Subaru BRZ Series.Purple is limited to 500 cars and is actually quite discreet

Something about the Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ inspires special editions. Maybe it’s because sports cars are cute and relatively small, so people want to collect them all like they’re Tamagotchis. Or maybe it’s because they wear so many different tones so well. Whether it’s Toyota’s Hakone Green, the classic AE86-inspired white and black Trueno livery, or Subaru’s WRC-inspired Touge Edition just for Italy, the coupe seems capable of pulling off any look imaginable. And now, Subaru is throwing a new shade the way of the BRZ that it just revealed on the WRX: Galaxy Purple Pearl. Discover the BRZ.Purple Special Edition Series.

Normally I wouldn’t write about a well-known car getting a new paint color – especially a color that will be limited to just 500 vehicles – but I happened to see the Galaxy Purple Pearl up close last week when I flew to Sonoma to drive the 2025 WRX tS. Because of this, I feel relatively qualified to give my opinion here. And I have to say, while I sincerely appreciate a good purple, I’m a little surprised that Subaru is using this as a launch pad for a limited edition grape-flavored BRZ, because it’s not that purple!

Let’s put it this way: on the spectrum of purples, from the softest of lilacs to the most scorching of magentas, Galaxy Purple Pearl is like a dark metallic plum…sometimes. When it catches the right light – and at the right time of day – it really is purple. But when that doesn’t happen, it almost looks like you have a little Prussian blue in your Midnight Black. To (poorly) illustrate what I mean, I’ve included photos I took of the Galaxy Purple Pearl WRX tS I tested, as well as some that Subaru provided to the media.

I know – they look like two completely different cars. Feel free to attribute some of this to the fact that I’m not a professional photographer, but I think the gap here also shows how subtle this tone is. It’s quite complex in person and doesn’t tend to reveal itself the same way twice. I’m going for purple in all its forms, but I prefer something a little brighter and bolder. On the other hand, I think the fact that the Galaxy Purple Pearl can easily slide back and forth from dark blue to capital P Purple may be part of its appeal to many buyers. It won’t always be so blatant.

Color aside, the Series.Purple BRZ is built in the sport coupe’s Limited trim. The 18-inch wheels it normally comes with have been refined in a satin silver finish that Subaru tells us is new (gold or bronze would have defined it off), and the interior is covered in black with “exclusive” gray stitching on leather-wrapped surfaces like the steering wheel, as well as the BRZ’s Ultrasuede seats. This is mostly a cosmetic package, of course, although Subaru equips the STI short shifter and flexible V-bar in these cars. The STI V-Bar is a popular low-cost upgrade for BRZ owners as it improves steering responsiveness under horizontal load as well as noise, vibration and harshness on uneven pavement.

All 500 BRZ series cars. Purple will also be equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox – no automatic in this special edition. MSRP plus shipping will cost $36,565. For reference, a typical BRZ Limited costs $33,815, and that would be the mid-range spec between the confusing Premium (which is actually the base trim) and the top-of-the-line tS. It will debut in the flesh at Subiefest in Dallas, Texas this weekend.

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