Tuesday 19th November 2013

Toyota MR2 V8: You Know You Want To

Harris continues his 4x4 search, finds an Audi-engined MR2...

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I was searching the classifieds for V8 Landcruisers, so I simply selected Toyota, Petrol, V8 - as you would.

Still some bits to be finished...

Among the mud-munchers, this rather stood out. A first generation Toyota MR2 with an Audi V8 stuffed behind the rear bulkhead.

What is it about this kind of lunacy that appeals so much? The performance potential of the thing is clearly appealing, but I don't know about you, I tend to make snap judgments about this type of exercise based almost entirely on how it looks in the pictures. And this looks bloody superb.

The flared arches are perfectly cartoonish, the wheel design couldn't be better suited to an 80's hot-rod and the dish on the rears reminds me again that pushing spokes inwards should be compulsory for all wheel designers.

'Stuffed' the operative word back here

I'm not so sure about the square tail-pipes and of course I have no idea how it drives; one suspects it might need some, how can I put this politely, intensive set-up work to avoid it being a modern day Stratos.

Sometimes we all need to own something deliberately silly and potentially ruinous. It's a grim Tuesday morning, so my vote goes with the V8 MR2.

 

 

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TOYOTA MR2 V8
Price: £10,995
Why you should: A brilliant, barmy idea that seems to have been done well
Why you shouldn't: Handling could be tricky...

See the original advert here

[CampDavid]

I'd imagine it'd be a fun thing to play with and to try and dial some sort of forgiveness into the handling. Why not?

[peteA]

Bet that's fun to drive. Great that there are people out there building these bonkers machines!

How far back into the cabin does the engine actually go or is not as bad as it looks? Anyone for changing the plugs...

[dukebox9reg]

Thats been hovering on pistonheads for ages. Tried to get a mate to buy it when he was looking for a new track toy. He went for a M3 instead. Booo. Would have liked a go in this.

[pagani1]

Sheer lunacy I love the attempt. Reminds me of my ultimate dream a Ferrari V8 Lancia MonteCarlo, again to file away in the Stratos-phere.

[Captainawesome]

Brilliant

[s m]

That does look like it might be fun thing. I like the original steam iron shape but I bet it would be a handful with that engine

[Uncle John]

Woodsport have been doing these for quite some time and know what they are doing.

Would be great fun in a pseudo dragster way as the original car is a peach.

[Kawasicki]

I've worked with a few fwd audis and I've always thought they would make a great engine for a nice mid engined car. I also think the Bentley W12 with auto box would work quite well in a high speed mid engined GT.

[vrooom]

I would love that.

[only1ian]

As i 3 time MR2 MK1 owner I can say that will be a handful!

And respect to the guy that created it

[V8 FOU]

Chris is right. We all need something a bit daft/scary once in a while.

[whythem]

I think this car is a "woodsport" conversion. He's been doing 3.0 Camry conversions with warranties for a few years now.

[gareth_r]

Uncle John said:

Woodsport have been doing these for quite some time and know what they are doing...

There's a build thread for this car on Two Brutal.

[Tib]

Yeah it's a woodsport uncompleted project.

There's a chap of which people's opinions vary massively

[sideways man]

What's wrong with it being a 'modern day stratos'?
They won a lot of rallies back in the day,so must have handled reasonably.
Slow in,fast out didn't do the 911 much harm either!

[Hatchoo]

I think Harris should be forced to test this car immediately.

[gofasterrosssco]

Tib said:

There's a chap of which people's opinions vary massively

Unlike most garages / specialists? I think the balance of opinion is overwhelmingly positive, but anyway..

This was the owners own project car, and features the S8 variant of the engine with a few tweaks, so should be safely ~350bhp, and probably weighs less than 1,200kg. Handling / suspension was untested I believe (but upgraded), but if there's somewhere you want to put additional weight, its right in the middle (and further forward) I guess..

Would be fun, but was sold on the basis of a not-quite-there project, so hopefully the current seller has put the work in..

[Axel350Z]

OlberJ!

[Bladedancer]

Will the next step be Mk2 V8 with a Ferrari kit on it?

[PHMatt]

Crikey, is that still not done, I remember them building that thing when I had an MR2 Turbo and I sold that in 2009!

IIRC he was racing a guy in the US who was putting a Cadilac V8 in one. I think it was a Caddy, might have been something else USD.