The 1990s were a good time for Toyota sports cars, as the Japanese automaker was making the Supra, MR2, and rally-bred Celica. While the Mazda Miata is the default option when it comes to compact sports cars, one can’t deny that it can become attractive, especially if it’s modified.
TheSmokingTire got behind the wheel of an 850-horsepower (!) 1991 Toyota MR2 and found it to be on the far side of crazy. The sportiest version of the MR2 was the aptly-named MR2 Turbo that was powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. That unit put out 200 hp and 200 lb-ft of torque. So this motor that cranks out roughly four times the amount of power is insane when you think about how light the sports car is.
To get that kind of power, the MR2’s been through 15 different powertrain options before ATS Racing ended up with a 5SGTE four-cylinder unit. The engine features a Precision 6265 Ball Bearing Turbo that, depending on the state of tune, is running at 30 to 45 psi. The block, interestingly, is from a ’98 Camry, while the factory head is stock, but slightly altered to make sure everything fits.
The crazy thing about the vehicle is that a quick glance wouldn’t reveal anything that hints towards hypercar-like power. Besides larger tires, an exhaust system and a customized front bumper, the vehicle looks like a run-of-the-mill MR2.
But when this thing starts up and starts to travel at some speed down the track, it sounds like an animal. There all sorts of whooshes, howling, and plenty of laughter from Matt Farah. And why wouldn’t he? That kind of power is way too much for the little MR2, which resulted in him having an absolute blast.