Since years, Toyota has been hinting towards a brand-new sports car, and in December 2021, we got the finest glimpse yet at what is most certainly the all-new MR2.
Toyota launched 17 electric concept cars on the same day, nearly drowning it out, but the GR-badged, mid-engine sports car stood out in its yellow finish. Even while it wasn’t referred to as a “MR2” in the official release (it was merely named a “Sports EV”), the size and style are unmistakably similar to the company’s mid-engined sports vehicle, which was produced across two generations from 1984 to 2007.
Here is what we currently know about Toyota’s ambitions to add a fourth sports vehicle to its growing Gazoo Racing lineup, joining the GR Supra, GR 86, and GR Yaris.
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Why was the Toyota MR2 discontinued?
It may be difficult to identify a specific cause for the cancellation of some cars. Toyota was actually quite clear at the time that low sales volumes were the main cause of the MR2’s discontinuation.
Even though it received favorable reviews, the sales simply didn’t live up to the hype to support further production.
For instance, the number of MR2s sold in the United States in 2000 was just under 8000. By 2004, it had decreased to fewer than 3000.
Without excellent business sense, you can’t create a vehicle company as big and as successful as Toyota.
Toyota decided to discontinue the MR2 because it was no longer profitable, based on data.
Don Esmond, who was Toyota’s Senior Vice President at the time the MR2 was retired, is quoted as saying:
The competition in a market where “what’s new” rules has made the previous few years extremely difficult for both the Celica and the MR2, even though we have continued to introduce exciting and modern cars to our inventory, including the Scion xA, xB, and tC most recently.
What is the remaining Toyota MR2 fleet?
21) Less than 11,000 MR2 models (including legally provided and imports) are currently officially registered in the UK, according to the website How Many Left. 22) According to Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota, “Three Brothers should be part of Toyota’s sports vehicle lineup.
Does MR2 merit purchase?
A Toyota drivetrain may realistically travel 100,000200,000 miles or more with routine maintenance. Because of this, an MR2 is automatically a very dependable vehicle with a low cost of ownership and little chance of breaking down. Although suspension and tire selection certainly play a role, the outstanding ride quality and comfort make it a pleasure to drive.
The MR2 is as practical as any two-seat sports car, but the trunk and front storage area offer respectable storage, which is a bonus. However, the MR2 is a headache to drive in areas that see any significant quantity of snow, much like every other sports car. The main disadvantage for coffee addicts must be the MK I and MK II versions’ absence of cup holders.
Toyota stopped producing the MR2 when?
Sales of the MR2 were clearly impacted by a global decline in the sports car sector in the New Millennium. Initial annual sales counts in the tens of thousands gradually decreased to thousands, and ultimately to hundreds. At the end of the 2005 model year, sales of the MR2 (and Celica) came to a stop in the US and Australia, but they remained in Japan, Mexico, and Europe until 2007, when production formally came to an end.
What does MR2 represent?
Toyota produced and sold the MR2 line of two-seat, mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports vehicles across three generations, from 1984 to 2007: W10 (19841989), W20 (19891999), and W30 (20002007). It is the first rear mid-engined production vehicle from Japan.
The MR2’s fundamental design features, which included fully independent MacPherson strut front and rear suspensions, four-wheel disc brakes, and an inline-four engine positioned transversely, were used to create a tiny, affordable, and sporty vehicle.
Either “mid-ship run-about 2-seater” or “mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-seater” are the meanings of the moniker MR2.
[2] Because “MR2” sounds like the expletive “Merde” when spoken in French, the car was renamed Toyota MR in French-speaking markets. [3]
Is the Toyota MR2 unique?
Only 69 Toyota MR2 cars were available for purchase on Autotrader at the time of this writing. This covers all three of the vehicle’s generations: the W10, which was sold from 1984 to 1989; the W20, which was sold in the United States from 1991 to 1995; and the W30, commonly known as the MR2 Spyder, which was sold from 2000 to 2005.
A Toyota MR2 can go how fast?
The Toyota Camry’s 2.2-liter inline-four engine produced 130 horsepower in the base Mk2. According to MotorTrend, customers might choose a 2.0-liter turbo engine, which is significantly more potent.
The Mk2 Turbo had a turbocharged engine authorized for racing instead of the Camry’s motor. Its 200 horsepower and 200 lb-ft of torque made it the quickest MR2 model that was offered. The Mk2 Turbo could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds when fitted with its engine. Comparatively, the standard 2.2-liter engine could reach 60 mph from 0 in 8.0 seconds.
The max speed of the Mk2 Turbo was likewise higher than that of previous MR2s. While other MR2 variants could reach speeds of 120 to 130 mph, it could reach 142 mph. Models with above 240 hp that were sold in Japan were unable to pass U.S. emissions tests, hence they were never driven on American soil.
Why are MR2 prices so low?
The later model MR2 built by Toyota between 1997 and 2007 is known as the MR2 Spyder. The Toyota Midship Runabout 2 made its premiere in 1997 at the Tokyo Motor Show, fitting for a vehicle intended for the Japanese Domestic Market. The name MR2 wasn’t merely a strange collection of letters.
The MR2 has a traditional mid-engine design, which makes driving it superior to some other sports vehicles of the same price. You can typically buy an excellent used car for under $10,000 on the used car market. Because they are a Toyota, they require little upkeep, and repairs are frequently affordable.
They don’t have much power, with only 138 bph from the dependable 1.8L engine. Popular options for the car that can boost its power and speed include aftermarket turbochargers.
The fact that the MR2 is also available with a manual transmission, which has the same Toyota dependability and is simple to shift but increases driving enjoyment, would also be of appeal to many prospective purchasers.
Can you operate an MR2 every day?
I’ve had five Toyota MR2s in the past ten years, all with different levels of upkeep and customization. All five of them were second-generation models with turbocharged engines and a handful with naturally aspirated engines (19911995 in the United States). All repairs and maintenance, with the exception of the times one of them needed bodywork, have been completed by me.
If you live in an area where the climate permits it, the Toyota MR2 is unquestionably capable of being a very enjoyable, dependable daily driver. Considering its age, it’s safe, cozy, and dependable (after all, it’s a Toyota). Compared to current autos, maintenance costs are also rather low.
You might want to give it more thought if you live somewhere that receives a lot of snow, like I do in Central New York. Any sports car should never be driven in the snow, let alone one that appears to be increasing in value. But aside from that, it’s a terrific idea to drive an MR2 every day.
Permit me to expand on a few of these ideas now:
Are MR2 stylish?
The Toyota MR2 is a stylish and reasonably priced mid-engined sports car that was sold in three distinctly different incarnations.
Toyota has a lot of experience building quality sports cars. They have built numerous renowned and iconic sports cars over the years, many of which have made significant contributions to history. Some of those are now worth absurd sums of money as well.
But what happens when the head of Toyota gets a brilliant idea to build a mid-engine, reasonably priced sports car that handles as well as the best supercars and costs a fraction of the price, both to buy and to maintain? The MR2. The MR2 is an interesting sports car that is underappreciated.
Which MR2 is the rarest?
Toyota returned to the fundamentals with the MR2 Spyder for the third version of the MR2, which was introduced for the 2000 model year. The MR2 Spyder was only available as a complete convertible, but its total size wasn’t much bigger than the earlier MR2s, which led to a smaller weight (2,200 lb) and a return to more subdued power levels. Unfortunately, because to its diminutive size, it had less storage space than either MR2 that had come before it: just under 2.0 cubic feet overall, the majority of which was divided between two storage boxes below the seats. For the first time, only a 1.8-liter, all-aluminum inline-four engine with 138 horsepower and 126 pound-feet of torque was available. Up until 2001, a five-speed “Sequential Manual Transmission” (SMT) offered automated shifting but had inferior performance than a five-speed manual transmission. SMT automobiles need close to 9.0 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour while normal manual cars needed approximately 6.8 seconds. With redesigned seats, 16-inch staggered rear wheels, an additional gear for the SMT gearbox, updated suspension tuning, and a new underbody bracing for structural stiffness, the MR2 Spyder received a mild refresh for 2002. A Torsen limited-slip differential was optional in 2003, and the ride height increased little. The MR2 Spyder’s final model year in the United States was 2005, however cars continued to be offered overseas until 2006. The MR2 Spyder is the rarest model of all MR2s, having only 27,941 units sold in the United States.
Which MR2 is the best?
the title “Either “Mid-ship, Rear-drive, two-seater” or “Mid-engine, Rear-wheel-drive, 2-seater” are said to be the meanings of the letters MR2. Toyota made an effort with this well-liked sporty daily driver to provide a compact, inexpensive, fuel-efficient car that was nevertheless entertaining to drive. The MR2 was built by the carmaker in three generations between 1984 and 2007: the W10 from 1984 to 1989, the W20 from 1990 to 1999, and the W30 from 2000 to 2007. They are additionally known as Mk1, Mk2, and Mk3.
Most people agree that the W20, or Mk2, is the best. Japan’s driving is credited “For the second generation to be the best, there was a bubble in the economy from 1986 to 1991. Japanese automakers made significant investments during this period of economic prosperity in an effort to outperform one another. Stars like the Mazda FD RX-7, Acura NSX, and the fourth-generation Toyota Supra were born during this time.
“According to Driving, automakers were all in on outstripping one another in terms of technology, and this was clearly reflected in the fresh personality the revised MR2 presented. Because of this, Toyota started positioning the second-generation MR2 as a more upscale option rather than a cost-effective choice.” The exotic styling of the coupe, which swapped the original model’s harsh ’80s angles for windswept curves reminiscent of Italian cuisine like the Ferrari 355, mirrored this.
Is an MR2 a vintage vehicle?
Toyota’s MR2 (Mid-engine, RWD, 2-seater). commonly used “The term “poor man Ferrari,” which I absolutely detest, is used to describe a Toyota sports car that isn’t aiming to be a Ferrari. There is no disputing the W10 MR2’s smooth, square lines, which are a very harmonious design built to last over time. Today, we’ll discuss the background of this entertaining mid-engine Japanese sports car. (The third generation MR2 is not covered in this article.)
Everything began in 1976, when Toyota felt the need to create and work on a fun-to-drive small automobile while taking into account good fuel economy. Akio Yoshida, a smart man, didn’t begin developing the design and drive-train for this vehicle until 1979 “(Which, to be completely honest, is only partially true; I’ll explain later.) not-sports car car
The SA-X prototype, which had a mid-transverse engine placement, was introduced by Toyota in 1981 after the company had decided on the sort of drive system and engine placement to use in the new prototype. From that point forward, this style of engine arrangement was applied to every MR2 model.
That prototype certainly looks wonderful, but could we please move on to the real MR2s? – No, not yet. In 1983, Toyota released another another prototype, this one dubbed the SV-3, which had an amazing appearance. The W10 MR2 would be released on the global market a year and a half later with 1.5L 3A and 1.6L 4A engine options. In advance of its official debut on the MR2, this vehicle attracted a lot of attention when it was displayed at the 1983 Tokyo Motor Show. Let’s now talk a little bit about the features of the first-generation W10 MR2 and its design.