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Stock McLaren 540C Drag Races Toyota MR2 With 610 HP, Somebody Gets Walked

We don’t think much of the MR2 these days as Toyota discontinued the mid-engine sports car in 2007. McLaren will do the same to the 540C next year when the Artura will roll out with a plug-in hybrid V6 motor.
600hp Toyota MR2 vs McLaren 540C: DRAG RACE & 0-100-0mph 26 photos
Photo: AutoTrader UK on YouTube
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The question is, can you expect the Toyota MR2 to keep up with a British supercar in a drag race? In bone-stock form, the answer is pretty clear. But what if the Japanese interloper is tuned to more than 600 horsepower?

AutoTrader UK has found such a car, and from the looks of the roll-caged interior, the MR2 appears to be lighter than it used to be when it rolled off the assembly line. In a showdown of big power versus big engineering, the Yoda doesn’t hold a candle to the Macca off the line in terms of wheel spin.

As if the launch wasn’t bad enough, the stick shift in the MR2 is too slow in comparison to the DCT in the 540C. Right after the standing start, you can see the front end of the Toyota squirreling between gear changes. Still, what did you expect from such a powerful car without traction control?

Over the finish line, the equivalent of three MR2s separates the McLaren from the Toyota. These two unlikely rivals have also been compared from zero to 100 miles per hour (161 kph) and back to zero again, and the outcome is just as predictable as before. Even though it’s equipped with Yokohama Advan Neova performance rubber shoes and KSport brakes, the Japanese contender doesn’t stop as well as the British supercar with Formula 1 know-how.

Anti-lock brakes and clever software put the Macca at a clear advantage, estimated by Rory Reid at about 200 yards (183 meters). Adding insult to injury, the 540C accelerated to 100 mph (161 kph) a whole lot quicker.

In all seriousness, the built-not-bought MR2 did quite well. As an MR2 fan myself, I'm now wondering how the little 'un would fare in a roll race from 40 to 150 mph (64-241 kph) where wheel spin and braking performance don't matter at all.

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Editor's note: McLaren 540C pictured in the gallery.

About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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