Stock Number: 4893

It took the engineers in Chevrolet's Corvette workshop nearly 70 years to come to the conclusion that a mid-engine, rear-drive platform is would maximize performance. Well, Toyota wasn't that late to the game, in fact producing the first MR2 in 1984. By 1993, the year our example was produced, Toyota was well into its second iteration of the vehicle, and even by today's standards, was producing a world-class sports coupe. Starting with a punchy 2.0L turbocharged engine, and manual transmission, the lightweight and balanced platform translates handles as well as it accelerates. Our latest has a few nice upgrades to kicking things up a notch. The body itself has been kept all stock since Toyota did such a killer job right out of the gate. The front grille has been trimmed to give the front end a bit more sleek look. The yellow fogs were kept which is a great upgrade in poor weather, the same goes for the newer HIDs that were retrofitted. The stock wheels are sufficient, but nothing to write home about. The 18" Manaray Sport Euro Bein meshes wrapped in fresh rubber on the other hand look killer. They are used wheels so they're not perfect, but nothing that a little powder coating couldn't correct. Finished in the ever classic Super White (040) is always a great choice. The paint has been kept in fantastic shape with only minimal blemishes from its 118K verified mile lifetime. The body reflects the same with only a few door dings, but nothing out of the ordinary for a 28-year-old car. The Kouki tails are the icing on the cake, they really do pop off of the white bodywork.

The GT was considered as the luxury specification in the SW20 line-up and had Alcantara/leather door and seat trim in addition to all the basic power amenities. The seats themselves are in fantastic shape which can be rare when you're dealing with glass roof cars. The bolstering is premium while still being comfortable enough for a weekend road trip. T-Tops were actually a rather rare option for us to find in Japan, they tend to go for the fixed-roof coupe unlike all the ones here stateside. The interior has been mainly kept all stock with the exception of the three spoke Momo wheel. The radio has been removed as you can see in the photos, but luckily all the US pieces will overlap with it. The dash does suffer from sun damage along the defrost vents. Much like we see 300ZXs do, the leather starts to curl up along that vent from delamination. A sticky pad was added over by the gauge cluster hood and there feels like a split running underneath that. Luckily the pad does a nice job of tidying things up a bit. The center console also has some marring on it down near the ashtray we wanted to make note of. These came with automatic climate control for the days when you don't want to roll around with the tops off. Power windows also make day-to-day life easier. Despite the glass roof the car is surprisingly quiet in the cabin when you consider the motor is sitting right behind your head.

The 3S-GTE power plant is notorious for its reliability and ability to make great power right out of the box. Mechanically this one has been kept all stock which is refreshing to find at this day in age. The suspension though has been upgraded and overhauled. Tein coilovers sit at all 4 corners which is partly to thank for the fitment. We've also replaced the front left inner and outer tie rods, as well as the front sway bar end links. While down there we also went ahead and swapped out the front and rear pads as well. The 2.0L 3S-GTE makes plenty of power and really good low-end torque. With a quick twist of a key, she fires right up and sets into a constant idle thanks to a new battery. Toyota's five-speed manual gearbox is an absolute gem and is a blast to row through the gears. Acceleration is brisk, to say the least, and the powerband is superb. Once the turbo spools, it has a very linear pull all the way up to its 7K redline. An aftermarket catback gives the two-liter a more pronounced tone that you need in a car like this. The brakes feel confident now and the handling is flat and firm due to the coilovers. When you're looking for the ultimate daily driver in the sports car segment then look no further than the MR2. With its mid-engine layout, brutish turbo-four coupled with a comfortable enough ride for the worst days of traffic the MR2 really does offer it all.

*California Residents: In order to register a Grey Market vehicle in the state of California then it will have to be made CARB complaint first. CARB certifications will have to be performed within the state. Depending on the vehicle and any existing modifications will affect the pricing. Typically CARB compliance will range between 5-10K. Additional information can be found on the California Air Resources Board website.