Why you’d want a Toyota MR2 Mk2
Light, lively and fun in an edgy kind of way, the Mk1 MR2 gained a strong following, but Toyota made the Mk2 (the SW20 series) more grown-up.
It was larger and comfier inside, with more power and more weight.
With Ferrari-esque styling, it was still a real sports car that, in GT form, showed a clean pair of heels to most hot hatches of the time and had few direct rivals.
The slower, lower-powered entry model wouldn’t last long and the optional automatic is rare.
Mid-engined sports cars come with a health warning, though: in inexperienced hands, particularly in damp, slippery conditions, they can catch out the unwary and manufacturers have to balance sharp, sporty handling with reducing the tendency to swap ends.
The Mk2 MR2 was progressively improved through production so the last ones look the best bet – especially because they have 15bhp more than the original GT.
However, that extra power was higher in the rev range and peak torque was both lower and delivered higher up, too.
The result was a car that, if Autocar’s test figures are to be believed, was actually less capable than before and required more effort and gearchanges to give its best.
