmission).   

Talk to anyone who’s ever driven a Subie in less than ideal conditions and they’ll swear by the symmetrical full-time all-wheel-drive system. A new feature, X-Mode, pushes the traction envelope even further; at the push of a button, it monitors and controls four different vehicle dynamics, including engine, transmission, torque splitting and braking.

There’s a lot of standard driver-assistance technology in each Ascent without having to step up to trim levels, Items like automated emergency braking and lane-keeping assist through the company’s EyeSight system. The base model gets a 6.5 inch infotainment screen while upper trim buyers will see an 8 inch screen. GPS however is only available in the two higher end trims (Limited and Premier). Both Touring and Limited are available in either seven or eight passenger configurations with captain’s chairs taking up the second row. My tester, the Premier trim comes only with the second row captains chairs. While all trims get heated front buckets it’s only the two higher trims that pamper their second row passengers with heated outboard seats. The third row looks a lot more inviting than some of it’s competitors but it’s still on the tight side with limited leg room. Still bear in mind this is a mid-size seven passenger and the seats are padded and comfortable to keep the small fry happy for longer drives. Oh and a pair of third-row USB charging ports become available in the Limited trim and are in addition to the standard two you’ll find in the front and second rows.

Rear cover blind and tow loop are stowed neatly under the cargo bay’s floor, the latter an option on some pricier suvs

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Whether you’re out in the boonies or negotiating city streets, the Ascent doesn’t feel like a large bulky SUV. With above average handling and a minimum of body roll for a three-row SUV, Subaru’s use of the boxer engine and its advantageous low center of gravity immediately become apparent. It’s stable, with a soft luxurious ride and is generally quiet during normal highway cruising. But it does get loud when pushed hard.

Is it perfect?

The drone of the CVT does get annoying but once you get passed that, the Ascent is typically Subaru; it does everything what it’s supposed to and does it well. I averaged 9.8L/100 km which is unprecedented in a 7-passenger sport ute. It may not be overly luxurious but you get what you pay for. I know my Subaru driving friends will all be looking at the Ascent when the time comes to turn in their current drives, and that alone will keep this big Subaru around for a long time to come.

Price as tested: $52,795*

* Includes destination charges

Volkswagen Golf R: You’ll want one

If you’ve missed my installment of the Rabbit GTI, I urge you to scroll down the page and have a read.

Now take the GTI and turn it up a notch, or three. The formula for the Golf R is very simple; take one German built spacious hatchback that already has solid, tight handling, and add gobbs of turbocharged horses to a 2.0L inline four cylinder. How many ponies? Two eighty-eight to be exact – enough to propel you well past the posted speed limit in less time than it takes you to say posted speed limit. Now stir in all-wheel drive to put all that power to the ground. Slam it to the ground for added handling. Dress it up with killer 19” wheels.

Choose between the 6-speed manual available for $42,495 or the 7-speed dual clutch automatic with Tiptronic for $43,895. Now go have the most fun you can with your clothes on.

Doesn’t look like it but there’s nearly 300 horses in there

Quad exhaust tips tell you this is no ordinary Golf

The Golf R is everything you want in a performance sedan and then some. It makes no sense in a country with posted speed limits, but then neither do Porches, Ferraris and the like.   

Price as tested: $49, 290*

*Includes destination charges and a/c excise tax