No show stand is complete without a race car, and Subaru put a honey of one on display at its booth in the form of its Subaru BRZ Super GT race car. Emblazoned with the words "Proud of Boxer" across its be-splittered nose and be-winged butt, the widebody, Subaru BRZ GT300 was a sight that got camera phones out of pockets in a hurry. Subaru has been competing in the GT300 class of the Super GT series (formerly known as the All Japan Grand Touring Championship or JGTC) since 2005, but always with sedans -- either the Impreza WRX STI or Legacy. Stripped down into racing shape, with the rear doors welded shut and AWD powertrains converted to rear drive, Subaru's GT300 racers looked the part, but were never that competitive. The new BRZ race car could change all that.

Super GT is FIA-sanctioned and structured more like Germany's DTM series or Le Mans GT class racing in that the race cars are derived from production vehicles (unlike NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow spec chassis), with performance equalized via technical regulations like intake restrictors and ballasting.

There are two classes within Super GT. The GT500 class which features highly modified 500 horsepower race cars from works teams from Japan's biggest automakers (Nissan, Toyota, Honda). The GT300 class in which the Subaru BRZ will compete has a 300 horsepower limit and more restrictions regarding engine and chassis modifications.

While engine swaps are popular in the GT500 class (Nissan GT-Rs with 4.5-liter V8s, for example), the 200-horsepower BRZ will likely have find its extra 100 ponies the old fashioned way -- via turbos and high tech tuning.

However Subaru does it, we look forward to watching its teams head to the track with a true sports car derived racer. By the looks of things, Subaru means business.