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Back in the early 1990s when Tony passed his driving test, he craved a Toyota MR2 Mk. II – “but the bank manager thwarted this ambition”. A few years later, he came close to owning one of these fine machines – “but my wife talked me out of it as it was not a practical machine for work purposes”. However, two years ago the Penman fleet was, at long last, joined by a 1990 turbo-charged Revision 1 –“a private import from Japan”.

The original model made its bow in 1983, and Toyota unveiled the second-generation model in late 1989. British sales commenced in April 1990 with the base version costing £14,000 and the GT at £15,440. Autocar and Motor regarded it as ‘an altogether bolder assault on the senses’ while the October 1991 edition of Car found the GT  version to be ‘fast and it drives differently from the usual, everyday saloon’. Furthermore, ‘Driving an MR2 is an experience and, on most occasions, a jolly pleasant one too’.

Tony points out that the 2-litre turbo-charged version was “only available in Japan and, in a slightly modified form, in the USA”. This was despite the UK being the MR2’s second-largest export market; one reason behind this decision was that it might have impacted on sales of the Celica GT-Four. The result was any number of “grey imports”, to satisfy those eager to experience 0-60 in just 5.7seconds and a top speed of 152 mph.

The “miniature Ferrari” lines created by Kunihiro Uchidawere were a further attraction – ‘The latest from Modena? No, the latest from Toyota’ read one advertisement banner. In the States, the MR2 Turbo soon gained a name as a supercar for those without a supercar income.  Car & Driver of May 1992 regarded it as a ‘sweet-handling, high­-value, high-tech sports GT’.

That same year saw the introduction of the modified Revision 2 and production of the final Revision 5 model ceased in 1999. Mr. Penman’s dream was “always a T-Bar in Yellow and especially a Rev 1. I didn’t think I’d ever get a Japanese Turbo so when this came up I had to have it”. He is also a fan of “keeping the car absolutely stock”, and his Toyota naturally creates quite a stir. “It looks “exotic” and does stand out, although only a few older people seem to remember them”.

As for the road manners, some motoring writers noted some handling challenges on the early models. In 1991 Jeremy Walton of Motor Sport wrote that the MR2 could ‘end up in very inexperienced and hot-blooded hands’. However, Tony does not find his car at all tail-happy – “push it, and it does exactly what it is supposed to do”. 

And while the Revision 1 may be “quite a contrast” to Tony’s Triumph Spitfire and MGB, it is very much in the same tradition of great mass-produced sports cars.  The MR2 remains a prime example of the heights to which a Toyota could aspire. As the sales copy put it – ‘you feel like part of the road’.

With Thanks To: Tony Penman and The Ayrshire Classics Car Club -  https://ayrshireclassics.com/

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