The MR2 appeared around the same time as the Honda CR-X and the Nissan EXA from Japan, the Pontiac Fiero and Ford EXP from North America, and about a decade after the VW Scirocco and Fiat X1/9 from Europe made their debut.

[9] Toyota employed the naturally aspirated 4A-GE 1,587 cc (1.6 L; 96.8 cu in) straight-four engine, a DOHC four-valve-per-cylinder motor, borrowed from the E80 series Corolla.

In 1988 and 1989 Toyota produced two final production runs of fully optioned "Super Edition" MR2s, based upon the supercharged Japanese market model, and only sold in Japan.

The 1988 'Super Edition' was a run of 300 units, had white/gold two-tone paint, bronze glass, unique half-leather and half-cloth seats, along with a MOMO-commissioned steering wheel and gear knob.

The 1989 model, a run of 270 units, featured a special Midnight Blue paint, the MOMO-commissioned steering wheel and gear knob, Recaro "Milano" seats with matching door panels.

Supposedly eleven prototypes were made, of which eight were destroyed during testing, leaving only three known examples: Two in black, one stored at Toyota Gazoo's facility in Cologne and one sold to a private collector in 2017, one in white, with a 50mm lengthened wheelbase and a more production styled body located in Tokyo.

Like the AW11 before it, Toyota spent countless hours fine-tuning the handling capabilities of the SW20, seeking advice from professional race car drivers, including Dan Gurney of Formula One, NASCAR, and Le Mans fame.

[25] A Japanese market Rev 3 GT-S Turbo was able to run the 1/4 mile in 13.1 seconds,[27] beating out more expensive and higher powered automobiles such as the Honda NSX, Toyota Supra RZ, and even the Ferrari 348 TB.

Revision 5 : 1998–1999 Model (Introduced Nov-1997): Changes to the suspension geometry, tire sizes and power steering in January 1992 (MY 1993) were made in response to journalist reports that the MR2 was prone to "snap-oversteer".

As a counterpoint to the snap-oversteer phenomenon of the MR2, other journalists point out that most mid-engine and rear-engine sports and super cars exhibit similar behaviour, and that a change to the driver's response to oversteer is really the solution.

When drivers enter a corner with too much speed, and lift the throttle mid-corner, the weight transfers forward causing the rear tires to lose traction (called lift-off oversteer), which can result in a spin.

[29] In 1998, Toyota Racing Development offered an official kit body conversion and tuning program for MR2 owners to transform their existing SW20 MR2 into a wide-body TRD2000GT replica car.

Prior to MR2s being fitted with the TRD2000GT body kit, TRD had its customers select which additional engine, suspension, wheel, and interior upgrades they wanted.

The "T020"[33] as it was called, was powered by a naturally aspirated 2.2L stroked 3S-GE that produced 175 kW (235 bhp) at 6,800 rpm, this was due to more aggressive "F3" cams, a stroker kit, better intake flow with the aid of the "TOM'S Hyper Induction Carbon" intake kit, and an upgraded exhaust system labeled the "TOM'S Barrel", a lightened flywheel was also equipped to help the engine rev easier.

The T020 also featured a more race-oriented suspension/chassis set up via camber kits, upgraded tie-rods, strut bars, roll center adjusters, stiffer springs, race shock absorbers, and sports brake pads.

[35] Despite the fact that these products are no longer purchasable brand new, some of these modification parts may still be procured as second-hand items, and are highly sought after by the MR2 community.

The Phoenix Power MR2 also featured a large rear wing reminiscent of the 911 (993) GT2 for increased downforce at high speeds, and a reworked suspension set up with Öhlins equipment.

Car and Driver noted the revised SW20's braking capabilities to be superb, stating that 70 mph to standstill could be done in 157 feet, rivaling that of the Honda NSX.

[39] Former Top Gear host and racing driver Tiff Needell commends the SW20's handling having said that it "encourages you to drive with enthusiasm" in a review back in 1990.

[41] Such a label may be true as MR2s are relatively cheaper than most automobiles with an MR platform (Honda NSX, Ferrari F355, Lotus Elise) and that it is readily available to most people.

With JGTC being the highest form of sports car racing in Japan, many manufacturers and private teams alike spent countless hours of research and development into perfecting their respective chassis.

Unlike the experimental MC8-R, the MR2 JGTC shared more qualities chassis wise to the road-going production car, though it had a lower ride height than the standard SW20s, was wider, featured advanced aerodynamics and Brembo racing brakes.

With the car's interior gutted, the intercooler was placed in the forward section of the vehicle with pipes travelling to and fro inside the cabin, as opposed to in the engine bay as a "side-mount" in production MR2s.

The car, which previously saw action at the Firestone Firehawk Endurance Championship by P. J. Jones, ran with a boost of 16 psi (1.1 bar) with changes to the intake and exhaust systems and the cam timing, output a maximum of 494 PS; 363 kW (487 hp).

[46][47] As of July 2015[update], the G/BGT record (Class G, Blown Grand Touring Sports or 2 Liter production turbo-charged GT) still stands.

The MR2 Spyder chief engineer Harunori Shiratori said, "First, we wanted true driver enjoyment, blending good movement, low inertia, and lightweight.

Then, a long wheelbase to achieve high stability and fresh new styling; a mid-engine design to create excellent handling and steering without the weight of the engine upfront; a body structure as simple as possible to allow for easy customizing, and low cost to the consumer.

Unlike similar systems offered in contemporary sports cars, the SMT lacks a fully automated mode emulating an automatic transmission.

The drawback to the SMT is slower acceleration (due to delayed gear changes) and very few technicians actually understand the more complex system, making repairs costly.

For example, Tiff Needell, a very experienced race driver and the former host of the BBC television series Top Gear, praised the handling of the ZZW30.