Sitting below both the mighty Toyota Supra and the rally hardened Celica, the MR2, a car developed to serve as a cheaper fuel-saving sports alternative, became Japan's first mid-engine sports car. The lightweight car boasted Lotus developed suspension, the option of a targa style roof, and pop-up headlights.
Over the car's life, it would be praised for its sharp handling, approachable road manners and would attain a cult following from both buyers, enthusiasts, and the motoring press.
With original examples now rapidly approaching their 40th birthday, here are 10 things everyone forgot about the Toyota MR2.
10 SA-X Prototype
The design of a mid-engined economical sports car originally started in the 1970s during the height of the oil crisis. Known as the SA-X, the little two-seat sports car featured a mid-mounted engine, but development halted due to the uncertainty of demand for such a car.
The project was then revived in 1980, reworked under the name of SV-3 the prototype was heavily tested at Willow Springs by racing driver and NASCAR legend Dan Gurney.
9 MK1
In 1984, the MK1, now known as the Midship Runaround 2 seater or MR2, was released in Japan and Europe. Both markets got a car fitted with the same 4A-GE engine that had been used in the Corolla AE86.
The 1587 cc engine was fuel-injected, had a 16 valve head and produced 122 bhp, 105 lb-ft of torque, and would cover the 0-60mph dash in a little less than 8 seconds. Handling was considered to be superb, with near-perfect weight distribution, allowing for a sure-footed, agile ride.
8 MR2 Supercharged
As part of a 1987 revision, Toyota updated various interior and exterior features on the car, the most notable addition was the availability of a supercharged engine. Having slapped a Roots-type unit to the 4A-GZE engine, Toyota upped power to 145bhp with 140 lb-ft of torque.
In such a light car, the 0-60 time dropped significantly to 6.5 seconds. The quarter-mile could be dispatched in 15 seconds at 91mph, which at the time was quicker than a Porsche 944S.
7 222D
By feeding the little MK1 MR2 a strict diet of steroids and race parts, Toyota ended up creating the 222D, a bulging muscular monster that looked like it would eat its rivals for breakfast.
Built around a lightweight space frame chassis and packing a 600bhp 503E engine, the Group B destined rally car was described as un-driveable thanks to a lack of development, monumental turbo lag, and the 222D was eventually scrapped along with the banning of its event class.
6 MK2
In its second incarnation, the MR2 now featured more attractive, but heavier, bodywork that many believed similar to the Ferrari F355, thus gaining it a reputation of being a ‘poor man’s Ferrari’.
In Japanese markets, the base car's displacement had grown to 2 liters and power output now climbed to 160bhp. In the US, naturally aspirated models now saw a 2.2-liter unit with 130bhp being used.
5 Spider & TRD GT
Created by Toyota TechnoCraft only 91 Spider cars were ever manufactured. Featuring a retractable canvas soft-top that would stow beneath a bespoke wingless trunk lid, the majority of cars were naturally aspirated and not officially backed by Toyota.
Based on the TRD2000GT race car, an advanced tuning program was offered for those customers looking to enhance their MR2’s to superhuman levels. In addition to the race car replicating wide body kit, a variety of engines, interiors, and wheels were offered to discerning buyers, enabling them the potential to create truly one-off cars. Rumors have it that one left the workshop sporting circa 500 hp.
4 Turbo
The biggest change for this generation of cars was the replacement of the supercharged variant with an all-new turbocharged option. The engine, designation 3S-GTE, put out 218 hp in Japanese cars and 200 hp in US-spec vehicles.
Stock US cars could hit 60 in 6.1 seconds, whilst the later Japanese Revision 3 car would beat this with a 0-60 of 5.5 seconds whilst dispatching the quarter-mile in 13.1 seconds.
3 SARD MC8
A modified and lengthened MR2 built specifically by Sigma Advanced Research Development the MC8-R utilized a 4.0-liter V8 engine, frequently used in the Toyota Soarer, which in this twin-turbo configuration pumped out a breath-taking 600bhp.
Only 1 road car was ever built and having disappeared in 1995 it mysteriously resurfaced some 20 years later, in 2015, only to be sold at auction and disappear once again.
2 MR/S
Returning to its boxier roots, Toyota took a gamble with the redesign of the MK3 MR2 Toyota and released a chunkier-looking car in comparison to its predecessor. Despite the more angular silhouette, the car had slimmed down to 975kg.
Powered now by a lower displacement, 138 hp 1.8-liter four-cylinder VVTi engine borrowed from the seventh-generation Celica, the MR2 would hit 60mph in 7.7 seconds. Considered to be nimbler and more responsive to drive than its predecessor, the little roadster lost marks for having a more cramped cockpit.
1 Racing
The MK3 platform offers up a whole array of tuning possibilities, with both the addition of a supercharger or turbo unit being fitted to gain higher power outputs. Most racing teams, however, take a slightly different approach and simply fit a 3.5 liter 2GR-FE V6 engine along with an aero package to produce a vehicle that brags an average output of 295 hp and 288 lb-ft of torque.
With the 0-60 dash demolished in less than 4 seconds, the little race car can further be enhanced via supercharging to boost outputs to within a reliable 400bhp.