Toyota : Mr2 Mk1

The first-generation Toyota MR2, introduced in 1984, was Japan’s answer to the affordable mid-engined sports car, combining sharp handling, light weight, and everyday usability. Styled with crisp, angular lines by Toyota’s in-house team under Akio Yoshida, it featured a transverse mid-mounted 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, with the supercharged 4A-GZE version arriving later to boost performance. Its agile chassis and communicative steering won praise worldwide, earning it multiple “Car of the Year” awards and cementing its reputation as one of the most engaging small sports cars of the 1980s.

Magazine Articles

  • Fast Lane cover

    Prancing on a budget

    Fancy a Ferrari? Most people do, if they're honest, but the ultimate drive-filler raises the tricky matter of £40,000 or so. There is another option though, and for £11,500, the Toyota MR2 gets closer than you might think.

    Fast Lane · May 1987

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