Current State of the MR2

On its introduction in 200 the third generation MR2 arrived to solid revies. It was sean as a direct competition to the Mazda Miata. Most reviews had it winning that battle.

Eclipsing all these cars as a pure sports car, the MR2 seemed destined for classic status.

The MR2 is not the only old sports car to fall out of favor. I think it has a lot to do with today's use and dispose society. People can't seem to take care of their 3 year old car, much less keep a 20 year old car running in good condition. With all the excitement about SUV's causing people to think they need a 4 ton machine just to go grocery shopping, a small sports car seems to be a bit passe in today's world. But I digress... :-)

Okay, so what is so special about the first generation MR2 that would keep so many MR2 enthusiasts from trading up to newer ninetees or 2000 sports cars??

7500 RPM Redline with torque and horsepower peaks near redline. Nothing is more thrilling then a screaming 16 valve DOHC engine at 7500 rpm. Compare that to most of today's cars with engines designed for automatic transmissions and high torque. They run out of power after around 5500 rpm and all you get is a useless buzzing sound till you hit redline. (MINI Supercharged, MR2 Spyder etc). Why should I spend $30k for a car with a lower redline than my "old tech" MR2?

Best 5 speed shifter I've yet to drive a more solid feeling shifter. It falls right to your hand via the raised center tunnel.

Mid-Engine design the way the gods intended. Take a corner, adjust your angle mid-corner and the car reacts without a fuss. Once you drive a mid-engined car it becomes hard to fully respect any front engine sports car.

Rear-wheel Drive Again there is no denying that this is the best setup for a pure sports car. With the MR2's engine on top of the rear tires you also get a lot of grip for a quick launch. For a while in the late 80s and early 90s the only affordable cars with rear wheel drive were the MR2 and Nissan 240sx.

No unneeded gizmos and extra weight ABS, wireless throttle, power everything, anti-slip, anti-sway anti-fun etc.. all these technologies are fine for your Aunt Mildred but if you want to have control of what you're doing and get feedback from the road all this new-tech just gets in the way.