My Turbo is going to a new home ...

[BenF]

Well,

I never thought I'd do this - but earlier this week I agreed to sell my MR2 Turbo which I've had since 1998.

It's been a difficult decision and I'll certainly be sad to see the car go as I've really enjoyed driving every minute of it. I'm pleased though that it will be going to another IMOC-er who I know will take good care of it and enjoy it just as much as I have. We've also agreed that I can still turn up on his doorstep and take the car for the occasional drive.

So, I'm shortly going to be driving my Mk1 for a while whilst I find a replacement for the MK2 Turbo.

Having looked around for something to replace it, I decided against another Mk2 (as I'd have just kept mine) and I have test driven a lot of different cars, but after trying various RWD coupes I came back to the Mk3 MR2 Roadster.

I've got to say its handling reminds me most of the Mk1 on the limit - very informative and progressive. Looks are fine (but I may be tempted to go for some discreet bodykit parts), and I'm going to have to get used to the minimal storage space.

One thing that was dissapointing for me was the 1ZZ-FE engine - its 140 horses are fairly willing and will haul you to 60 in just over 7 seconds, but lacks any really useful get up and go once you're cruising at 60mph - I really missed a turbo'd engine's torque and flexibility.

Toyota missed a trick IMO by not putting dropping something into the Roadster with a little more power and torque – a 3 litre V6, or something with some forced induction for more torque - a supercharged or Turbocharged 4 pot would have been ideal.

TTE in Germany have realised this and have released an officially sanctioned and non-warranty breaking 184bhp turbo kit for the engine, but it’s a bit steep at around £5k plus travel to/from Gemany to get it fitted.

So, I’m looking at a couple of turbo options, with the eventual aim to give me a reliable car with a similar power/weight ratio to my Mk2 of around 230bhp/ton - there are a couple of options I'm considerng...

No doubt, you'll hear more about this project in the next few months, along with others are working on, such as MK1a restorations and the big bhp MK2 project engines ..

[shafster]

Well,
We've also agreed that I can still turn up on his doorstep and take the car for the occasional drive.

PMSL if only i could do that with all the cars i've sold, would never need to have my own car ever again

[BenF]

Well,
We've also agreed that I can still turn up on his doorstep and take the car for the occasional drive.

PMSL if only i could do that with all the cars i've sold, would never need to have my own car ever again

LoL! I said it would only be once in a blue moon - I think its going to be difficult to prise him out of the car

[JJ]

Not looked around for an MR2 Roadster with the VVTL-i engine in it ?? there should be a couple of imports kicking about with the 190bhp engine in them.

Now thats a nice little package !

Old sckool Lotus Esprit Turbo ! Plenty of GM/Toyota bits on that one !
Honda S2000
S15 Nissan 200SX

[BenF]

Not looked around for an MR2 Roadster with the VVTL-i engine in it ?? there should be a couple of imports kicking about with the 190bhp engine in them.

Now thats a nice little package !

Old sckool Lotus Esprit Turbo ! Plenty of GM/Toyota bits on that one !
Honda S2000
S15 Nissan 200SX

Yeah, a few people in the UK have fitted the 2ZZ 190ps engine into their few roadsters now - nice at the top end above 6k when the engine comes on cam, but below that its got less torque than the 1zz-fe lump. You've really got to keep the engine on the boil which isn't really what I was looking for. Then again, I hear that Toyota (and Lotus) have announced a supercharged version of the engine with 240bhp - tempting, but I don't think it will physically fit in a roadster

Other cars ..

Espirt turbo - turbo'd wedge? No, not for me
S2000 - Hmm, I test drove one. Very pointy, good brakes, engine average below 6k (see above!) and it only feels properly quick in 3rd - ie licence losing territory. It had surprisingly poor feedback IMHO too.
S15 ? Hmm, if I was looking for a drifting machine, a S14 would be tempting, but I'm not

[bidtowin]

205 mi16?

Ross

[John Rees]

Old sckool Lotus Esprit Turbo !

JJ how is that a reliable car

Honda 2000 or the nissan 200 for me I think.

Ben, do you think you will miss the mk2??

John

[BenF]

Old sckool Lotus Esprit Turbo !

JJ how is that a reliable car

Yeah, even the K series Elises have an appetite for Head Gaskets!

Honda 2000 or the nissan 200 for me I think.

Ben, do you think you will miss the mk2??

.. Yeah. That's why I asked if I could come back and drive it every so often. They're great cars - I was chatting to a guy earlier today who'd rung up asking about the car - he's won a prize of unlimited trackdays at Bookatrack this year - and was looking for something fun to take around the circuit, and having previously owned a Mk1 a Mk2 was top of his list.

In the meanwhile, I've got the Mk1 which is top fun to drive - I'll enjoy it whilst looking for a decent Mk3 which will be the basis for my project work.