During the ’60s, several manufacturers — following the lead set by sports car racing — produced road-going mid-engined sports cars. One of the first of these was Rene Bonnet’s pioneering Matra Djet (1964-’68). Next on the scene was Lotus with its Europa, which enjoyed a long production run from 1966 to 1975. Matra would release further mid-engined cars in later years — the 530, Bagheera and Murena. However, offerings from Matra and Lotus were relatively low volume models, and it wasn’t until the 1969 release of the VW-Porsche 914 that significant numbers of mid-engined sports cars became available for mass consumption — although well over 100,000 914s were produced (along with 3332 of the six-cylinder 914/6), all these mid-engined cars were beyond the reach of many.

This would all change in 1972 when Fiat introduced its cleverly packaged X1/9 — truly a mid-engined sports car for the masses. The Fiat group also introduced a big brother for the X1/9 — the Lancia Montecarlo — in 1975 but, once again, the Lancia was a more expensive proposition.

As such, when Toyota first came up with the idea of a small, inexpensive mid-engined sports car in 1976 the only real competition came from Fiat’s X1/9 — although, by the time of the MR2’s release in 1984, Pontiac had just released its mid-engined Fiero; the US car would be ultimately unsuccessful.

Toyota’s idea for a mid-engined sports car had originated in 1976, but work did not begin in earnest on the car until several years later, in 1979. Apart from the limited production Toyota Sports 800 (a tiny, air-cooled sports car produced from 1965-’70), and the 2000GT (1967-’70), Toyota had never before tried its hand at designing a large volume sports car, but it quickly spied a gap in the market for a cheap one.

On its release in 1984, the Toyota MR2 was in almost every way a more accomplished effort than its predecessors. It was a livelier yet more economical performer, handled well, was keenly priced, and Toyota reliability was another trump card. No wonder it was a sales success — and no wonder it remains an interesting modern classic purchase in the 21st century.

Angular Appeal

The MR2’s angular styling and focus on driving pleasure quickly led to booming sales, despite its less than practical design — the X1/9, for instance, was a far more clever package. The mid-engined layout gave the MR2 a nicely balanced chassis that contributed to an enjoyable driving experience; there was (supposed) design input from Lotus staff; and ex-racer Dan Gurney helped with test driving, so it was no wonder the handling was excellent — though a tendency towards oversteer at the limit was a limiting factor. The relatively low weight of 1000kg greatly assisted its dynamic ability and performance.

Most cars were powered by Toyota’s 4A-GE 1.6-litre 16-valve twin-cam motor producing 91kW (122bhp), with a supercharged 108kW (145bhp) variant of the same motor released as an option in 1986, and a Japanese market only 1.5-litre single-cam poverty pack.

The 4A-GE engine made its power high in the rev range and thrived on 6000rpm-plus activity, though the supercharged car was quite the opposite, providing significantly more low down torque but perhaps losing some of the rev-happy character of the normally aspirated motor.

Buying Notes

Sadly, the AW11 MR2s rust like nobody’s business, most notably in the spare wheel well (in the ‘frunk’ — front boot to older folk) and the wheel arches, especially the rear arches behind the doors. This rust is difficult to fix due to the car’s body design and construction, so buying one with previous rust treatment is a must.

The AW11s are famed for their handling, but on the limit oversteer can catch out inexperienced drivers, so check the vehicle thoroughly for accident damage.

Mechanically the MR2 is generally reliable, but check the engine for smoke. Parts are not difficult to find as the engine is shared with numerous other Toyota models, but the engine bay is notoriously difficult to work in. The supercharger is not a strong unit and can fail after less than 100,000km, and the supercharged engine can also have trouble with the drive belts for the supercharger and water pump. The gearbox on later (1986 on) cars is a better designed unit, the earlier model tending to jump out of fifth gear with wear. You may find automatic MR2s, but as with any automatic sports car, the enjoyment is sapped by removing a large amount of the tactile sensation of driving, so always go for a manual if you plan on enjoying a winding road in your MR2.

The AW11 is generally good for in excess of 200kph with care and regular maintenance, but even so, the later model you can find the better.

Our pick would probably be the normally aspirated 16-valve motor as it loses little in overall performance to the rarer, more expensive supercharged model, and the delivery of its power is better matched to the car, plus they are easier to find, tend to be cheaper and the engine is likely to be more reliable.

Parts Supply

Most mechanical parts — shared with lesser Toyota models — are generally available through Toyota’s own service centres. Those looking for exterior trim and panels will need to let their fingers do the walking as they search the internet for replacement parts. Parts specialists such as Parts World (www.partsworld.co.nz) stock many second-hand panels and parts for early MR2s.
Representative Parts Prices*
MR2 (AW11) bonnet $95
MR2 (AW11) FR outer guard $65
MR2 (AW11) windscreen $125
MR2 (AW11) rear screen $100
(*These prices are intended as a guide only and prices may vary.)

Specifications

Toyota MR2 Mk1
Built: 1984-1989, 166,104 built
Engine: 1587cc four cylinder, dohc, 16 valve 91kW/ supercharged 106kW (122/143bhp),
Bodies: Two-seater coupe
Performance: Top speed 195/215kph(124-134mph), 0-100kph 7.6/7.0 seconds
NZ Prices: Expect to pay $3-3.5K for a tidy unblown MR2 and up to $5K for a supercharged model.

Clubs

All MR2 and MR-S models are enthusiastically catered for by the MR2 Owners Club of New Zealand (MR2OCNZ), which was established in 1994. With regular newsletters, organised runs, track-days and events, the MR2OCNZ now has over 200 members nationwide and remains the first calling point for all MR2 enthusiasts.

Words: Allan Walton Research: Philip and David Cass

This article is from Classic Car issue 220. Click here to check it out.