Toyota MR2 - Little Rocket 2?
Some focus on impressive power - the more of it, the better. Others, including Toyota, have focused on significantly reducing curb weight, making it ideal for a sports car with just... a 120-horsepower engine. Does this type of compilation really work? You don't have to take my word for it - just sit behind the wheel of a discontinued Toyota MR2 and see for yourself!
The MR2 is a car that unfortunately has already disappeared from the automotive landscape - production was finally stopped in 2007. However, today it is possible to find a well-maintained car from the beginning of production that is less fun to drive than many modern cars.
Toyota MR2 is a car whose concept was born in the mid-70s of the last century. The first timid sketches appeared in 1976, but the actual design work, including testing, began in 1979 under the direction of Akio Yashida. The idea that resulted in the Toyota MR2 was to create a small, lightweight rear-wheel drive car that, thanks to its centrally located power plant, would provide incredible driving pleasure while keeping operating costs low. relatively low level. Thus was born Toyota MR1984 in 2. There have been many translations of the acronym "MR2" over the years, including one more interesting than the other. Some say "M" refers to mid-engine drive, "R" refers to rear driver, and "2" refers to the number of seats. Others (the most likely version, confirmed by Toyota) that "MR2" is an abbreviation for "midship runabour two-seater", which means "small, two-seater, mid-engined vehicle designed for short trips." Other translations, strictly Polish, say that "MR2" is an abbreviation for ... "Mała Rakieta 2"!
As for the naming oddities, it is worth adding that the car is known in the French market under the name MR - the model name was deliberately shortened to avoid similar pronunciation with the phrase "merdeux", which means ... "shit"!
Although the name of the car would be unread, Toyota managed to create an extraordinary vehicle that for more than twenty years and three generations has electrified not only brand enthusiasts, but also all those who love sports cars.
The first generation of sports Toyota (marked with the symbol W10) was created in 1984. Lightweight (only 950 kg), the compact silhouette of the car was created with the active participation of Lotus engineers (Lotus was then partly owned by Toyota). Moreover, more and more insiders are saying that the first generation MR2 is nothing but… a Lotus X100 prototype. Stylistically, the sporty Toyota referred to designs like the Bertone X 1/9 or the iconic Lancia Stratos. Equipped with a 4A-GE engine with a volume of only 1.6 liters and a power of 112-130 hp. (depending on the market), the car was dynamic: acceleration to 100 km / h took just over 8 seconds. engine (1987A-GZE) which offered 4 hp A small Toyota MR145 with this power unit under the hood gained the first "hundred" in less than 2 seconds!
Sporty yet fuel efficient, Toyota met with a fantastic reception - strong sales figures, backed up by numerous car magazine awards, made Toyota decide to create an even more exciting vehicle.
Production of the first generation of the car ended in 1989. Then the second generation Toyota MR2 entered the offer - the car is definitely more massive, heavy (approx. 150 - 200 kg), but also equipped with much more powerful engines. The handling characteristics and the overall concept of the car remained the same - the MR2 remained a mid-engined sports car, from which power was transferred to the wheels of the rear axle. However, the second generation MR2 is definitely a more mature and refined car than its predecessor. Equipped with powerful engines (130 - 220 hp), especially in top-end versions, it proved to be relatively difficult to manage for inexperienced drivers. The MR2-like design of Ferrari models (348, F355) and excellent performance have made the second generation of the model a cult classic today.
The third version of the car, produced in 1999 - 2007, is an attempt to adopt the best experience of its predecessors and at the same time follow modern market requirements. The sporty Toyota MR2 has definitely lost its rapacity - the new model looked interesting, but not as rapacious as its predecessors. The new car was to appeal primarily to young Americans, who were the most interesting target group for Toyota. Powered by a 1.8-hp 140-litre petrol engine, the Toyota continued to accelerate smoothly and provide incredible driving pleasure, but no longer radiated the ferocity of its predecessors.
A sharp drop in interest in the model in the United States led to the fact that the production of the car was finally stopped in mid-2007. Will there be a successor? You can't be sure of this, but it's worth remembering that Toyota once swore there would be no successor to the Celica. Watching the intensity with which the latest sports model of the Japanese brand Toyota GT 86 is being promoted, we have no choice but to hope that the new Toyota MR2 IV model will soon appear in Toyota showrooms. Just as nimble as its predecessors.
Phot. www.hachiroku.net
