Toyota MR2

Toyota MR2 at a glance

MR2 generations compared

How the MR2 began

Toyota started thinking about a car that would be fun to drive and use little fuel in 1976, but the oil crisis held the project back. Wikipedia dates the start of design work under engineer Akio Yoshida to 1979; Toyota UK says the idea was revived in 1980. A prototype called SA-X followed in 1981, and the SV-3 concept appeared at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 1983. Lotus engineer Roger Becker helped Toyota with the suspension and handling; Toyota's ties with Lotus at that time also produced the Lotus Excel, which used Toyota parts.

The name MR2 stands for "mid-ship runabout 2-seater" or "mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-seater". In France and Belgium the car was sold as the MR, because "MR2" read aloud in French sounds like a swear word.

First generation W10 (1984–1989)

The AW11 went on sale in Japan on 8 June 1984 and reached the United Kingdom about six months later. Its 1.6-litre 4A-GE twin-cam, shared with the Corolla, gave 96 kW (130 PS) in Japan at launch and later 88 kW (120 PS), 91 kW (124 PS) in Europe with no catalytic converter, 85 kW (116 PS) with one, and 84 kW (112 hp) in the United States. A Japan-only AW10 had a 1.5-litre 3A-LU with 61 kW (83 PS). For the naturally aspirated car Toyota UK quotes 8.2 seconds from 0 to 60 mph and 200 km/h (124 mph) flat out, with a weight split of 44:56.

In August 1986 a supercharged 4A-GZE with 107 kW (145 PS) and 186 Nm was added in Japan; the United States got it for 1988. It reached 100 km/h in 6.5 to 7.0 seconds but weighed up to 1,131 kg, against 950 kg for the lightest AW11 sold in Japan. The car was voted Japan Car of the Year for 1984–85 and was on Car and Driver's Ten Best list in 1986 and 1987. A Group S rally car, the 222D, was developed in 1985 but never raced after Group S was cancelled. First-generation production is quoted at 163,845 (Autoweek) or 166,104 (Hagerty).

Second generation W20 (1989–1999)

The SW20 arrived in October 1989. It was 245 mm longer and 30 mm wider than the first car, with an 80 mm longer wheelbase, and 159 to 181 kg heavier. Japanese buyers chose between the 2.0-litre 3S-GE with 121 kW (165 PS) and the 3S-GTE turbo with 165 kW (225 PS); the US Turbo had 149 kW (200 hp) and 271 Nm, the US base car a 2.2-litre 5S-FE with 97 kW (130 hp). The UK, the second-largest export market, also had a 2.0 base model with 89 kW (119 bhp). The US Turbo reached 60 mph in 6.1 seconds.

The 1992 changes answered complaints about sudden oversteer at the limit. An SW20 won the GT300 class of the JGTC, Japan's GT championship, in 1998 and 1999, and Toyota Technocraft built 35 TRD2000GT conversions. Classic & Sports Car gives 130,732 second-generation cars.

Third generation W30: MR-S and MR2 Spyder (1999–2007)

The third MR2 was an open two-seater, sold from 12 October 1999 in Japan as the MR-S, from March 2000 in the United States as the MR2 Spyder and in Europe as the MR2 Roadster. Every version used the 1,794 cc 1ZZ-FE with 103 kW (140 PS) at 6,400 rpm and 171 Nm. Wikipedia lists 996 kg with the manual gearbox, and Toyota UK a weight from 960 kg, less than the 977 kg it gives for the first-generation car. It reached 100 km/h in 6.8 to 8.7 seconds depending on the gearbox. There was no boot at the back: Wikipedia lists an 11-litre space at the front and 42 litres behind the seats.

The SMT, an automated sequential gearbox without a clutch pedal, arrived in 2001 according to Toyota UK (2002 according to Wikipedia), and a six-speed manual and 16-inch wheels came with the 2002 facelift. An optional Torsen limited-slip differential followed in 2003. The catalogue also lists this generation as a separate model, MR2 Spyder.

US sales totalled 27,941 and ended after the 2005 model year; production ended in July 2007. Limited editions included the V-Edition (1,000 cars), the TF300 for the UK (300 cars) and the Zagato-bodied VM180 in Japan.

Engines of all MR2 generations

The turbo car sold in Japan from 1993 had 88 percent more power than the first 1.6-litre MR2 of 1984, while weighing about 300 kg more (1,240–1,270 kg against 950 kg). Our power-to-weight calculator shows what such ratios mean on the road.

Photo gallery