Toyota MR2 ROADSTER
Enthusiasts Will Continue To Love
Toyota's Revised MR2 Roadster, Thinks Jonathan Crouch
Real roadsters dont need to be powerful to be quick. That's not what makes them fun. The better MGs and Triumph TRs were never awesomely powerful. Nor are the best of today's breed, cars like the
Lotus Elise, the
Caterham Seven - and the latest Toyota MR2 Roadster. Speed comes through agility instead.
In their original guises of course, original Eighties and Nineties MR2s weren't open-topped roadsters at all. Instead, Toyota offered budget enthusiasts an affordable little mid-engined coupe that could also be ordered with removable glass roof panels. The current version was launched in 2000, keeping the mid-engined layout (and a halfway reasonable £17,000 price tag) but not a lot else. Since then, its been usefully revised, with the addition of a six-speed gearbox, suspension changes, larger tyres, styling tweaks and various electronic gizmos on the clever SMT semi-automatic version.
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The engine remains as before however, the same 140bhp 1.8-litre VVT-i engine originally created for the larger Celica sports coupe. Chief Engineer Tadashi Nakagawa and his development team could of course have sought more power but that would have meant a higher price tag, more weight so greater running costs and a general drift away from the budget sportscar market that the original MR2 models pioneered in the first place. On paper, such a comparatively small output places the
Toyota at a slight disadvantage against top versions of rivals like the
MG TF, and the
Mazda MX-5.
In practice, Nakagawa-san and his people have been able to overcome the deficit with a relentless diet of development weight reduction. So it is that in production form, the MR2 tops the scales at just 975kg. Which means that the little 140bhp engine can push the car to sixty in just 7.9s on the way to 130mph - faster than virtually all its equivalent mainstream rivals.
When you consider that the Toyota is lighter by the weight of a passenger than the MX-5, this is hardly surprising.
"A car which properly recaptures the carefree uncomplicated spirit of the Eighties original..."
So to those changes. Eagle-eyed enthusiasts will spot the styling tweaks restyled front and rear lamps, a trapezium-shaped bumper incorporating round front foglamps, a bolder, more aggressive front grille, a colour-coded side air intake and a big bore exhaust tailpipe. Inside, there are added chrome details, a revised instrument panel with updated heating controls and revised instrument graphics. All of which doesnt amount to a hill of beans compared with the more important dynamic changes.
For a start, all MR2 Roadsters are now six-speeders, the gear swapping done via a slick manual gearbox. All too, feature useful changes to stability and handling, thanks to honing of the steering, tyres and wheels. Extra bracing has been added to the rear suspension to create a more rigid mounting, while shock absorber valves and damping forces have been refined to create a flatter ride. Larger tyres are now fitted on 16-inch wheels at the rear (15-inch at the front), while the use of needle bearings in the steering shaft also improves response and steering feel by reducing friction.
Pressing on, owners of the original MR2 Roadster should notice the effect of the Torsen Limited-Slip Differential (LSD), providing extra traction by continuously transferring torque to the wheel with more grip, without losing engine speed. Go for the SMT version and you also get the benefit of VSC (Vehicle Stability Control), TRC (Traction Control) and BA (Brake Assist). A pity these couldnt have been fitted on all models. The SMT gearboxs ECU has now been returned to recognise when speed has dropped below a certain level, at which point it will automatically downshift gently to second gear for smoother driving and more responsive acceleration.
The steering wheel-mounted buttons now respond faster too. Weight distribution remains a key factor in the sporting appeal of this car - which is why there's no boot behind the engine which sits just to the driver's rear. It's also why there's also no real luggage space in the nose; just enough for a few overnight items. Heavy bags in either of these places would upset the balance of the car. So where do you store your cases? The simple answer is that you don't. A tiny 78-litre space behind the two seats offers enough room for a couple of shoulder bags - and that's only available when the roof's up. There's not much room for people either, with head and legroom at a premium in the tiny cabin. Portly Americans (who bought so many original mid-engined MR2s) have not taken so easily to this model. The roof however, is great. You can flip it up and down on your own without breaking sweat or even leaving your
seat (hence the lack of an electric option).
Plus it incorporates a proper glass heated rear window, so you don't have to put up with permanently murky vision in your rear view mirror. The interior itself is nothing fancy. In fact, you can make it more basic still by taking out the centre console, assuming you don't mind doing without a radio. Utilitarian dimpled plastic covers most surfaces, the only sporty concessions being the fake aluminium door pulls and a three-spoke steering wheel clad with stitched leather (that adjusts for rake but not reach). Real enthusiasts will continue to love this latest MR2, a car which properly recaptures the carefree uncomplicated spirit of the Eighties original. Less a Roadster to be seen in, it's more the kind you buy for those occasions when it's just you and the open road. Less in this case is more. Much more.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Toyota MR2
PRICES: £17,150 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 13
CO2 EMISSIONS: 178g/km
PERFORMANCE: Max Speed 129mph / 0-60mph 8.0s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (average) 38mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 4335/1735/1305mm
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