RE: Toyota MR2 (W10) | Spotted
Discussion
Baddie said:
paulyv said:
I later did track days in my Z4 coupe and wondered if something like the MR2 wouldn't be more fun on a twisty track. It had a terrific engine. My memory is hazy but am I right in understanding it had some similarities to a popular Cosworth engine?
I had a 20V version of the 4A-GE in a Striker. RAW claimed it was very similar (in 16V form) to the Cosworth BDA; sounded like one on ITB’s…I had a Mk1 MR2 roadster. Handled great, but the one time I deliberately provoked it at about 25 mph, it got a big tank-slapper going. Been spooked about mid-engined cars on the limit ever since. (I’ve got a Z4 at the moment, reckon it’d be easier on the limit, but the MR2 flowed beautifully down a winding A-road).
Friend had a few of the steam irons and they were a nice handling car, reasonably quick too
Edited by s m on Wednesday 10th April 20:27
biggbn said:
BeastieBoy73 said:
I’ve had an MR2 and an X-19 (which was released in 1972!?!).
Both great cars, but the X-19, to my eyes, is the prettier car.
Toyota took the X-19 and built a sturdier car in the MR2, just like Mazda did creating the original MX5 as a much better homage to the Lotus Elan.
Talking of Lotus and comparisons between the MR2 and Elise… no idea, I’ve no interest in parts bin kit cars…
Fiat prettier in original small bumper guise, an achingly pretty little car. After they stuck the big bumpers on the design lost its sharpness. My mate is an X-19 specialist, build loads of them including a few early 1300s, the purest, prettiest of the lot for me. Both great cars, but the X-19, to my eyes, is the prettier car.
Toyota took the X-19 and built a sturdier car in the MR2, just like Mazda did creating the original MX5 as a much better homage to the Lotus Elan.
Talking of Lotus and comparisons between the MR2 and Elise… no idea, I’ve no interest in parts bin kit cars…
So those 1300 Fiat X1/9 was way 'better' by character/feel? then a MR2 I do not remember the MR2 very good by driving, but I think it was more a GT clean sewing machine steriel? so back then a Fiat X1/9 could give you more special/character/soul?
ah here my black MR2 from long time ago.
WeirdNeville said:
Drop a 2zz-ge in (and the short ratio 6 speed, and keep the MR2 LSD) and you solve the engine issues in the MK3!
s m said:
Always did well on the Autocar Handling Day
Friend had a few of the steam irons and they were a nice handling car, reasonably quick too
The E34 5 series is the most benign handling car I’ve known. 60,000 miles in two M5’s and always on your side, despite 340 hp, in the dry, in rain or snow (a friend’s 540i was similar with 75 hp more than the 535i in the pic). The M5’s didn’t have traction control and didn’t need it. My first one was on standard suspension, the second got swapped into a Bilstein-based kit that was supposed to be snappier but wasn’t. Whereas the MR2 taught me I’m not good enough to catch a mid-engined car - definitely not in the wet, really felt the weight distribution even at 45:55 for the Mk 1.Friend had a few of the steam irons and they were a nice handling car, reasonably quick too
Edited by s m on Wednesday 10th April 20:27
Edited by Baddie on Wednesday 10th April 22:44
I always reply to these mk1 MR2 threads.
My first proper car was a white 1990 T bar mr2. I loved it. Did almost 70k miles in it, travelling all over Europe. Most sweet handling car I owned, but I think my youth encouraged me to test the limits more than other cars I owned.
Keep looking at them now but worried my rose tinted glasses may be broken if I did buy one.
My first proper car was a white 1990 T bar mr2. I loved it. Did almost 70k miles in it, travelling all over Europe. Most sweet handling car I owned, but I think my youth encouraged me to test the limits more than other cars I owned.
Keep looking at them now but worried my rose tinted glasses may be broken if I did buy one.
Always gonna get misty eyed over the Adub. Had a nice original jdm two-tone sc and then a psychotic mk1.5 with engine and brakes liberated from a Celica ST205.
Will always regret selling them but at this stage of life I'd very much like a nice lease deal on a MK4 pretty please please please Toyota.
EV/hybrid/ICE don't care as long as it's small, light, fun, entertaining and has the polar moment of a egg.
Will always regret selling them but at this stage of life I'd very much like a nice lease deal on a MK4 pretty please please please Toyota.
EV/hybrid/ICE don't care as long as it's small, light, fun, entertaining and has the polar moment of a egg.
My second car after my Herald 1200 was a JDM Supercharged T-top '88 white and metallic grey MR2.
It was my first car after starting work bought with my own money.
I loved that car so much! I loved the Herald too, but adding 100bhp and a lovely linear load of torque was a revelation compared to the Triumph!
I loved these as a kid, and never thought I'd own one. I remember seeing one driving through a mall carpark a few years before I got mine while I was still at school and just thought it was the coolest thing ever.
Unfortunately mine didn't handle anywhere near as good as a non SC'd one, as Toyota remove the rear sway bar to dial in understeer to help owners deal with the massive increase in grunt! Lol. The non SC'd ones were very peaky in comparison though.
Unassisted steering, mid engined, supercharged. It set the template for my favorite cars.
Time moves on, and as as much as I love them (saw one only yesterday outside work and got all misty eyed) the comparisons with an Elise are frankly, a joke. But for a teenager living out his midengined sports car dreams back in the day.... utterly wonderful.
Like most of my previous cars, I have a coaster on my desk of it now.
It was my first car after starting work bought with my own money.
I loved that car so much! I loved the Herald too, but adding 100bhp and a lovely linear load of torque was a revelation compared to the Triumph!
I loved these as a kid, and never thought I'd own one. I remember seeing one driving through a mall carpark a few years before I got mine while I was still at school and just thought it was the coolest thing ever.
Unfortunately mine didn't handle anywhere near as good as a non SC'd one, as Toyota remove the rear sway bar to dial in understeer to help owners deal with the massive increase in grunt! Lol. The non SC'd ones were very peaky in comparison though.
Unassisted steering, mid engined, supercharged. It set the template for my favorite cars.
Time moves on, and as as much as I love them (saw one only yesterday outside work and got all misty eyed) the comparisons with an Elise are frankly, a joke. But for a teenager living out his midengined sports car dreams back in the day.... utterly wonderful.
Like most of my previous cars, I have a coaster on my desk of it now.
This does look stunning, not seen many in black, as the article says, the underside looks to be in great condition as well. As for it's price, difficult to say it's over priced when you see so many other cars of a similar age and condition for more money, an XR2/3 for example will probably be a lot more, the recent Astra was more, a 205 will be more. So I don't see why a very clean great condition MR2 shouldn't be priced similarly, of course a thorough inspection to confirm this is as clean as it appears would be required.
Taz73 said:
This does look stunning, not seen many in black, as the article says, the underside looks to be in great condition as well. As for it's price, difficult to say it's over priced when you see so many other cars of a similar age and condition for more money, an XR2/3 for example will probably be a lot more, the recent Astra was more, a 205 will be more. So I don't see why a very clean great condition MR2 shouldn't be priced similarly, of course a thorough inspection to confirm this is as clean as it appears would be required.
Agreed, these are far more exotic than an XR2/3 or Astra, as well as being good to drive with a great power train. Also agree an Elise looks a bit of a bargain in this context.
NathanChadwick said:
While the Elise vs MR2 comparison is on paper quite an easy one for Hethel, despite its outwardly petite dimensions, the MR2 is actually rather roomy inside for those not the size of woodmouse.
Fair point. I'm only six foot and I'm a health weight so I fit in an Elise easily (although even I had to put a spacer behind the steering wheel so be able to get comfortable), but it's fair to say others do not!mooseracer said:
biggbn said:
I've had two of these and they are utterly brilliant. Absolute jewell of an engine, proper handling that really talked to you, surprisingly practical, it was just the rot that was the problem
Spot on, fantastic little cars to drive I had 2 of them, both white, an F reg back in the early 90s, which was immaculate and only sold to buy a MKI MX5.
I had such a good time in my MR2 but wished it was a T-Bar rather than just the pop-up sunroof one.
The first car I owned with pop-up headlights!
I bought another one around 2010, another F reg but had it insured as a classic, had to have some work done on both rear wheelarches due to rot, apart from that it was immaculate and used to get a lot of compliments about it.
An absolutely great handling car but not too sure I'd pay £20k for one, maybe £10k and with the two tone pepperpots...
I had such a good time in my MR2 but wished it was a T-Bar rather than just the pop-up sunroof one.
The first car I owned with pop-up headlights!
I bought another one around 2010, another F reg but had it insured as a classic, had to have some work done on both rear wheelarches due to rot, apart from that it was immaculate and used to get a lot of compliments about it.
An absolutely great handling car but not too sure I'd pay £20k for one, maybe £10k and with the two tone pepperpots...
I'm also an (ex) owner of 2 MK1's, an '86 Mk1a in red around 1993 and an '89 Mk1b in Helios Blue around 1996. Loved those cars! The engine went in the '89, got it fixed and p/x'd it with Warrenders in Bolton for an Escort! Loved them so much that I bought a resto project a couple of years ago (with rose tinted glasses and several wines inside me!) which is on the slow burner but will get there one day!
Cheers
Cheers
Just owned and now sold my 3rd MR2 MKII. A different car to the MKI and MKIII, as it's a little heavier in comparison (although still light) as more of a small GT, but still fantastic cars none the less. Targa top (T-Bar), lightweight, RWD, economical, peanuts to insure, quick enough, solid and reliable. Remember driving my first one down to the South of France in my early 20s. I parked it in a market square in a small town in Aquitaine and an old French chap came up and admired the car. He was trying to say you don't see many in France, for the reason of the name, but he didn't care about that and absolutely loved them. Got my eye on the 4th one now… as the force with their ownership is very strong once you’ve tried one!
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