1st gen Toyota MR2 1985–1989

This page is a draft. It has not been approved yet, so read it with care.

Toyota's first mid-engine two-seater, a wedge-shaped coupe with a twin-cam 1.6L four, and a supercharged version for 1988 and 1989.

What it came with

1.6L twin-cam four (4A-GE)^1,2

112 hp, 16 valves, 7,500 rpm redline
1.6L supercharged four^1,2,3

145 hp; the supercharger's clutch lets it idle off load · 1988–1989

Model codes: AW11¹
Curb weight: 2,149 lb in Classic Motorsports' specs; 2,200 to 2,493 lb by version in The Truth About Cars^1,2
Suspension: MacPherson struts front and rear¹
Development: Shown as the SV-3 concept at the 1983 Tokyo Motor Show, with handling input from Lotus engineer Roger Becker^1,4,2
Sold: About 160,000 worldwide before the Miata arrived in 1989, by Hagerty⁴

Rare options, colors and interiors to look out for, and whether finding one is good news.

Good find 1.6L supercharged four Engine
The quickest 1st gen sold, for 1988 and 1989 only^1,4

Why it is a good find: Hagerty calls the supercharged cars the most collectible first generation MR2s: rarer, faster and better looking.⁴

1985 New model, reaching the US a few months after Japan, with the 1.6L twin-cam four and a 5-speed manual.^1,2
1986 The rear anti-roll bar is removed to calm the tail-happy handling.¹
1987 A T-bar roof becomes available.⁴
1988 The Supercharged arrives, with 145 hp and a stronger gearbox.^1,2,3
1989 The Supercharged gets a rear anti-roll bar again. The third brake light becomes an LED strip in the spoiler, and the door handles and mirrors are body-coloured. The last year of the 1st gen.^1,2