|
|
A Buyer's Guide : Toyota MR2. |
|
|
|
|
Toyota MR2 Mk3
Toyota's MR2 convertible continues to cause a stir across the world. Stunning looks, a great engine and a flexible gear box make this a lovely car to drive. Add to this great build quality and an impressive level of standard equipment and you start to see why it's so coveted. We'll be featuring all previous models of the Toyota Sports Car range because almost every past model in the range seems to enjoy a long life; there are many high quality examples of cars from the last three decades still running on British roads.
As we all know, the only way to make a truly great sports car is to start by putting the engine in the middle; nothing else is quite the same. OK the Celica's a great coupe, but it isn't a match for an MR2. Only the mid engined, rear wheel drive layout gives you that perfect balance and razor sharp handling that the MR2 is famous for.The latest incarnation of the MR2 is based on the MR-S concept that was revealed to British motorists at the 1998 Birmingham Motor Show. Despite Toyota's denials, it was clear that this was going to be the vehicle to replace the beautiful MKII after year's of speculation about the future of the MR2 range. Toyota knew they had to come up with something different as the competition was hotting up.
| To survive, the new car had to be lighter and had to handle even better than the previous model. Toyota opted for a longer wheelbase, but reduced the overhangs to make the total length of the car even shorter, and to get weight down to a minimum - the set themselves a target weight of less than 1000kg and stuck to it. The result was an enormous success which compares well with other great mid engined cars costing twice the price. |
|
