If you don’t think it’s possible for a car to have the looks and performance of a Ferrari, along with the reliability of a Toyota, think again. The MR2 Turbo, the only turbocharged model in the MR2 family across all three (soon to be four) generations, is often referred to as the “poor man’s Ferrari” due to its performance, which came close to that of Ferrari models of its era, and its striking looks. This model achieved a balance of driver-friendly character, reliability, and affordability, which makes it a firm favorite of the sports car world to this day.
Although finding one on the used market today is no easy feat, if you are serious about adding a piece of ’90s sports car history to your garage, we think the search will be more than worth it. Let’s take a closer look at what this model has to offer, some of the wider history that surrounds it, and how much you can expect to pay for one today.
The Toyota MR2 Turbo: The Poor Man’s Ferrari
1993 Toyota MR2 Turbo W20 front 3/4Bring A Trailer
Toyota MR2 Turbo
Engine
2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four
Horsepower
200 hp
Torque
200 lb-ft
0-60
~5.5–6.0 seconds
Top Speed
149 mph
When the second generation of the MR2 arrived in 1989, Toyota introduced a version of the model the first generation never had: one with a turbocharged engine on board. This leap forward, however, was only a part of the model’s evolution, which involved a more sleek, aerodynamic design. The harsher lines of the previous model gave way to a more gentle, rounded silhouette. The interior was modernized to match the new design, and a model fit for the upcoming decade was born. One thing that didn’t change was the MR2’s personality, which sought a delicate balance between everyday driving and focused performance.
1993 Toyota MR2 Turbo W20 engine bayBring A Trailer
The MR2 Turbo was powered by the 3S-GTE, a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine with electronic fuel injection and a forged steel crankshaft. This engine also powered the Celica GT-Four, an AWD sports car built to compete in the World Rally Championship.
The 3S-GTE was built as part of a collaboration between Toyota and Yamaha. This joint effort resulted in a sturdy, high-quality product, which is still renowned for its ability to produce thrilling performance without compromising on reliability. Due to US emissions regulations, the American version of the engine produced 200 hp and 200 lb-ft of torque, slightly less than its Japanese counterpart. A five-speed manual transmission sent power to the rear wheels.
Despite its age, the MR2 Turbo is still considered a solidly reliable car. There are few common issues associated with the model, although some owners mention transmission problems and electrical issues as areas to keep an eye out for. As a sports car over three decades old, the MR2 Turbo needs regular, careful maintenance in order to continue to provide driving enjoyment for as long as possible.
What Makes The MR2 Turbo So Great?
1993 Toyota MR2 Turbo W20Bring A Trailer
We’ve already touched on the looks and the engine, but the MR2 Turbo also has a few other tricks up its sleeve that make it such an amazing car to own and drive. One of them is its mid-engined layout, which has an impact on its handling and behavior during high-performance driving. Track day fans love the MR2 Turbo’s combination of high power output, predictable handling, and even weight distribution, which makes the model perfect for those who want to push their limits on a track at the weekend.
1993 Toyota MR2 Turbo W20 interiorBring A Trailer
The car’s interior is known for its sporty, quintessentially ’90s look. The driver is enveloped by the cockpit, which was designed with performance and ergonomics in mind. Despite being a sports car, the MR2 Turbo also offers plenty of storage compartments for small items, which add an extra dimension of practicality; there is even a center storage compartment located between the two seats, which is not present in the naturally aspirated versions of the model. If you choose an MR2 Turbo with the T-Bar roof (more on that later), it also comes with dedicated bags behind the seats for roof panel storage. Fans of a tech-free driving experience will love the analog gauges, including the boost gauge placed at the center of the instrument cluster.
Another cool feature of the MR2 Turbo is the choice of two roof options. Early model years (up to 1993) offered both a hardtop version and a T-bar version, giving buyers the choice of prioritizing structural rigidity and performance, or the freedom of open-top journeys. As it was discontinued before the end of the model’s production run, the hardtop version is much more difficult to find today.
Toyota’s Legendary Reliability Record
Of course, a huge part of the model’s appeal is also the fact an MR2 Turbo can be relied upon, even after three decades on the road. Sure, cheaper, ill-maintained examples with corroded underbodies will be a nightmare, but that’s a fault of ownership, rather than a fault of the car’s.
The coolant system can be a particular weak point of the engine, as can the aptly nicknamed ‘hoses from hell,’ or in layman’s speak, the oil feed and return lines from the turbo to the engine. Keep up with maintenance, both regular and preventative though, and an MR2 Turbo can happily provide smiles for hundreds of thousands of miles. Not something that’s often said about ’90s Ferraris, that’s for sure.
The MR2 Turbo’s Japanese Counterparts… And Its Twin-Turbo Racing Sibling
JDM 1992 Toyota MR2 GT-SBring a Trailer
The MR2 Turbo may have been the only version of the model available with a turbocharged engine in the US, but over in Japan there were two different turbocharged trims on offer, both of them slightly more powerful. These trim levels were the GT-S and the GT; they were powered by the same engine seen in the MR2 Turbo, but in a slightly different state of tune due to less strict emissions regulations. As a result, the output was 220 hp and 224 lb-ft of torque, and the top speed was 152 mph rather than 149, as was the case with the MR2 Turbo.
Japan also originated an ultra-rare variant of the second-gen MR2 that had not one, but two turbochargers on board: the SARD MC8. With only two examples to its name, this unique car was built as a homologation version of a race car, the MC8-R. The name “SARD” stands for Sigma Advanced Research Development, the Toyota-associated tuning and motorsport firm responsible for the build of both the race and road cars.
SARD MC8-R (based on second generation Toyota MR2)Martin Lee/Wikimedia Commons
The MC8-R did not, sadly, get to enjoy great success on the racetrack; its homologation version remains a curious, if obscure, part of Toyota’s history. The first of the two road cars sported a white paint job and was built in 1995; two years later, changes in the race car’s aerodynamic layout prompted SARD to build a new homologation vehicle, with a black paint job and different bodywork. Today, after spending years in a few different private collections, the white car now has an owner who regularly showcases it on Instagram, driving across Japan on long road trips.
Both cars are powered by a twin-turbo variant of a 4.0-liter V8 engine seen in a few models from the Toyota family, such as the Lexus LS400. In the SARD MC8, its output is 590 hp and 506 lb-ft of torque; the engine is paired with a six-speed manual transmission.
Related
Toyota Built A Road-Legal MR2 Powered By A Twin-Turbocharged 1UZ-FE 4.0-liter V8
The story of a very special version of the Toyota MR2, which resurfaced after several years out of the spotlight.
The MR2 Turbo On The Used Market Today
1993 Toyota MR2 Turbo W20Bring A Trailer
After initial depreciation, the MR2 Turbo is now enjoying an upward swing in terms of pricing, as it has become a sought-after model among car enthusiasts shopping for ’90s classics. Its rarity is a contributing factor; over the course of the MR2 Turbo’s five-year production run, only around 10,000 examples were sold in the US, around 50% of which are still on the road today.
As a result, the number of units available on the used market is quite low, and due to the model’s age, finding one that is unmodified and in good condition can be an arduous task indeed. The cheapest examples around will set you back somewhere in the region of $12,000, but if you want to go towards the upper end of the range, you can find cars in better condition around the $25,000 mark.
1993 Toyota MR2 Turbo W20Bring A Trailer
If you have your heart set on an MR2 Turbo, the path to getting your dream car might not be easy. You might have to do a bit of traveling; you might get a car that needs a few weekends’ worth of work or some additional expenses; if you’re looking for a hardtop model, you might struggle to find one at all. But if you’re happy to put the work in, you will be rewarded with a car that offers an exotic experience with traditional Toyota dependability.
Sources: Toyota, mc8channel/Instagram
