The MR2 is one of the most revered sports cars of its day, blending fun, features, and affordability in a way only Toyota can do. But what was it about this little sports car that created such a long-lasting love affair for so many petrolheads?

To figure out why the MR2 is so easy to fall in love with, we talked to three people who are intimately familiar with the car both behind the wheel and under the hood: Jack Ferguson, Toyota’s Senior Quality Engineer; Andrew Eleazar, Toyota’s Senior Development Engineer; and Bill Strong, moderator of the MR2 Owners Club.

We talk about how the car earned its name, what gave the unique sports car such an enduring legacy, the MR2’s aftermarket modding community, creating Bill Strong’s V8 MR2, the racing events that MR2 drivers love to participate in to this day, and what these three hope to see in a 21st-century MR2.

Resources:

• MR2 Owners Club Forum
• MR2 Nationals 2021 (May 29 - May 31 in Dallas)
• 24 Hours of Lemons

Toyota Untold is co-produced with Crate Media