If Honda's NS-X is Japan's Ferrari Testarossa The New MR2 is Toyota's Dino
It was only six years ago that the motoring world's interest was well and truly piqued by a compact, snappy two seater sporty concept car named SV-3 sitting on the Toyota stand at the 1983 Tokyo Motor Show. A positive response was all that Toyota needed and that car became the mid-engined MR2 (Midship Runabout 2 seater) which has since enjoyed outstanding world-wide success. According to Toyota, over a five year period 163,000 MR2s were produced. Of these some 97,000 were shipped to the US, 25,000 were exported to toher Western countries and 41,000 were sold on the domestic market. To date, no other mid-engined two seater has been so successful on the worl market, especially when you consider that other similar cars fail to generate more than a couple of hundred sales a month.
NOW, AFTER THREE minor facelifts during its first generation, Mister Two as it has come to be known, has been re-born as a larger, sleeker mid-engined sports car, more serious in concept and execution than its predecessor. In its original sales pitch, Toyota promoted the MR2 as a "personal transportation vehicle" rather than a true sports car. The slant was spot on as in the US 60 per cent (UK 40 per cent) of its buyers turned out to be women. With the tastes of that target group in mind first impressions of the new MR2 are startling given its longer, wider and lower form.
No matter how you look at its sleek body, from slanting nose and generous side air intakes to its smooth and rounded rear end, the car screams Ferrari. In fact during the car's Japanese press launch the most common comment amongst the assembled motoring scribes was the MR2's resemblance to a Ferrari, filling the rear view mirrors as it comes screaming up behind you. In fact, with the 2.0-litre, twinturbo, twin overhead cam, 16 valve four cylinder powerplant sitting right behind your ears, the deep engine note and musical mechanical noise definitely conjour up images of a prancing horse.
In Japan there are three MR2 models, the G and G Limited, powered by an upgraded version of the Celica 2.0-litre four in naturally-aspirated form, and the twin-ceramic turbo GT. The non-turbo develops 123 kW at 6800 rpm while the turbo pumps out a meaty 168 kW at 6000 rpm. The GT is fitted with the same twinentry ceramic turbo as the Celica GT-4 which was virtually free of turbo lag during our test drive.
Steering the bigger, more luxurious MR2 was a definite buzz. Selecting first and giving the throttle a shove propels the car forward with a stronger punch than expected. Although the new MR2 in nonturbo form is heavier than the original model its extra 3 5 kW of power more than compensates, lowering the power-toweight ratio to 9.8 kg/kW from 11.9 kg/kW. The turbo GT, with an even lower power-to-weight ratio of 7.4 kg/kW, rockets from rest to 100km/h in a claimed 5.8 seconds, a figure on a par with the Porsche 944 Turbo, and blasts over the standing 400 metres of 13.9 seconds. The deep purr of the engine changes to a satisfying scream once the rev counter climbs above 4000 rpm. Slotting the stubby gear into each of the five gears is a pleasure when combined with the smooth and progressive clutch.
The new MR2 is fitted with rack and pinion Electro-Hydraulic Power Steering (EHPS), a new system that extracts power not from the engine but from a small electric motor and hydraulic pump. Its sensors monitor vehicle speed and steering angle, adding assistance where necessary.
A fault of this system which surfaced during our test session was a loss of power assistance when braking heavily from high speed.
The system literally cuts off, giving the driver the minimum amount of assistance.
When questioned chief engineer Kazutoshi Arima responded by pointing out that the small electric motor used to assist the steering is the smallest necessary to maintain maximum assistance during hard driving. He did say however, that a more efficient system would be fitted to Australian MR2s.
The dominant handling trait is understeer, but this changes to oversteer in no uncertain manner if the boot is kept in.
The basic suspension set up remains the same as the prior model with struts, coil springs and anti-roll bar front and rear, however the shock absorbers have been upgraded. Braking is now by ventilated disc front and rear, and they work extremely well. The sporty cockpit of the original model has been replaced by a more subdued standard passenger car type dash. Gone is the racing style tacho, replaced by a standard rev counter.
The steering wheel, park brake and gear shift are all leather bound. The seats are comfortable and supportive and all-round vision is excellent. Accommodation is still very much for two and luggage space in the boot is modest. A T-bar roof available on the home and some export markets is unlikely to see the light of day in Australia given the size of the market and the amount of hassle involved in Australian Design Regulation (ADR) compliance. A likely launch date for the MR2 in Australia is February, the same time as the US. And it's likely that Oz will start off with the nonturbo car to be followed by the turbo later.
4500GT THE CRITICS may have dubbed it "ugly" but no one should underestimate the importance of Toyota's 4500GT "experimental" car. It is yet another serious bid by the Japanese giant to breach Europe's upper luxury defences. The target this time is Porsche's 928S4.
Its "bullet" shape, with considerable mellowing by production time, could conceivably breach the Weissach defences, too, for this hi-tech Toyota prototype is designed to cruise at an astonishing 300 km/h with four adults and their luggage comfortably stowed.
The world's motoring press got their first chance to actually drive the Toyota 4500GT--which made its debut at the recent Frankfurt Motor Show to almost unanimous thumbs-down response over its controversial styling--at the Toyota test course at Susono, Japan.
Their response, after actually putting it through its dynamic paces--well, as much as they could, despite a rev-limiter that held top speeds to no more than 200 km/h-- was far more positive. Speculation's now about whether the 4500GT will appear, probably by 1992, wearing Toyota or Lexus badges . . . more likely the latter, for at its heart is a new five-valves-percylinder 220 kW "evolution" of the Lexus sedan's quad-cam 4.5 litre V8.
The engine's up front, drive's by rear wheels, with a new six-speed manual gearbox mounted in combination with the rear axle to give a perfect 50/50 weight distribution. The engine and transaxle are linked by a lightweight high density carbon composite "torque tube" that enhances smooth rapid acceleration.
The experimental version's tapering eagle-like nose and "sliced-off" rear form --vaguely reminiscent of 1950s Italian sports car-types--is probably far too radical for mass acceptance. While some o f its styling cues will remain, Toyota insiders say the clay mock-ups of the actual production version--due around 1992-- is "far more appealing".
The 4500GT boasts a low front drag co-efficient of just Cd 0.29 and to maximize its aerodynamics and reduce any tendency to lift at high speed, is fitted with unique air outlets on the hood that expels the air over the vehicle. Its bullet shape-- rounded entry and truncated exit--is one of the most stable of aerodynamic forms and was selected after stylists tested 20 different shapes in the wind-tunnel.
The body's front bumper region, engine compartment and under body have also been designed to provide sufficient cooling capability for the engine and brakes. A rear under body cover has also been fitted to minimise wind resistance.
The new quad-cam 40-valve engine is cast in alloy, with magenesium head covers, oil pan etc . . . and, to make sure it sounds good, a dual two-way exhaust system, which reduces exhaust gas back pressure, is designed to impart a low or throaty roar, depending on operating conditions.
The engine generates its 221 kW power at a lazy 6600 rpm and develops an up-theside-off-a-building 383 Nm of torque.
While the prototype has a claimed top speed of 300 km/h--and covers a standing 400m in under 14s--on the test day a rev-limited cut in at 6000 rpm. Even so, the Toyota zipped to 100 km/h in under seven seconds and cruised on the highspeed bowl at 200 km/h with absolute ease. Perhaps in the near future Toyota will permit a road test session to fully utilise those 40 valves at perhaps 8000rpm . . . the engine certainly feels that strong.
The six speed manual remote-controlled gearbox is pleasingly notchy. At 5000rpm in 6th, the speedo read 200km/h which means that 300km/h could be achieved at 7000rpm. It goes without saying, but at 200km/h the car is faultlessly stable. However, at 200 km/h engine and wind noise are quite noticeable in the cabin, with a Ferrari-like throaty growl from up front letting you know things are happening. The 4500GT's clutch--unlike most heavy duty sports cars--was surprisingly light.
Its suspension has also been redeveloped with a four wheel double wishbone geometry. The front is fitted with A-type upper arms and L-type lower arms while the rears are fitted with L-type upper arms and A-type lower arms, giving improved cornering at high speeds.
The driver's seat is firm but comfortable, providing excellent vision for a car of this nature. As with other 2 plus 2s, the rear seats offer leg room sparingly.
Not since the 2000GT which debuted some 22 years ago, has Toyota used the "GT" label to name one of its sports cars. Supporting the belief that this car will become a production model is the fact that its revamped engine just happens to be the same one set to power the new generation Supra, with a tentative release date of 1991.