(first posted 2/27/2013) We recently discussed the Fiat X1/9 as both a CCOTY nomination, and in Sean Cornelis’ amazing test drive of a Bertone-badged variant one snowy Christmas Eve. The X1/9 was a lovely little go-kart, but with its rust-prone steel and thin-on-the-ground Fiat dealer network (at least in the U.S.) it slowly faded from the scene. Like so many other types of vehicles, Toyota took the Fiat’s general hard points and then produced a sporty two-seater of their own: the MR2, or “Mister Two,” as it was affectionately dubbed by many of its fans.
The MR2 was the result of a mid-’70s Toyota project to develop a fun, sporty car that would also give good fuel economy: the best of both worlds. It was not originally intended as a rip-rorting speed machine or “real” sports car, but as time passed, the MR2 turned into just that soon after its 1984 debut. It must have looked a bit jarring in the showroom sitting amongst the Corollas, Coronas and Cressidas.
The MR2 wore its intentions on its sleeve, so to speak, as “MR2” stood for “mid-engine, rear-wheel drive and two-passenger.” It utilized MacPherson struts at both front and rear, unitized construction, and was initially powered by the 4A-GE 1.6-liter DOHC four-cylinder with DENSO fuel injection. This tiny but sturdy mill produced 112 horsepower in U.S.-bound cars.
That might not sound like much, but keep in mind that the MR2 had a mere 2,350-lb. of curb weight, was only 155.5″ long, and had a 91.3-inch wheelbase. Even with the sub-2.0 engine, zero-to-sixty came in a bit under nine seconds–very good for a mid-’80s sports car saddled with tons of emissions spaghetti under the hood. North American sales were quite good, totaling 37,674 in 1985 (its first full year on the market), and 31,352 in 1986.
There was even a supercharged version available starting in 1988. These special Mister Twos got an 4A-GZE engine with a Roots supercharger, good for 145 hp and 140 lb-ft of torque. Zero-to-100 km/h (0-62 mph) knocked about a second off the normally-aspirated 1.6-liter’s time. Supercharged MR2s also got a fortified transmission, stiffer springs, special alloy wheels and several “Supercharged” logos throughout the vehicle.
Both standard and supercharged MR2s came with a five-speed manual transmission; a four-speed automatic was optional. Minor changes were the general rule during the first-gen’s run. A leather interior became available in 1986, and a T-top roof became an optional extra for 1987.
My only experience with one of these was in 1995, when my parents moved us all into a new house. Shortly after we got settled, someone abandoned one of these on the street, just beyond our patio. I was kind of taken with the black-and-silver car, although it had clearly seen better days. Before it finally got hauled away, I must have walked around that car and peeked into its sporty interior a dozen times. Well, I was only a year or two away from getting my driver’s license…
The aforementioned supercharged model came out in ’88, and the swan-song ’89 saw the CHMSL moved from the rear window to the trunk spoiler. By the late ’80s, the first-gen’s folded, origami styling was getting a bit stale. “Organic” styling was the new trend, and an all-new ’90 Mister Two (CC here) would take over. But never again would the Two be as successful in the U.S. as was its original iteration–only 93 were sold in the U.S. and Canada in 1995! Full production records of the non-Spyder MR2s can be found here.
One by one, Toyota’s cool cars–Celica, MR2, Supra–disappeared from the lineup. While Toyota’s current lineup is composed of perfectly nice family cars, I am hoping that the new Scion FR-S will mark the beginning of some more fun cars from Toyota.
I’m with you on this one Tom,Toyota’s cool cars disappeared and today we have a range of dadmobiles.This MR2 was everything the X 19 should have been.Still a lot of MR2s on UK roads,usually red or white
Your statement of one of these sitting next to a Corolla or Cressida sure triggered the old memory banks…
I remember sitting in a black ’85 model MR2 sitting on the showroom floor. My father had found a one-year old F-150 with 2000 miles at the Toyota dealer, so while he negotiated, I snooped around the showroom. Even though I was only 12 at the time, I thought these were intriguing, but even at that age, I suspected anyone with the least bit of claustrophobia would not do well in one. I drove it about 15,000 miles in my mind that day.
Incidentally, the other car in the showroom was not a Corolla or Cressida – it was a ’39 Buick Century that had been taken on trade. What a Mutt and Jeff combination.
This one is missing the part I think is one of the coolest design elements ever: the little shade over the rear window. I love how it was functional, keeping the sun off peoples’ heads, and always left the word “TOYOTA” in a shadow at the top of the window.
Every time I see one of those, I think whoever designed it ought to get an award. I’ve never seen another car use this technique, although it would work on just about any hatchback today.
I am not sure how I missed driving one of these back then. Thinking back, I think I was too practical to spend new-car money on a 2 seater. I have not seen one of these in ages. I did know a guy who owned a well-worn one in the mid 90s. His other car was a 79 Cadillac that ate automatic temp control programmers. I think his plan was do drive one until something went wrong with it, then drive the other.
“Mister Two” makes me think of a friend’s father. He bought one from his daughter when she was having trouble making the payments. It was a bit of an incongruous choice for him: He was in his late sixties and his previous car was a bustleback Seville. But he loved the car and called it a “Mister Two,” the first person I heard call it that.
a Mister Two and my favourite Cadillac!
It just doesn’t get better than that!
Researching the design origins of the MR2, you can see many similarities in the approach of the car with the Pontiac Fiero. Not just in the fact that they were mid engine rear drive two seaters, but that, both were considered to be sporty economical cars not really just small Corvettes.
Reading his article is the first time I have heard it referred to “Mister Two” although we did not see too many of them in my world.
What is interesting is that for a car that people remember they sold so few like 129K over 15 years with the vast majority of them in the first few years.
I always thought the first gen models looked great – not so much the next one.
Agreed. The jellybean look made the second-gen appear bloated and ungainly.
I almost bought one of these maybe ten years ago but with a twist. It had the Japanese market 20 Valve version of the engine. The “Silver Top” had 170hp and four independent throttle bodies. Lovely sound and went fantastic. For some reason I lost my mind and bought another Rx-7 instead.
Yeah we have lots of JDM Toyotas with the factory HOT package unfortunately the dopey importers seem to have mostly brought in automatics so very little interest from me
Ah, the MR-2. My friend and his brother have a gaggle of these curious cars; four at last count. There’s the gray N/A one that gets driven in the winter, the black one undergoing a V6 transplant, the red N/A one that is set-up for autocross, and another black S/C model that is also autocrossed, albeit minus any modifications.
I love the quirky interiors and the aforementioned plastic shade on the rear window, but these cars are not to be taken lightly. I was riding shotgun with another friend –who just started autocrossing the red N/A MR-2– when he let off of the throttle and hit the brakes mid-corner. The rear immediately gave way and in slow motion we careened up the banking (part of an oval track) towards the wall. Luckily we didn’t hit, but he learned his lesson that day. I am just happy that my pants remained dry.
This is quite the interesting example you found, Tom. Naturally aspirated model wearing New Sherwood Toning which has faded considerably and now looks black/silver.
Could some one help me to get my 1986 MR-2 running? I have an 1986 model with auto transmission it is currently in the shop but my mechanic can not fix it, I Replaced the engine but the auto transmission will not work due to not knowing the wiring schematics and not being able to find one.
Hi, this the wrong forum for that question. I recommend http://www.mr2 dot com. I posted there, back in the day. Good luck!
I know two people that have/had 2nd gen MR2’s, both red, and I’ve never heard either refer to them as “Mister Two”.
A silver 1st gen MR2 shows-up in the parking lot where I work sometimes, but I have no idea who owns it. I took some pictures, which I’ve been meaning to post to the cohort.
I spent several months driving one of these in San Diego in 1986. I worked for a defense contractor and was on temporary duty, so my 76 Courier was back in Norfolk. On a whim I asked Hertz if they had any manual transmission cars and amazingly enough this is what I got. After a few months I swapped it for an Accord hatch, again with a 5-speed. That was the last time I ever saw a manual rental car.
Back in 1987, we rented a manual transmission Grand Am that was kind of neat. Come to think of it, that was the last time I remember ever seeing a manual rental. I assume, aside from the sheer popularity of automatics in the owner world, that for rental purposes manuals were less practical. You might find some as specialty vehicles. In Florida, most rental agencies carry a much wider selection of cars that is usually the case. A cursory search of the net for rental cars lists only a handful of instances of a manual rental while in Europe and elsewhere beyond the US they are far more common.
From a Euro perspective I am sure there are lot of people here who never drove automatic, me included. I have driven maybe 15 cars in my life, never one with an automatic. If I were to rent a car in US, I would ask for a manual first rather than go through a period of adjustment to the automatic. I wonder would the rental companies over there keep a few manual cars just for those few European tourists who would feel uneasy with an automatic.
Growing up during the 80’s, the MR2 was one of the most coveted cars around, along with the Honda CRX. I knew only one MR2 owner, and he loved the thing. It must have been quite well designed inside, because he was 6 foot 6 inches and never complained that it was small inside.
I remember going to a Toyota dealer to check these out back in college. I always felt a little bad about pretending I was really in the market and taking up the salesman’s time, but I had to try one of these out. I took a test drive, and I remember how fun the car was, and that it felt like a pretty expensive car. LIGHTYEARS ahead of my friend’s Datsun B210, which I borrowed on occasion when I just needed to drive a stick!
As an owner of 2 Fieros back to back, the first being an 86 2M6 and the second an 86 GT, you have an idea where my loyalties lie. I found the Gen 1 MR2 to be less then inspiring to look at, compared to the Pontiac’s more thought out design. The 2nd Gen MR2 was an outstanding effort and still holds up well today.
The thing for me where the Toyota has it over the Pontiac is in a comparison of the 4 cylinder engines. The Toyota was a modern Dual OHC 4 valve per cylinder engine with port fuel injection while over in the Pontiac camp beat the heart of an Iron Duke, pushrod engine with Throttle Body Fuel Injection. Too bad the Oldsmobile designed Quad 4 motor never made it’s way into the Fiero….. The 2.8 V6, despite pushrod technology, was a fantastic motor in the Fiero. And that exhaust note was a fine one indeed.
Regardless, when the 2nd Gen MR2 disappeared, a lot of cache in the Toyota lineup was lost. One may survive on Camry’s alone, but one becomes quite boring in the process!
I have a friend in central Illinois who installed a Quad4 in his Fiero after the stock engine said bye-bye. I wasn’t involved in the transplant, so I don’t know the particulars, but he said it was pretty easy.
The down side was, the local clan of MR2’s still ate his lunch every chance they got. I told him he should have sprung for the V6.
I have never seen a Quad 4 in a Fiero. Other than updated 60*V6s, the most popular conversion for Fieros is the Cadillac 4.5/9. I have even seen a Northstar in a Fiero once.
http://www.fieroaddiction.com/caddy49a.html
For those that want to go straight to h*ll without penance do this:
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/200x-classifieds/86-fiero-w-cadillac-500ci-1500/54391/page1/
Funny how you will see just about every concievable engine swap done to a Fiero but nada on any gen MR2. I thought you “rice boys” were edgey and on the cutting edge of technology? Don’t feed me the line about how you don’t have to screw with success either.
Even with all of it’s faults I still think GM did a better job with the P-Car than Toyota did with the MR2. See my comments in the X 1/9 COTY thread.
I still see more Fieros on the road today than I do any generation MR2. It’s been a really long time since I’ve seen a clean and unmolested 1st or 2nd gen MR2 in the flesh. The feature car is more representitive of what I usually see for sale around here(midwest). The Fiero scene is 50/50%. Lots of parts donors but than some really mint low milers to take up the difference.
I would say that the range of models available on the Fiero (factory) covers a wider range than he MR2. In other words, the worst Fieros (early model 4 cylinders) were less of a car than the MR2 but the best models, 88s with V6s, were much better. 1988 GT models with the new suspension and V6 and the Ferrari-esque bodies are really really nice driving vehicles. Powerful without needing to constantly rev the motor gorgeous in the right colors and really fun to drive. Like the picture below.
You see more Fieros? What a shocker… Pontiac sold nearly four times as many of them as Toyota sold ’85-’89 MR2s in the US.
I can’t even get into the rest. My head will explode. All I can say is that all of those Fieros turned into rattling, hideous Lamborghini kit-cars are just the epitome of good taste.
This car was the 1st time I had the phenomena of seeing a car in pictures, thinking it was ugly, then seeing it in the “flesh” and doing a complete 180. I dont know why, but pictures of these just don’t capture how right their proportions / surface interactions really are.
I actually bought an ’86 MR2 about a month and a half ago. Since purchasing the car it has been my daily driver. I am 6′ and 220lbs. I never feel cramped in the car, even when I have a passenger with me. The car is a ton of fun to drive, even at 27 years old, and I’m still getting 30+ mpg. I’ve had over 20 vehicles over the last 10 year’s, but nothing has driven like this MR2. When the time comes, I have no idea what I’ll replace the car with. There isn’t a whole lot of cars left today that are so quirky and fun to drive.
A Mini is probably as close as you’ll come to it these days – I know several people who drive a Mini and really like it, including some very tall people.
We have a MR2 Spyder, and I have always loved the MR2, since the first gen. I dated a girl in HS who had a loaded up S/C model (auto trans though), I remember how fun and fast it seemed then, but it was very expensive. The CRX sold much better because of the price difference. IIRC the Fiero was also much cheaper, which would explain why so many more were sold. I completely LOVED the second gen MR2, it looked like a Ferrari. But they got even more expensive, especially for the turbo model, and also gained a lot of size and weight over the first gen. The Spyder, while… unique looking, actually weighs 200lbs less than the first-gen, and is otherwise the same basic size, with more power and all the modern conveniences.
I think the Spyder is the best one to have… how many other cars can claim to have stayed the same size and actually lost that much weight over their 80s version??
I never seen such an un-spoilered MR2, was the 2 tone cloth interior standard?
IIRC, it came with the special paint.
The two-tone outside paint job was indeed an option. The two-tone inside was standard in the cloth-upholstered 1985 models, with red or blue panels on the seats to match the exterior colors if so chosen. 1986 had leather as an option, and I’ve only seen that in black (owned one).
1987-89 models could be had with red, tan and blue interiors in addition to black with gray seats. They also came in a loss-leader base model with steel wheels and seats that looked like they came out of a Tercel. Yuck. Especially when you consider the standard interior was pretty spiffy for its time.
My well-equipped ’86 (leather, power windows, sunroof, but no cruise) stickered at $15K.
Thats so very 1980s. Two tones plus lighter colors and striped seats. My 88 Cavalier Z24 convertible had a plush seat that had a fading stripe type design.
Talk about price differential, in 1988 they were advertising base VL Cavalier coupes for $6995 while the MSRP on my full loaded convertible was $17,145 including tax and destination.
The pic is of an 88 Z24 (not mine) but you can see a similar type 80s effect.
A friend had one of these in our high-school days, his was a red manual NA, and it was a pretty good little car. At the time I had my ’86 Celica, so needless to say there were plenty of traffic light drags. we’d endlessly debate whose car was better, but it really was pointless. The Celica probably had a little over the MR-2 in acceleration, but the MR-2 definitely had the goods on back roads….. I think I’d like an MR-2 in my collection one day, personally I’d go for an NA manual too…
I’ve owned two, a black-on-black ’86 that was totaled by a shunt with a Ferrari on a Northern State Parkway on-ramp and a charcoal-gray ’88 that I still own but it hasn’t run in 10 years. 225K before the engine gave out (zero compression on middle two cylinders) and I’m still not sure it’s beyond repair. I so want to get it back on the road, but rust is getting in the way as well. Rear quarter panels primarily.
They are Fieros done right. The engine redlines at 7500 rpm and you use it all most of the time. The 4A-GE is the spec engine in Formula Atlantic racing.
Maneuverability is very much like the x1/9 and there are no reliability or space penalties. Six-footers fit fine, and you really can cram two normal-sized people in the passenger seat in a short-distance pinch. It is, after all, a Corolla FX16 drivetrain in the back. No power steering, doesn’t need it.
Only spun it on the track, Bridgehampton to be precise. In expert hands, or with a good teacher working with you, it could catch E30 M3’s.
29 mpg in Long Island traffic, all the while never letting the revs go below 2000. No torque, you see.
Still haven’t come up with anything to top them, and I’ve had a Miata since then. Impossible to find one rust-free, though.
By the way, there was no 1990 model in the USA, the MkII having been introduced here as a ’91.
The Mk1 was also rumored to be an abandoned Lotus design, but people seem to agree that Lotus’ influence was limited to suspension engineer Roger Becker working directly with Toyota, who in turn had some influence on the Eclat Excel.
Full story here: http://mr2wiki.com/MKI/History
1989-90 was a good time to be in this market – you had the choice of the MR2, CRX and MX5 that in Australia at least were fairly close in price. I think my MM at the time had me in the CRX.
Along with the Subaru XT, this is one of the most stereotypically “80s” Japanese cars in my opinion.
I prefer the styling of the second generation, though.
Anyway, glad to see Toyota in this (general) market again with the FR-S.
Well you know the FR-S is a joint venture between Toyota and Subaru.
Subaru had a few quirky coupes, the XT with the weird steering wheel and the SVX with the two piece side windows.
By the way, the title was a nod to They Call Me MISTER Tibbs, the sequel to 1967’s In The Heat Of The Night…I finally saw the movie on TCM last year. The interesting part is seeing Ed Asner as a suspect being followed by the police–very different from the Mr. Grant I remember on MTM.
I had a 86 S/C targa manual for a while. I loved it when the weather was dry. Heavy rain would seep in through the seals and into the interior. Over time, the chassis flexes so that the panels don’t form a perfect seal. I tried a few suggested tricks to no effect – what it really needed was a garage. I sold it fairly soon because of this.
Also hated the lack of refinement, and the ride on the lowered suspension (bought it that way). Fairly heavy for what it is too.
Loved the chainsaw exhaust note, in-gear acceleration, steering feel and looks. I do miss it, but no regrets on moving on.
I had some friends in Florida that had one of these, a rather tired 1989 model that they bought for a fun around town car. While visiting them back in 2000 they had me take one of their sons to town to rent a movie, and tossed me the keys to it. It’s best days were definitely behind it, but it drove like it was on rails, very impressive.
I discovered these three MR2s all in a row in my hometown of Chilliwack BC this weekend. I guess this is where MR2s go to retire!
I’m a little late getting to this, but wanted to share my experience.
I bought one of these new in 1985, silver with 2-tone black and silver-grey cloth seats. Pop-out sunroof that stowed in the front trunk, 5-speed. I was 29, single, working at a decent job. A 2-seater made sense for me. My first new car.
I remember sitting in it in the showroom and just laughing out loud at how fun it seemed. I remember thinking that “this is a real rock and roll car” for some reason. I could afford it and had to have it. Made the deal without even driving it. Crazy.
A day later and I pick it up. I hadn’t driven a 5-speed ever, and hadn’t driven a manual transmission car since I first got my license a dozen years earlier and bombed around a bit out in the country in a stick shift Volvo. No problem with the MR2. I stalled it once on the way home and maybe once or twice in all the years I owned it. The shifter was pretty slick and the clutch was easy.
It was like driving a go-cart on the street. You looked up at anything and everything. It was fast for the times and it was a gas to keep the engine in its power band above 3500RPM. Steering was very direct, handling was razor sharp. Fun, fun, fun. Not all that practical, but you could pack a surprising amount of stuff in the 2 trunks and behind the seats if you were clever. Only downside was a highway drone at about 65 mph that could make expressway travel a bit tiring, but it was comfortable and had plenty of room inside.
Sold it in 1990 for a decent price. It wasn’t bulletproof like Toyotas are supposed to be and in the northeast climate it started to suffer from rust. But it departed and I felt very mixed feelings about it leaving. Great car from a great time in my life.
Funny you said “rock and roll car” — Reminded me of the MR2 that’s in the 80’s glam metal band Poison’s album “Open up and say ahhh” — the bassist Bobby is sitting on top of a red AW11 in the album booklet. I wish I can find my old cassette tape of that album but it’s in storage somewhere and I can’t find it on Google Images…
found one photo on the vinyl LP, albeit small:
http://www.vinylrecords.ch/P/PO/Poison/Open-Up/00poison-open-up.htm
\m/
Curious of who you are and why you choose to take pics of my car and use them
Who we are is on the website for all to see. What we do is find cool cars out in public view and share them with others who appreciate them. If you own an old car, you understand how others can get a lot of enjoyment out of seeing it. If you have other cars that you don’t want anyone else to see, just keep them at home in your garage and nobody will bother you.
A little harsh wouldn’t you say?
Possibly, though I detected (perhaps wrongly) more than a bit of attitude in the original comment. In the age of Google Street View, when our emails and cell phone calls seem to be fair game for tracking, and where everything you say and do in public may be caught on someone’s cell phone camera, I lack patience with the person who takes the attitude of “who the hell are you to take pictures of my car and put them on the internet.” It is not 1996 any more. It seems that 99% of car owners who find there cars here see that the treatment is almost always sympathetic, and enjoy sharing their cool rides with others. If someone want to live his life in private, he has that right – behind closed doors in his own home or private property. However, when you go out into the world, it is 2013.
If this was not the commenter’s attitude, then my apologies for the comment that resulted from a misinterpretation, and welcome to Curbside Classic. We certainly enjoyed meeting your car.
Big-time MR2 fan here… Owned 3 MR2s (’86 Light Blue NA, ’91 Red NA, ’86 Sherwood NA), driven all 3 generations in all combinations of engines and engine swaps and suspension setups on the street, autocross, and track. Wonderful cars for the price. Although the last Spyder is probably the best driver car, I have a soft spot for the angular and 80’s looking lines of the AW11, as well its simplicity.
Almost all the first-gen MR2s in the Northeast are rusted out, so they can be had for relatively cheap. And $ for $ it’s the most fun you’ll have in a car that is mid-engined RWD. That is the charm/appeal of these cars: for not a lot of money you can get sooo much driving enjoyment out of them, and with a good driver and relatively simple/cheap suspension upgrades they can be very quick around the corners.
I sold my first ’86 MR2 when I bought a Lotus Exige S new in 2007. While the Lotus was about 5x the car that the MR2 was, it doesn’t have the same 80s charm and personality of showing up an autocross with a beat-up rusted MR2 and being faster than half the guys there. It was my favorite car I’ve owned and I missed it so I recently picked up another ’86 MR2 for some good cheap fun. What a smile it brings to my face for not a lot of money; I should have done this sooner!!
–> link: http://AW11.325Ci.com (my previous ’86 Blue MR2 fun fact: my old car’s photo (taken from above the car) is also in Wikipedia for “MR2”)
–> photo: my current ’86 Sherwood (same color the car in the original article here)
Looking for a good running replacement engine , reasonable priced to fit my weekend driver, 1986 Toyota MR2, standard shift. It has a stock 1.6 DOC in it now, but heard other engines may fit, but not looking o do too many modifications. I live in New England for local East Coast pick up but will consider one anywhere. algae714@aol.com
My uncle on my ex-stepmom’s side lives in the Bay Area and had one or two MR2s back in the early 2000s. He was a big fan of them.
I caught up with him again recently at a funeral and he has an S2000 now. He also just inherited a seven-figure sum from his late father so I wonder what the S2000 replacement will be, haha.
One fun thing about these is how the model designation is pronounced in French. “Emmairrdə”, which sounds an awful damn lot like an emphatic pronounciation of merde, which means “shit”.