The Toyota MR2 is a two-seat, mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports car produced by Toyota, from 1984 until July 2007 when production stopped in Japan. There are three different generations of the MR2: 1984–1989, with angular, origami-like lines, 1990–1999, which had styling that some compared to Ferrari sports cars, and 2000–2007, which somewhat resembled the Porsche Boxster. It was designed to be small, with an economical powerplant, but sporty in style and handling. Basic design elements, such as MacPherson strut front and rear suspensions and transverse-mounted inline-four engines, are common to all three generations of MR2, though each generation differs greatly from the next in particulars.
In Japan, it was exclusive to Toyota Japanese dealerships called Toyota Vista Store as an alternative to the Toyota Celica which was exclusive to Toyota Corolla Store locations.
The Honda Integra (sold in some markets as Acura Integra) was a sports car, produced by Japanese automobile manufacturer Honda from 1985 to 2006. It succeeded the Honda Quint as the liftback derivative of the Civic and each generation of the Integra was derived from the contemporary generation of the Civic. Being more luxurious and sports-oriented than the Quint, the Integra was one of the launch models for Acura in 1986, along with the Legend. Throughout its life, the Integra was highly regarded for its handling and performance.
The Integra name was originally used by Honda to refer to its VT250F motorcycle and is currently used to refer to the scooter variant of its NC700 series of motorcycles.
Car and Driver magazine named the Integra to its annual Ten Best list six times: in 1987, 1988, and 1994 through 1997. The GS-R model was called out specifically in 1994 and 1995. It made a return on the Ten Best list as the Acura RSX, in 2002 and 2003. The Integra Type-R (DC2) was named the “best front-wheel-drive drivers car ever” by Evo Magazine in 2006.
The first generation Toyota Celica GT is the one that does it for me, with a some subtle mods and tuning it turns a reasonably ordinary car into something that stands out in the crowd. Spanning over 30 years and selling millions the Celica can’t be bad for Toyota.
So why have I included the Datsun 510 into my site? It’s not a supercar by any means, however, it did have some success in rallying and was competitive in the Trans Am series under 2000cc class. It doesn’t look particularly nice in standard form, however, once modified, this boxy little car looks rather sweet.
I find this a happy little car, with a big grin on its face, and why not, it is a fun, lively lightweight sports car which can step out of line when you give it a bit.
The MX-5, released as the MX-5 Miata in North America, and the Roadster in Japan, is a lightweight two-seater roadster with a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. Manufactured by Mazda in Hiroshima, Japan, the model debuted in 1989 at the Chicago Auto Show. The MX-5 was conceived as a small roadster – with light weight and minimal mechanical complexity limited only by legal and safety requirements; technologically modern, but philosophically descending from small British and Italian roadsters of the 1960s such as the Triumph Spitfire, MG MGB, Fiat 124 Sport Spider, Alfa Romeo Spider, and Lotus Elan.
The second generation MX-5 (NB) was launched in 1998 and the current (NC) model has been in production since 2005. It continues to be the best-selling two-seat convertible sports car in history and by February 2011 over 900,000 MX-5s had been built and sold around the world.
The MX5’s first generation, the NA, sold over 400,000 units from 1989 to 1997 – with a 1.6 L straight-4 engine to 1993, a 1.8 L engine thereafter (with a DE-tuned 1.6 as a budget option in some markets) – recognizable by its pop-up headlights. The second generation () was introduced in 1999 with a slight increase in engine power; it can be recognized by the fixed headlights and the glass rear window, although first generation owners may opt for the glass window design when replacing the original top. The third generation (NC) was introduced in 2006 with a 2.0 L (120 cu in) engine.
Launched at a time when production of small roadsters had almost come to an end, the Alfa Romeo Spider was the only comparable volume model in production at the time of the MX-5’s launch. Just a decade earlier, a host of similar models — notably the MG B, Triumph TR7, Triumph Spitfire, and Fiat Spider — had been available.
The body is a conventional, but light, unibody or monocoque construction, with (detachable) front and rear subframes. The MX-5 also incorporates a longitudinal truss, marketed as the Powerplant Frame (PPF), providing a rigid connection between the engine and differential, minimizing flex and contributing to responsive handling. Some MX-5s feature limited slip differentials and anti-lock braking system. Traction control is an option available on NC models. The earlier cars weighed just over a ton, with engine power output usually 116 bhp. The later cars were heavier, with higher power engines.
With an approximate 50:50 front/rear weight balance, the car has nearly neutral handling. Inducing oversteer is easy and very controllable, thus making the MX-5 a popular choice for amateur and stock racing, including, in the US, the Sports Car Club of America’s Solo2 autocross and Spec Miata race series, and in the UK, the Mazda racing championship.
The MX-5 has won awards including Wheels Magazine ‘s Car of the Year for 1989 and 2005; Sports Car International’s “best sports car of the 1990s” and “ten best sports cars of all time”; 2005–2006 Car of the Year Japan; and 2005 Australian Car of the Year. The Miata has also made Car and Driver magazine’s annual Ten Best list 14 times. In their December 2009 issue, Grassroots Motorsports magazine named the Miata as the most important sports car built during the previous 25 years.
The MX-5 has 100,000 examples registered in the UK as of June 2011.
The Nissan Silvia is the name given to the company’s long-running line of sport coupes based on the Nissan S platform. Although recent models have shared this chassis with other vehicles produced by Nissan (most notably the European 200SX and North American 240SX in the S13 and S14 generations, and 180SX in the Japanese market), the name Silvia is not interchangeable with the chassis codes.
The GT86 from Toyota can’t be a bad car if it won the Top Gear Magazine “Car of the Year” for 2012 and Autocar named it “Best Drivers Car”. A lively rear wheel drive sports car powered by a 2 litre boxer engine, that can hit 60mph in around 6.2 seconds (as tested by Subaru) and goes on to 145mph.
The Mazda RX7 looks menacing with the Veilside kit, I love the front-end. I have 7 RX-7’s on GT5, especially like my RX-7 Type RS (FD) ’00 in brilliant black (602bhp).!
The third generation of the RX-7, FD (with FD3S for Japan and JM1FD for the USA VIN), featured an updated body design. The 13B-REW was the first-ever mass-produced sequential twin-turbocharger system to export from Japan, boosting power to 252 hp in 1993 and finally 276 hp by the time production ended in Japan in 2002.
The FD RX-7 was Motor Trend’s Import Car of the Year. When Playboy first reviewed the FD RX-7 in 1993, they tested it in the same issue as the [then] new Dodge Viper. In that issue, Playboy declared the RX-7 to be the better of the two cars. It went on to win Playboy’s Car of the Year for 1993. The FD RX-7 also made Car and Driver’s Ten Best list for 1993 through 1995, for every year in which it was sold state-side. June 2007 Road & Track proclaimed “The ace in Mazda’s sleeve is the RX-7, a car once touted as the purest, most exhilarating sports car in the world.”
The sequential twin turbocharged system was a very complex piece of engineering, developed with the aid of Hitachi and previously used on the domestic Cosmo series (JC Cosmo=90–95). The system was composed of two small turbochargers, one to provide boost at low RPM. The second unit was on standby until the upper half of the rpm range during full throttle acceleration. The first turbocharger provided 10 psi (0.7 bar) of boost from 1800 rpm, and the second turbocharger was activated at 4000 rpm and also provided 10 psi (0.7 bar). The changeover process occurred at 4500 rpm, 8 psi (0.6 bar), was smooth, and provided linear acceleration and a wide torque curve throughout the entire rev range.
Handling in the FD was regarded as world-class, and it is still regarded as being one of the finest handling and the best balanced cars of all time. The continued use of the front-midship engine and drivetrain layout, combined with a 50:50 front-rear weight distribution ratio and low center of gravity, made the FD a very competent car at the limits.
Australia had a special high-performance version of the RX-7 in 1995, dubbed the RX-7 SP. This model was developed as a homologated road-going version of the factory race cars used in the 12-hour endurance races held at Bathurst, New South Wales, beginning in 1991 for the 1995 event held at Eastern Creek, Sydney, New South Wales. An initial run of 25 was made, and later an extra 10 were built by Mazda due to demand. The RX-7 SP produced 274 hp and 263 lb·ft of torque, compared to the 236 hp and 217 lb·ft of the standard version. Other changes included a race-developed carbon fibre nose cone and rear spoiler, a carbon fibre 120 L fuel tank (as opposed to the 76 L tank in the standard car), a 4.3:1-ratio rear differential, 17-inch wheels, larger brake rotors and calipers. An improved intercooler, exhaust, and modified ECU were also included. Weight was reduced significantly with the aid of further carbon fibre usage including lightweight vented bonnet and Recaro seats to reduce weight to 1050 kg (from 1150 kg). It was a serious road-going race car that matched their rival Porsche 911 RS CS for the final year Mazda officially entered. The formula paid off when the RX-7 SP won the title, giving Mazda the winning 12hr trophy for a fourth straight year. The winning car also gained a podium finish at the international tarmac rally Targa Tasmania months later. A later special version, the Bathurst R, was released in 2001 to commemorate this, in Japan only.
In the United Kingdom, for 1992, customers were offered only one version of the FD, which was based on a combination of the US touring and the base model. For the following year, in a bid to speed up sales, Mazda reduced the price of the RX-7 to £25,000, down from £32,000, and refunded the difference to those who bought the car before that was announced. The FD continued to be imported to the UK until 1996. In 1998, for a car that had suffered from slow sales when it was officially sold, with a surge of interest and the benefit of a newly introduced SVA scheme, the FD would become so popular that there were more parallel and grey imported models brought into the country than Mazda UK had ever imported.
The Honda S2000 is a roadster manufactured by Japanese automaker Honda between 1999 and 2009. First shown as a concept car at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1995, the production version was launched in April 1999 to celebrate the company’s 50th anniversary. The S2000 is named for its engine displacement of 2 liters, carrying on in the tradition of the S500, S600 and S800 roadsters of the 1960s.
The WRX and Sti Scoobys are full on performance cars, power and handling bring the 0-60 times to around the 5 second mark depending on model. It’s a fast car that can be easily tuned for those hungry for more.
