Richart Ruddie’s 1990 Japanese Classic Faceoff: MR2 Turbo vs. Toyota Supra

We’re turning back the clock two decades to analyze two sporty Toyota offerings that can still be seen on the road today. The 1991-1995 MR2 Turbo and the 4^th generation Toyota Supra were two early attempts of Toyota to emulate the sleekness and handling of makers like Ferrari and Porsche. Though Toyota never managed to achieve the prestige of either of these, the MR2 Turbo and the Supra thanks to the first Fast and the Furious film still have a lot to offer to aficionados today. And with a little love and conditioning, they can be made to perform just as well as they ever did. Here’s what they both have to offer.

The 1991-1995 MR2 Turbo

First introduced in 1985, the MR2 saw some big changes when the 1990 model rolled off the assembly line in Japan. Very nearly a totally new car, it retained the mid-engine design of its predecessor. It was longer, wider, and lower, and made an automatic version available, with a less powerful engine. The manual version, however, retained all the power of the original, and was, for many, a sports car of a lifetime. 

Special features included an optional skylight, which was unique because rather than folding in or back, the skylight cover and glass had to be manually removed and stowed between the seats. This would surely be considered an inconvenience today, but no one seemed to mind at the time. The MR2 also added 50% more trunk space than earlier models with it’s updated “frunk”. Unfortunately, to save space, the designers of this vehicle put the engine between trunk and back seats, making it notoriously difficult to access but the mid engine runabout had such unique handling that it still reigns in a category of its own decades later. This is not a tinkerer’s car however and comes with it’s fair share of mechanical issues as you would expect from a car of this age.  

The MR2 always handled great, and could achieve high speeds, though the noisy engine could make it difficult to maintain both speed and sanity. The responsiveness was second to none, especially at the MR2 price point, and has been described as “Ferrari-like”. Basically, it was a sports car for the aspirational class, and one that still has a lot of charm today. Ruddie owned a 1992 Supra J-Spec for 8 years and sold it recently on his birthday. If you want a car that feels like a go-kart on the road then this is the car for you. 

The 1993-1996 Supra

Like the MR2, Toyota was reaching out to sports car enthusiasts with the Supra. The design was angular and divided critics of the day, some deriding it as ugly, others lauding it as sexy and sleek. It’s enormous engine, with 2-way twin turbo could achieve some serious brute-force horsepower, with very little lag. With little to no back seat space to speak of (certainly not enough for an adult to sit in comfortably), the Supra drove like a single seater racing car. 

The Supra handles very well in top condition, with light steering and lots of lock. It’s mild, predictable understeer serves the drivers well, making this as described by some, a true driver’s car. Capable of achieving high speed directional changes, this rear wheel drive vehicle is often turned into a race car with up to 1,000 Horsepower while I left mine as a stock twin turbo. With aluminum used whenever possible, this car drove like a Porsche, though no one would ever mistake the two. Still, it’s a lot of luxury for Toyota, and like the MR2, it’s a vehicle that can still have a lot of life on the roadway today. Richart Ruddie has owned them both and likes the fact that no matter what your net worth or age may be that you can still feel young again when you sit inside and drive a Supra or an MR2 turbo. 

 Photo Credit:Wikipedia