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Toyota MR2 - Wedge for the people

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Created on February 12, 2025

Text:

Enrico Falchetto

Photos:

Robert May

17

Archiv

11

Robert May

17

Archiv

11

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Toyota MR2 (1986) - The proportions do not betray the mid-engine. The Cd value of 0.34 was good, but not sensational

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Toyota MR2 (1986) - agile cornering artist

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Toyota MR2 (1986) - as agile as an F1 racing car, Toyota wrote in its sales literature at the time

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Toyota MR2 (1986) - There are also Japanese yodelers. So why not photograph the MR2 in front of a traditional Austrian inn?

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Toyota MR2 (1986) - compact body shell

Bild von Partner Porsche AMAG Mai Foto-Galerie 2026

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Toyota MR2 (1986) - red, mid-engine, pop-up headlights, but still rarely seen on posters in teenage bedrooms

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Toyota MR2 (1986) - Hardly any eighties sports car could do without folding headlights

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Toyota MR2 (1986) - As a typical mid-engined sports car, the MR2 has two luggage compartments. Soft travel bags are more suitable for the front than hard-shell cases

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Toyota MR2 (1986) - The large leather steering wheel is height-adjustable. In the circular segment in the driver's door: the switches for the power windows and mirror adjustment

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Toyota MR2 (1986) - Modern: two overhead camshafts, four-valve technology, computer-controlled fuel injection with boost cut-off, knock sensor and map ignition and variable intake valve timing

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Toyota MR2 (1986) - As a typical mid-engined sports car, the MR2 has two luggage compartments. The rear one has a good usable shape, but gets quite warm

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Toyota MR2 (1986) - Export ergonomics in the cockpit: the handbrake has also changed sides with the steering wheel

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Toyota MR2 (1986) - The driver's seat can be adjusted in many ways: seat angle, side bolster, cross support, ...

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Toyota MR2 (1986) - The driver's seat can be adjusted in many ways: seat angle, side bolster, cross support, ...

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Toyota MR2 (1986) - Despite the mid-engine, the MR2 shifts perfectly. To be on the safe side, the gears are marked twice.

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Toyota MR2 (1986) - Visually unusual, but ergonomically good: the rotary switches on the instrument panel

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Toyota MR2 1600 G-Limited (1984) - top model for the Japanese market with two-tone paintwork and alloy wheels as standard

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Toyota MR2 (1985) - with the optional two-tone paint finish for 400 francs, 600 marks or 3300 shillings surcharge

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Toyota MR2 (1984) - base model without rear spoiler

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Toyota MR2 (1985) - According to the press release, the sharp longitudinal edge along the waistline is inspired by a Samurai sword

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Toyota MR2 (1986) - advertising medium of the Swiss Toyota importer. Of course, the catalytic converter was not so prominently displayed on customer vehicles

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Toyota MR2 T-Bar-Roof (1987) - Toyota Celica Cabrio (1987) - Do they offer more driving pleasure and fresh air than the motorcycles?

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Toyota MR2 T-Bar-Roof (1987) - US model, standard with four disc brakes and steel-belted tires

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Toyota MR2 (1987) - In the UK, 128 bhp was the maximum. In Japan there was also a 145 bhp supercharged version

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Toyota MR2 Convertible (1985) - Targa version built by Schwan - IAA 1985

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Toyota Silver (1983) - prototype of the MR2, to which the press added all-wheel drive and turbocharger

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Toyota MR2 T-Bar-Roof (1987) - transitional model already with painted bumpers, but still with the old rear lights

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Summary

A rare mid-engined two-seater with folding headlights, preferably ordered in red - no, not expensive and capricious, but affordable and reliable: Curtain up for the Toyota MR2

This article contains the following chapters

Fuel injection for Europe
Press praise
Driving impression

Estimated reading time: 4min

Preview (beginning of the article)

"Mid-engine rear-wheel drive 2-seater" is the most common formulation of the abbreviation "MR2". Translated: "Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive, two-seater". In France, this Toyota is not allowed to call itself that, because if pronounced sloppily it would sound like "merde" ("shit") or "merdeux" ("snot spoon"). So the two was simply omitted from the type designation for this market; however, the bonsai sports car could not hold any more passengers. With SA-X, the name of the 1981 prototype was also rather ambiguous for prudish America - Daniel Sexton Gourney fitted in well phonetically. "Dan" was the first racing driver to win in the Sports Cars Series (1958), Formula 1 and Nascar (1963) as well as the Indy Cars (1967), and took over the Californian test drives with the mid-engined Japanese car. Lotus, in which Toyota holds shares, is also said to have had a hand in the vehicle set-up.

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