Subtle updates refine the BRZ in an impactful way.The current Subaru BRZ may be starting to show its current age, but the Japanese automaker isn't letting it go stale. The company's engineers recently rolled out some minor updates for its Japanese Domestic Market model that you can't quite make out on the interior and exterior.That's because the changes go deeper than the sheet metal and focus more on the car's drivability. Specifically, they're revisions that affect the way the BRZ's manual transmission behaves.The BRZ's manual rower gets updatedThe Subaru BRZ looks the same for 2027, but the JDM version got some tweaks. - Credit: SubaruAccording to reports and some product updates from the mothership, Subaru's engineers revised the BRZ's manual to serve up smoother shifts. The revisions come from the carmaker's motorsports team, which developed the changes while competing in Japan's iconic Super Taikyu racing series.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe company describes a new "shift lever structure that utilizes knowledge gained through participation in the Super Taikyu Series" in its materials. Although it sounds quite ambiguous, Japanese media report that the tweaks essentially result in more refined shift actuations.The JDM BRZ gets a revised manual that serves up smoother shifts. - Credit: SubaruInterestingly, Subaru of America rolled out similar updates for our BRZ earlier this year. Specifically for the car's safety cameras and the addition of reverse sensors.But the product reps didn't note any changes to the manual shifter.So it's unknown if North American-spec BRZs will benefit from the manual shifter updates. Interestingly, Toyota did update the GR86's manual internally to deliver smoother shifts.Better cameras to decrease your chances of hitting anythingIt might sound really mundane, but driving enthusiasts will certainly appreciate a more refined shift. - Credit: SubaruOther minor updates include a new camera for its onboard active and passive safety systems. It now features a wide-angle monocular unit.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe new camera, which provides a higher-definition and wider view when reversing, apparently improves the response times and functionality of Subaru's EyeSight driver assistance suite.Can we have a BRZ STI already? - Credit: SubaruThe result ultimately is quicker reactions for the collision avoidance features.Subaru updated the BRZ in America with the new camera units earlier than the JDM model. That amounts to a rare move, as the JDM cars typically receive the updates first.About the Author: Chris Chin is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, trucks and anything else with four wheels. He has over a decade of experience writing news and reviews but considers himself an enthusiast first, with a passion for classics and European cars. His daily driver is a 1987 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL with nearly 250,000 miles (87,000 are his).AdvertisementAdvertisementWant to stay up to date on the latest product news and releases? Add Gear Patrol as a preferred source to ensure our independent journalism makes it to the top of your Google search results.