 Mr.
Nakagawa is responsible for the development of both Celica and
MR-S. While the recently launched Celica is well received by the
public, he seems to be more nervous about the MR-S. He spent a
lot of time to explain the new car to the press, stressed that
his mission was to bring back the agility that made the first
generation car so good.
He is right. The second generation MR2 was originally praised
for being powerful. In normally aspirated form it produced 165hp
(then rose to 173hp); Turbocharged version’s 225hp even earned
it a name of "mini-Ferrari". But the public’s enthusiasm quickly
calmed down. People started to complain about its grown up size
and weight of around 1200kg. Criticised its downgraded steering
feel and cornering agility. Last year, decline sales figure
forced it withdrew from all markets except Japan.
If you are old enough, you might remember how exciting the first
generation MR2 was. It opened the eyes of European journalists,
letting them to see the rising sun’s ability to create exciting
sports cars. The 16-valves engine was powerful and years
advancer than European. The mid-engined chassis balanced and
felt so good, with brisk performance to match. That was 1985. 14
years later, the third generation car is going back to the
basis.
The name of the Mk3 might arise some confusion. In home market,
it calls "MR-S" rather than MR2, the latter is used in
elsewhere. The "S" stands for Spyder, in other words,
Convertible.
In terms of styling, the MR-S is another example demonstrating
the incompetence of the Japanese studio. Despite of the
deliberate imitation on Porsche Boxster (look at the front and
rear lights !), its angular profile and poor execution of
details make it uncomfortable to look at. Next time please ask
the California studio (which styled Celica) or Brussel studio
(which penned Yaris) for help.
 The
cabin is tight fit, thanks to the size reduction. The
instruments do what they are intended to and no more. Lack of a
stylish dashboard, lack of high quality plastic as well as a
decent trimming, you know price cut is the second biggest
mission of Mr. Nakagawa. The steering wheel is adjustable in
rake but not reach. The soft roof is operated manually, although
it stores neatly under a panel. So, inside and outside, the MR-S
does not deliver a good impression ....
.... until you fire the engine. The 1794 c.c. all-alloy
16-valver is equipped with VVT-i like all other new engines from
Toyota. The reduction of 200c.c. drops power and torque to 140hp
and 127 lbft respectively, but drivability is not deteriorated.
Nakagawa believes 1.8-litre is the best optimized size for a
four cylinder. It enables smaller radiator, smaller brakes,
narrower tyres .... in short, a lighter and more nimble car.
Kerb weight is just 975kg, exactly identical to the Mk1 MR2.
This is a remarkable achievement, considering the crash
protection requirement for 2000 is far stricter than those of
the 80s, and then the new car has more powerful engine and a
soft top. 14 years ago, it might not be the lightest (cars such
as Bertone X1/9 and Honda CRX might be lighter). Today, it is
some 100kg below the competitors.
 On
the road, the weight saving translate into excellent control.
The mid-engined chassis has first rate balance. Although it
rides on MacPherson struts all round, the good set-up works well
to keep the wheels perpendicular to the black top. The
electric-assisted steering feels superbly communicative and well
weighted. 2.6 turns from lock to lock means quick response. More
important, the new MR-S corners with the agility and throttle
adjustability that remind us the first MR2 or Mazda MX-5.
However, some may describe it as "too tail happy", as it is
easily prone to oversteer like Lotus Elise, thanks to the
suspension setup and 56% weight taking by the rear axle. Well,
such people just deserve to drive a boring BMW Z3.
In terms of sheer handling, the little Toyota is unmatchable in
its price range, not even the ever-green Miata. But the latter
has prettier styling and a sense of originality. The MR-S, like
the first 2 generations, are more likely to be the choice for
boy racers, who don't like art and philosophy. Nevertheless,
with the addition of convertible, the MR-S should appear to the
larger crowd.
|
To
most drivers, the biggest problem of MR-S is it is too keen on
oversteering. Skillful drivers may see that as engaging, but if
they drive the car in a raining night, they have to be very
careful. Responding to customer’s criticism, Toyota made a
revision in August 2002. From exterior, it looks like just a
minor facelift which concentrates on bumpers. However,
underneath the skin there are 2 major changes.