In the eighties and nineties, affordable sports cars were being produced by most manufacturers.  Cars such as the Scirocco, Fiero, Capri convertible, EXP, MR2, CRX, and the Miata were all products of this time period.  While many of them were marketed as sporty economy cars, all of them were considered sports cars by the media and potential customers.  Of the cars listed above, only the Miata remains in the marketplace.  While the Miata was and is a fine sports car, the Toyota Mr2 was a very strong challenger to the throne if we were going to decide the best of this pack.  Finding a sports car from this era is rare, and finding one in great condition is almost impossible.  Fortunately, this 1988 Toyota MR2, found on Craigslist in Trussville, Alabama for $4800, is a well kept example of the first generation of these mid engine marvels.

Of the pack of sports cars listed above, the configurations used by the designers were very diverse.  The EXP, Scirocco, and the Capri convertible were front engine cars with front wheel drive.  The Miata was a traditional front engine automobile with rear wheel drive, and both the Fiero and MR2 were mid engine with rear wheel drive.  Of these three configurations, mid engine cars with rear wheel drive are the undisputed champions of handling.  The downside is a phenomenon called snap oversteer.  When a conventional car is pushed to its limits, handling is fairly predictable.  On a mid engine car, a loss of traction in a corner (especially under power) can cause a very rapid and violent spin.  While professional drivers prefer a mid engine car due to good weight distribution, an average driver can find himself in over his head very quickly.  Add to that the usual mid engine complaints of a warm and cramped cockpit, limited cargo room, and very limited engine access, and you can see that it is risky for a manufacturer to provide customers with a mid engine choice.  This risk is compounded when you consider that mid engine cars often share little in the way of common chassis and parts with other cars in the line up, and the market for such cars is always limited.

From the perspective of hindsight, Mazda obviously made the best choice by offering customers an updated MGB/Lotus Elan that didn’t leak oil and wouldn’t break on a weekly basis.  Customers flocked to these simple convertibles, and that success eventually drove all the other competitors out of the marketplace.  That is too bad for the rest of us, as there are many reasons why the Fiero and the MR2 should have been continued.  For the Fiero, GM had finally worked the bugs out of the car, and they had a number of engines on the shelf that would have made the car a performance legend.  For the MR2, Toyota’s legendary reliability combined with their relentless determination in regards to development would have probably given us a very refined sports car.  Undoubtedly, the MR2 would have eaten up a lot of the Miata’s market share by now.  Sadly, it was not meant to be.

Toyota did try for a long time.  In the end, we were blessed with three different generations of MR2s, with the second generation receiving the most praise.  The third generation looked like an anime character’s ride, and wasn’t well respected by enthusiasts.  The first generation, however, had a lot going for it.  The development on this version was very thorough, with Toyota going so far as having a Lotus engineer help in designing the suspension.  They also hired Dan Gurney to assist in testing and improving the car’s performance on the race track.  The other thing the car had going for it was a very low weight.  The first models weighed a little more than 2,200 pounds, and the later supercharged models still carried less than 2,500 pounds of body weight.

Luckily, the car for sale in the ad is one a 1988 model, and it comes with the supercharged engine.  While a normal MR2 put out around 112 horsepower, the supercharged variant put out 145 horsepower, and had more low end torque.  When you consider the car’s low weight, ample horsepower, and incredible handling, this makes for a rather desirable sports car.  To add to that, the car has traveled just 67,000 miles, and it appears to have spent most of its life in a garage.  The owner claims that it runs and drives strong, although the dust and condition of the storage area makes me wonder how often it escapes the confines of the garage.

As you can see from the pictures above, the car looks almost showroom new.  The paint appears to be in great shape, the interior is immaculate, and even the seat bolsters are undamaged.  The car was equipped from the factory with air conditioning, T-tops, and even a switch on the dash to allow the driver to use lower grade unleaded gasoline instead of the car’s preferred high octane diet.

Overall, this is a great car for someone who wants to enjoy mid engine handling at a low price.  MR2s have kind of disappeared from the roads, with first generation cars being the ones least seen.  Add to that the rarity of the supercharged models, and you will likely see a return on your investment if you keep this car for a while.  Japanese sports cars are one of the hottest segments of the collector car market.  While the most desired cars of this trend are currently the Datsun 240-Nissan 280 Zs, eighties cars are starting to appreciate.  We all wish we would have bought a rare muscle car when they were just used cars.  This is kind of a modern version of the same deal, because these cars were very desirable during their heyday.   Factor in that there are a low number of survivors in excellent condition, and you can see why this car would be a good addition to your garage.

You could almost tell your significant other that it was a long term investment.  Let me know if you get away with that line at your house.