TOYOTA MR2 1985-1990 Photos, engines & full specs

After the failure of Fiat X1/9 and the Porsche 914, Toyota tried its muscles with a mid-engine, light car, sports car for the masses. It was the first-gen MR2, launched in 1984.

Despite its uninspired name, that meant: Mid-engine, Rear-wheel-drive, 2-seat, the MR2 was sold well all over the world. In French-speaking countries, it was named only MR, since the MR2 sounded very close to the word “merde” (go-ahead, google it). But the car was the exact opposite of that.

Its boxy-shape with not a curved line in its bodywork was somehow appreciated by the market. In the mid-'80s, Toyota had a wide range of sports or sporty cars and the MR2 was the entry-level. Its pop-up headlights, a small cabin, and a short deck made it attractive for the market. Since it was very light, it was nimble and very fuel-efficient. The small engine featured a fuel-injection system, which led to good power output.

Inside, there was room for two passengers, as the name promised, and nothing more. Behind the seats there was nothing, but at least the roof featured a removable glass panel. The low-mounted dashboard with a small instrument cluster was designed into a minimalist style.

The most common engine was the 1.6-liter unit carried-over from the Corolla. It featured electronic fuel injection supplied by Denso and a variable intake camshaft. It was mated as standard to a 5-speed manual, but a 4-speed automatic was on the options list.