There was only one way to determine whether or not this young boy-racer marvel could maintain a meaningful relationship. We thus ordered an MR2 for a 30,000-mile durability test in the sake of science. We checked numerous boxes on the options list in order to assure accurate examination of as many components as possible (this is a rigorous process, you see). The ice-blue Mr. With power windows and locks, a moonroof, air conditioning, cruise control, an AM/FM/cassette stereo, and the optional rear spoiler, two guest cars arrived in Ann Arbor. With these extras, the $10,999 basic price rose to a total of $13,409, which is still not exactly chicken feed but is acceptable in light of the MR2’s sensational press coverage. On February 22, 1985, we received our science project and got to work on our assessment.
We put more than 3000 miles on our new Two in its first month of service, and this frantic pace rarely abated for the remainder of the car’s time at C/D. Mister Two was constantly on the go, taking staff members to lunch, conducting errands, taking them on outings, and giving everyone a lot of enjoyable rides. The crew repeated its prior reviews as the kilometers added up. Everyone praised the MR2’s adaptable engine, smooth and enjoyable gearbox, and fun handling qualities.
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The Toyota MR2 is an uncommon automobile, right?
Unless you’re a devoted admirer of Toyota, it’s simple to forget about the Toyota MR2. It was a rear-wheel-drive (R), 2-seater sports car with a mid-engine (M) that functioned as a cheap roadster with excellent driving dynamics and Toyota dependability.
What’s the cost of a 1986 Toyota MR2?
**Figure based on a 1986 Toyota MR2 Mk I stock vehicle valued at $13,000 with ON rates and $100/300K liability/UM/UIM limitations. Actual costs vary according on the coverage chosen, the state of the vehicle, the province, and other elements.
What is the value of a first-generation MR2?
We utterly adore the Mazda Miata for bringing the affordable, upbeat sports car back to life in 1989. True, Miatas are fantastic vehicles, and the Miata is the best-selling sports car in the world for a reason. However, Toyota beat Mazda to market by a half-decade with their similarly small, inexpensive, and cheery MR2.
Toyota had sold 160,000 MR2s globally by the time Mazda’s new smiley-faced roadster began to appear in showrooms, and a completely new model had been created to last into the 1990s. However, while having comparable features to the Miata (a dependable small-displacement engine, rear-wheel drive, a flickable five-speed, and a low price), the MR2 never developed the same fervent fan base, and shockingly few are still on the road. But if pricing are any guide, buyers are starting to realize how wonderful of a value the MR2 could be. Miata may be the solution at all times, but not if you’re asking, “What if I want a cheap sports car with a mid-engine? Your options are basically limited to the MR2, Fiat X1/9, or Pontiac Fiero after that. We don’t want to have preferences, but you ought to get the Toyota. The market appears to concur.
The MR2 (which is Toyota-speak for “In 1983, the Midship Runabout 2-seater debuted at the Tokyo Motor Show. It resembled the exotic European supercars of the time with its mid-engine design and wedge shape, but on a smaller scale and with far more basic mechanical components. The MR2 utilises a 1587-cc variation of the 4A-GE twin-cam seen in the E80-series Corolla and everyone’s favorite drift vehicle, the AE86, and is referred to internally as the W10. Since other pre-existing Toyota components were utilised throughout, the base price remained at a seductively low $10,999 (about $26,500 in 2019 currency). Additionally, despite the fact that most mid-engine automobiles from the 1980s make you believe there is no such thing as “The Toyota is a different tale in terms of ergonomics. It’s roomier than it appears, the controls are all within reach, and the pedals are placed where they should be. To fit into this two-seater, there are no yoga poses or body twists required.
Open-air driving was introduced in 1987 with a T-bar top option, but the major news happened with a supercharged model the previous year. Unexpectedly, a four-cylinder Toyota was the first supercharged vehicle offered in America in 20 years. According to Car & Driver “Deceptively speedy, the MR2’s 145 horsepower and 140 lb-ft of torque from the blower allowed it to reach 130 mph and reduce the 060 time by more than a second compared to the base model. On the engine cover of supercharged vehicles, raised vents as well as inconspicuous (by 1980s standards, at least) “special wheels, a stronger transmission, stiffer springs, and supercharged decals. A clever clutch system built into the supercharger itself disengages the blower from the engine when there is low engine load, allowing for roughly 28 mpg on the interstate. Obviously, the most valuable models are those with superchargers, but any properly maintained “Mister 2 is a fun, throwable car that is worthwhile to own.
When Toyota revamped the MR2 as the larger, rounder, and faster W20-series for 1990, the first-generation cars’ antiquated, doorstop-like looks were readily apparent. They remained inexpensive for a very long time, which led to a high attrition rate due to variables including rigorous driving, postponed maintenance, and extended exposure to the elements. The MR2, a mid-engine vehicle, was likewise afflicted by the kit car curse. Many customers believed that their MR2 would look far better dressed up in a cheap counterfeit Lambo or Ferrari suit than with the plain, but at least clean, Toyota body, similar to what happened with the Fiero. Oh, right.
However, prices for the remaining Mister 2s gradually increased beginning in 2015. Given the growing interest in Japanese performance cars from the 1980s and 1990s, especially the MR2, this makes sense. A supercharged model’s condition #2 (Excellent) worth in 2014 was $9000. It is now $15,600. Over the same time period, the value of the #2-condition for a base model increased from $7200 to $12,100. Supercharged vehicles receive the greatest attention and appreciate more quickly since they are more uncommon, faster, and more attractive. In the most recent version of the Hagerty Price Guide, supercharged MR2s had an average increase of 9.3 percent while base models saw an increase of 4.2 percent.
Although MR2s are no longer dirt cheap, they are still distinctly inexpensive. The most expensive first-generation MR2 we’ve seen at a live auction was a 1541-mile bone-stock 1986 vehicle for $18,700, and a few exceptional examples have sold in the low teens on Bring a Trailer. A blown car is valued at $10,000 in condition #3 (Good); a base car is valued at $8400. Long-term prospects for the MR2 are promising as well, given that younger enthusiasts are drawn to the vehicles. Millennials account for nearly half of buyer interest (as shown by insurance quotation activity), which is more than twice the rate observed across the rest of the market.
The first-generation MR2 has a lot going for it as one of the only reasonably priced mid-engine sports cars available and, perhaps, the best (apart from the later W20-series MR2). It also has space for value growth. Finding a good one, or one without excessive mileage, cheap modifications, or terminal corrosion, is the trick. Grab a baby Ferrari that has been treated like an actual Ferrari if you come across one. You won’t regret it, and neither will your wallet.
Will the price of MR2 rise?
The Toyota MR2 has always had more of a cult following and less of an all-encompassing fame than the legendary Japanese sports cars of the 1990s like the Nissan Skyline and Toyota Supra.
The second-generation MR2 (chassis code SW20), a bit more of a JDM dark horse from the 1990s, has remained a relative value despite its unconventional mid-engine layout, agile handling, and distinctive style influenced by Ferrari, all of which were constructed with Toyota’s exceptional quality.
Has the ideal time to purchase a SW20 passed due to the recent explosion in the price of 90s JDM vehicles, or will this special car continue to be a JDM bargain?
The value of Toyota MR2s will probably continue to rise in the future, but not as much as that of more well-known Japanese automobiles like the Supra, NSX, and RX7. The SW20 MR2 is a great deal in the collector car market thanks to its reasonable price, distinctive appearance, and performance numbers.
The Toyota MR2is it a vintage?
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.
W10: The First Generation (1984-1988)
Now you see what I meant when I said “not-sports vehicle” (which is somewhat false). Toyota produced a fantastic sports car even though they had no intention of doing so while they were building the automobile.
With a curb weight of between 900940 kg in Japan and just over a tonne in America, the first generation MR2 was a relatively light vehicle (again, the JDM received a substantially superior vehicle with almost 100 kg less!). The MR2s’ suspension, which heavily borrows from the sports cars Lotus built from 1960 to 1970, was helped by Lotus. The MR2 did not have Toyota’s quite sophisticated active-suspension technology, known as TEMS (Toyota Electronic Modulated Suspension), which was installed on top-tier Toyota products with four wheel independent suspension and provided greater comfort and stability through continuous damping control.
The 1.6L 4A-GE, DOHC, 16v NA Inline 4 engine that powered the MR2 had DENSO technology added to it, allowing it to have a variable intake geometry system that improved low-end torque by altering the intake manifold’s geometry in response to engine speed. This gave the MR2 a power output of 112 bhp in America, 120 bhp in Europe, and 130 bhp in Japan. (Have I said what a fantastic engine the 4A-GE is?) The engine has a very positive reputation; in other words, people continue to purchase and use them. A few years later, Toyota changed the engine to a 4A-GZE with a tiny roots supercharger, adding a little weight to the vehicle.
The vehicle was continually being improved, with additions like additional stetic components, some new air intake routings, and increased structural rigidity. The car’s inside was quite standard, with dials that evoked the 1980s, a three-spoke wheel, and seats that appeared to be very comfortable.
W20: The Second Generation (1989 – 1999)
Although the new MR2s were bigger and heavier (about 200kg heavier), they made up for it with new engines! , Let’s examine the numerous versions that Toyota utilised with the 3S family for the second generation.
The W20 was offered in four different variations for the domestic Japanese market, the G being the entry-level model with a 2.0L 3S-GE NA engine producing roughly 165 Bhp and rather basic features like electronic mirrors and climate control. The G-Limited came after the G, which is basically a fancy way of stating that your SW20 had a better intake, electronic folding mirrors that did not add weight, fog lamps, and a spoiler. The GT-S, which had a turbocharged 2.0L 3S-GTE engine and produced 220 Bhp but had the same equipment as the previous model, followed by the GT, which added… alcantara and leather accents… yes, comes after the fancy base model.
Similar W20 models were distributed in Europe, but without turbochargers. The First Generation produced greater power while being lighter, and the Americans received two vehicles with the -fairly originally-MR2 name and a 2.2L 5S-FE producing 130 Bhp, which is pretty low. The other vehicle is known as the MR2 Turbo and uses the same turbocharged 2.0L 3S-GTE engine as the GT-S.
The 4th Gen 3S-GTE was a very well-known mod among enthusiasts to the stock 3S-GTE. With just a turbocharger boost pressure controller, you could achieve up to 310 Bhp, and this modification helped produce a higher output of 265 Bhp.
Toyota produced a number of alleged “revisions simply meant improving the car in whatever way that could be done. I won’t get too deeply into these alterations because there were numerous adjustments made during the course of the 10-year development. The most significant of these was the addition of a limited-slip differential in 1993 (on turbo cars only; it was removed from North American models in 1996). Toyota altered the geometry of the tires, their size, and the power steering to address the SW20’s well-known tendency toward snap-oversteer. Compared to its predecessor, the interior was rounder, and that’s pretty much it.
Of course, Toyota produced numerous wacky variations focused on motorsport, such the 222D Group S rally car:
Toyota already competed with the Celica in African Group B stages (and was extremely successful there), so the firm saw the need to improve in European twisties (like Monte Carlo), so they came up with this. The prototype’s 503E (Toyota S engine) race engine, which was turbocharged, purportedly produced 750 Bhp, and it was based on the W10 (with a very big air of a Lancia 037) 222D, which weighed 750 kg, which is ridiculously light. Sadly, the 222D was never able to compete in rally’s challenging stages because Group B and Group S were postponed in 1986. Toyota made a surpise debut at the 2006 Goodwood Festival of Speed, which is still worth highlighting.
Although I detest the comparison to the “Poor’s guy Ferrari, that is somewhat accurate. When comparing sports cars with equal features in higher price ranges, all you are actually doing is comparing the brands. This vehicle is a true mid-engine sports car, in addition to having a really attractive look. It was a Ferrari built for the working class. They were popular because they made good automobiles in general and because owning a 4A-GE or 3S-GTE was fun. As a result, they became true Toyota classics.
Now, does this vehicle fit the requirements for a multi-role vehicle? Well, sort of, yes. Due to its 50:50 weight distribution and low center of gravity, they will perform admirably on a track or at autocross competitions, but the challenging part is finding one. You know, these models, especially the W10, are rather difficult to locate in pristine condition. If you ever wanted to configure your SW20 for track events, you would need to locate a 93′ hardtop, as it offers the greatest structural firmness of all of them. However, good luck with that. And if you do, by chance, come across a tidy MR2, be sure not to miss the chance!
Thank you for reading, and please check out my other posts as well! What automobile should I discuss next?