The technical evolution of cars has been unstoppable in these last decades. Although the end of internal combustion seems to be drawing near, we are currently living with the most powerful, efficient and unstoppable thermal cars ever created. Even simple cars like the Subaru BRZ put within our reach, for a modest price, features that less than 40 years ago were reserved only for supercars with exotic names. And the video that accompanies this article is the irrefutable proof of this, as you will see below.
It is a drag race published by Hoonigan’s YouTube channel, as part of his series called This vs. That. In this series, very different vehicles face each other in acceleration races. As is the case today: a Subaru BRZ from the year 2022, against a Ferrari 308 GTB Quattrovalvole from the year 1984. On paper, the Ferrari seems to have an advantage: it is somewhat lighter and its 2.9 V8 engine develops 240 hp and more torque than the BRZ’s 230 hp 2.4 boxer. But the question is how well is that power transmitted to the ground.
Even being less effective, the Ferrari’s eighties aesthetic is unbeatable.
And that’s when the Subaru BRZ – and the almost 40 years of technical evolution that separates them – starts to take off. Not only in sheer traction from a standstill, but also in increased acceleration in a fast race, where the Ferrari’s higher torque should have helped it gain ground. Not even with a (thick) passenger as ballast, the Ferrari is capable of beating the Subaru BRZ. If you needed proof that the technical evolution in performance of modern sports cars is overwhelming… look no further.
