How The Toyota MR2 Won The Hearts Of Many And Then Died

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  • Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
  • The Toyota MR2 is one of the greatest JDM Icons ever to be produced in the late 80's and 90's. Everyone loved the Toyota MR2. From the first generation MR2 AW11, 2nd Generation MR2 SW20 and 3rd Generation MR2 Spyder.
    It literally left a statement in the car industry that it too can give you that mid engined car experience at a fraction of the cost of mid engine super cars.
    It was such a good car and then Toyota decided to stop making it due to low sales.
    How did it suffer from low sales even though it was loved by many? or a better question how did it become a crowd favourite amongst car enthusiast but in the end would disappear?
    In this video essay, we discuss how the MR2 won the hearts of many enthusiasts and then died.
    *This Video Is For Education Purposes*
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 72

  • @StraightLineSpeed
    @StraightLineSpeed  2 роки тому +29

    Should they bring the MR2 back?

    • @ashkerhilaldeen5346
      @ashkerhilaldeen5346 2 роки тому +6

      Yessss, I own an SW20 amd they are blast!

    • @toddk4115
      @toddk4115 2 роки тому +5

      no they should leave that name as a part of Toyota history and not ruin it with another MR2. These types of cars can no longer be made without other major manufacturers footing most of the bill.

    • @randomtoyotadude8952
      @randomtoyotadude8952 2 роки тому +2

      @@toddk4115
      Kinda agree, so many rumors about Ev mr2 and super car look alike..
      I hope they dont make a new mr2...
      Just look how they fucked up the mk5 supra compare to mk4

    • @nospoon4799
      @nospoon4799 2 роки тому

      They should bring the ae86 back, I know that. The GT86 seemed cool but has a poop engine.

    • @randomtoyotadude8952
      @randomtoyotadude8952 2 роки тому

      @@nospoon4799 ea86 was not part of the 3 brothers that mr2 is..
      They wont make a new 86

  • @KBradAdams
    @KBradAdams 2 роки тому +11

    One of the few cars I owned that you could drive a whole week and never see another one!

    • @bikerpeople548
      @bikerpeople548 2 роки тому

      I have owned my SW20 almost 4 years, and never seen another.

    • @KBradAdams
      @KBradAdams 2 роки тому

      @@bikerpeople548 Wow! Where do you live? Before I purchased my new used one, I would pass one every now and then and try and turn around and catch it to ask the driver if they wanted to sell it and never could catch them. But after purchasing mine I haven't seen that one since!

    • @GBURGE55
      @GBURGE55 Рік тому

      I used to own a 1988 MK1 T-bar between January '91- July '93, there were loads of them back then. I now have a '92 TVR 290 S3 & in 20 years of ownership have only seen another 3 on the road (there were only 2400 S models ever made. Don't know how many MR2's were built.

  • @wholespeed
    @wholespeed 2 роки тому +5

    This video was surprisingly good. I wasn’t expecting much initially but you did a great job summing up the history of the MR2. I own both a Supercharged Mk1 and a Turbocharged Mk2 and would love to see a new generation model based off the ethos of those two models. Nice work!

  • @ashkerhilaldeen5346
    @ashkerhilaldeen5346 2 роки тому +3

    Very interesting and well done video. Thank you

  • @mariorotundo9167
    @mariorotundo9167 2 роки тому +1

    Thanks for the video. Great work. I loved the 1st Gen MR2. I had 2 of them and totally loved them. I would consider buying a new MR2 if Toyota brings it back. Fun times

  • @macc42744
    @macc42744 2 роки тому +2

    Toyota should redesign the sw20 for sure

  • @Lynxxezz
    @Lynxxezz Рік тому

    0:05 Thanks for acknowledging the existence of Bangladesh in our glorious world of cars.

  • @stewexotic
    @stewexotic Рік тому

    1991 mr2 here and still alive lol. Deffo the best car of its time

  • @verde629
    @verde629 2 роки тому +4

    A GR MR2 would be amazing

  • @kingdavid2018
    @kingdavid2018 2 роки тому +2

    Rev 2 sw20 suspension change is just a longer control arm. And the oversteer under lift off was a feature not a flaw

  • @nrs6956
    @nrs6956 Рік тому

    Great review of a super car. Am original owner of 91T. Would buy a newer model provided it was not ruined by gov/ins regs. If you like the basic design you might consider performance (engine).
    Thank you for your interest!

  • @ianedmonds9191
    @ianedmonds9191 Рік тому

    The MR2 is the best looking mid-budget car of the 90s by far.
    It's a true classic.
    I'm gonna buy another one just to look at.
    Luv and Peace.

  • @F1Guy-Guy
    @F1Guy-Guy 4 місяці тому

    Best looking car

  • @v.anthonymeade4056
    @v.anthonymeade4056 Рік тому

    Yes we need another MR2

  • @brianmessemer2973
    @brianmessemer2973 2 роки тому

    That blue SW-20 MR2 at 8:00 is so... 🤤

  • @cheapclassicsportscars3063
    @cheapclassicsportscars3063 2 роки тому +5

    Turbos did not have 200 bhp. They had 220 rev 1/2 and 240 rev 3 onwards

    • @MrPirates2
      @MrPirates2 2 роки тому +2

      Exept for US market they had the dumbed down version of the rev 1 with 200hp and nothing else

  • @alastairwatson3201
    @alastairwatson3201 2 роки тому +2

    A great video. Very informative. However, no production detailing the MR2’s history is complete without a reference to the Fiat X1/9, on which it was very much based. To say that the MR2’s designer determined where the engine should go for best weight distribution is pure tosh; the design and use of a front wheel drive train mounted amidships is pure X1/9. The styling if the Gen1 is, too.

    • @dancingmaneac101
      @dancingmaneac101 2 роки тому

      First comment referring to the x19 purchased one in 2013 which unfortunately isn't on the road atm but also have rev1 MR2 as my weekend car

    • @ianedmonds9191
      @ianedmonds9191 Рік тому

      @@dancingmaneac101 I agree. I also would have included the legendary SARD MR2 Le Mans car as planned.
      Also the fact that the Supras that raced all had the mr2 turbo engine.
      Luv and Peace.

  • @64Gianfar
    @64Gianfar 2 роки тому

    Owned an MR2 amazing car ...

  • @3sgteRHDSWPGEN4sw20
    @3sgteRHDSWPGEN4sw20 2 роки тому

    Honestly they could bring back a retro style sw20 version or even just pull a play from Nissan or Honda and start producing OEM replacement parts for the 2nd gen again..hell even the 3rd gen Spyder OEM parts are all almost sold out from Toyotas warehouse and surplus, and they only sold like 15,000 in the us

  • @spinnetti
    @spinnetti 2 роки тому

    The days of the MR2 in the USA at least are over. No business case for it and too few buyers. I had several MKi, doing one of the first 20v Levin swaps, and also a roadster version.

    • @3sgteRHDSWPGEN4sw20
      @3sgteRHDSWPGEN4sw20 2 роки тому +1

      Trends always repeat themselves, there will be a new generation of car buyers that don't want to have rear seat passengers and chose performance over practicality, especially seeing the hypercars and supercars of today as unattainable there is a market to do what most consider a rich person's lifestyle at a more attainable price and practically maintenance cost

    • @allanguillen4382
      @allanguillen4382 Рік тому

      I've been trying to get aw11 or sw20 but can't find either in a manual for less than roughly 11-16k in California. So rare man

  • @johicks1358
    @johicks1358 Рік тому +1

    Why you call it a death trap? You got the MR2 confused with the Pontiac Fiero that was a DEATH TRAP......

  • @CJmoodz
    @CJmoodz Місяць тому

    I’ve always wanted this car nd never compared it to the Ferrari just saying others have I know with the body kit n all but I want this this car for the car sw20

  • @markyamaguchi9571
    @markyamaguchi9571 Рік тому

    I love my Ford tempo

  • @cheapclassicsportscars3063
    @cheapclassicsportscars3063 2 роки тому +3

    Dan Gurney had nothing to do with the mk1. He was brought in to assess the mk2 rev 1 after complaints of snap oversteer from journalists who couldn't drive properly, resulting in the subsequent handling improvements from rev 2 onwards.

    • @Shadow1986
      @Shadow1986 2 роки тому +2

      No he tested the mk1 and helped tweak the ml2

  • @zombiechow9974
    @zombiechow9974 Рік тому

    the mr2 needs to be cheeper than a corolla at stock, with an economy motor. just my take on getting down to a sellable price.

  • @JoseVazquez-nx7th
    @JoseVazquez-nx7th 2 роки тому

    Ok course, they should bring it back. Just don't kill by doing it wrong. They have to make an awesome mr2. Like the sw20, 🙏 🙏 🙏.

  • @jamesstaggs4160
    @jamesstaggs4160 Місяць тому

    They look way more similar to a Pontiac Fiero than any Ferrari.

  • @Ryan770
    @Ryan770 Рік тому

    The snap oversteer isn't really as bad as everyone said.

    • @KO-sx9uy
      @KO-sx9uy Рік тому

      Stock it is when you push it compared to other cars - you have to correct the suspension geometry to make it stable.

  • @KO-sx9uy
    @KO-sx9uy 2 роки тому +2

    There were automatic SW20s

    • @tylerriles3124
      @tylerriles3124 Рік тому +2

      theres one in my garage and trust me i did not auto swap it..

    • @supers0nic77
      @supers0nic77 Рік тому

      Same here. Hopefully i can manual swap it someday

    • @KO-sx9uy
      @KO-sx9uy Рік тому

      @@supers0nic77 yeah completely changes the driving experience

  • @64Gianfar
    @64Gianfar 2 роки тому

    Absolutely yes MR4 should be a thing, but not diluted like MR 3, be a diver's car....

    • @ianedmonds9191
      @ianedmonds9191 Рік тому

      A diver's car is what we need. A successor to the lotus bond sub. Hic... Hic... Hic....

    • @supers0nic77
      @supers0nic77 Рік тому

      Mr5 scuba edition

  • @johicks1358
    @johicks1358 Рік тому

    Toyota wanted to work with Porche on the next MR2, I'm not sure that's gonna happen. The new MR2 shouldn't be Toyota slowest sports car...

    • @ianedmonds9191
      @ianedmonds9191 Рік тому

      Because Porsche makes slow cars???
      Are you mental???

  • @THE-average_X_Player
    @THE-average_X_Player Рік тому

    If they bring back the mR2, it will no longer going to be the poor man's car. It will be the rich man's car. Retail only at 80,000 "ONLY" 😒

  • @EligosIV
    @EligosIV Рік тому

    The SW20 was perfect imo, whereas the 3rd gen was hideous

  • @PhantomSturm
    @PhantomSturm Рік тому

    They pulled the plug because it kept eating customers.