MR2

About the MR2

Toyota built a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive two-seater and sold it for less than a Camry. The MR2 was either the most generous or the most reckless decision in Toyota's history — depending on whether you kept it on the road. The W10 arrived in 1984 as a lightweight screamer with a 4A-GE twin-cam and the kind of mid-engine balance that made Fiat X1/9 owners quietly reconsider their life choices. It was Japan's first mass-produced mid-engine car, and it drove like Toyota's engineers had been secretly racing on weekends. The W20 got serious. Turbo power, T-bar roof, and a reputation for snap oversteer that sorted confident drivers from overconfident ones. The 3S-GTE turbo four made 245 hp in a car that weighed 1,350 kg — numbers that put it in 911 territory for a fraction of the price. The chassis would bite if you lifted off mid-corner. Some people loved that. Some people learned the hard way. The W30 went the other way entirely. A lightweight Spyder with a 1.8-liter and an emphasis on balance over power. Purists called it soft. Track day regulars called it brilliant. On Revnut, the community ranks every MR2 generation — from the screaming twin-cam original to the controversial roadster.