Toyota : MR2 Mk1
1984–1989
Model Introduction
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.