page_title: Toyota MR2
section_title: Revisions and model year changes
hierarchical_section_title: Toyota MR2 / Second generation (W20; 1989–1999) / Revisions and model year changes
caption_attribution_description: 日本語: トヨタ・3S-GE型エンジン SW20型MR2、IV型
context_page_description: The Toyota MR2 is a two-seat, mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports car manufactured in Japan and marketed globally by Toyota from 1984 to 2007 over three generations: W10, W20 and W30. It is Japan's first mid-engined production car.
  Conceived as a small, economical and sporty car, the MR2 employed straightforward design elements, including fully independent MacPherson strut front and rear suspensions, four-wheel disc brakes, and a transverse-mounted inline-four engine.
  The name MR2 stands for either "mid-ship run-about 2-seater" or "mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-seater". In French-speaking markets, the MR2 was renamed Toyota MR due to the similarity of the word "MR2" to a French profanity.
context_section_description: The second-generation MR2 underwent a variety of changes during its 10 years of production, grouped in four different periods:
  1989 (Revision 1)
  Introduction of the new generation.
  January 1992 (Revision 2, MY 1993)
  Fitment of a catalytic converter, lowering the power to 156 hp
  Revised rear suspension with longer toe links
  Revised front suspension which removed castor angle adjustment
  Larger front lip
  15-inch wheels and wider tires on all models (Front: 195/55/15, Rear: 225/50/15)
  Larger brakes (turbo only in US market, All cars for Japanese and European markets)
  Shorter shift lever and smaller knob
  Viscous LSD option (turbo only)
  Upgraded transmission synchronizers
  US turbo models now only sold with T-bar roof (except for a few sold in early 1993)
  Canadian sales cease after 1993
  EBFD and TC added as options on Japanese market models
  November 1993 (Revision 3, MY 1994–1995)
  European & Japanese market 3S-GE now rated at 173 hp
  Japanese market 3S-GTE (Gen 3) now rated at 245 PS (180 kW; 242 hp)
  American market 5S-FE now rated at 135 hp (101 kW).
  American market Turbo models retained the Gen 2 3S-GTE.
  Round "Kouki" tail lights
  Prior 3-piece rear wing replaced with revised one-piece
  Color-coded center panel, front lip, and side skirts.
  Passenger airbag (not available for the Japanese market)
  Viscous LSD added as standard in Japanese market Turbo models
  Japanese market E153 gearbox revised with upgraded synchros
  Cruise control no longer an option on Japanese market models
  Upgrades made to ABS system, which now induced an acceleration sensor located behind the gear stick
  Upgrades to electronic power steering system (EHPS) to boost assist at low speeds and reduce assist at high speeds
  Strengthening pieces added to rear strut towers
  American sales cease in 1995; turbo models are not offered in California-emission states after 1994
  June 1996 (Revision 4, MY 1996–1997)
  Fender mounted turn signals on all models
  5 spoke alloys featured diamond cut faces
  Passenger airbag added as an option in Japanese market
  Revisions to ABS system
  European 3S-GE down-rated to 168 hp due to the introduction of EGR.
  Unavailable in North America
  Revision 5 : 1998–1999 Model (Introduced Nov-1997):
  Clear fender mounted turn signals
  New 15-inch wheels featuring narrower spokes
  Adjustable rear spoiler, revised from the earlier versions
  Red rings around gauges, red stitching on leather shift knob (and on leather seats on turbos)
  Japan receives the new BEAMS 3S-GE rated at 200 PS (147 kW; 197 hp)
  Changes to the suspension geometry, tire sizes and power steering in January 1992 (MY 1993) were made in response to journalist reports that the MR2 was prone to "snap-oversteer". As a counterpoint to the snap-oversteer phenomenon of the MR2, other journalists point out that most mid-engine and rear engine sports and super cars exhibit similar behaviour, and that a change to the driver's response to oversteer is really the solution. In any car, braking shifts the weight forward, and acceleration to the rear. When drivers enter a corner with too much speed, and lift the throttle mid-corner, the weight transfers forward causing the rear tires to lose traction (called lift-off oversteer), which can result in a spin. When improper steering inputs were made attempting to correct this non-power-on oversteer, the rear of the MR2 would swing one way, then wildly (and quickly) the other—thus the term "snap" oversteer. Toyota elected to change the MR2 suspension and tires to reduce the likelihood that this would occur, though many drivers would lament the change and claim that it "neutered" the sharp edge the MR2 was known for. Toyota claimed that the changes were made "for drivers whose reflexes were not those of Formula One drivers".
caption: 3S-GE equipped SW20
exif: {"Image ImageDescription": "", "Image Make": "SONY", "Image Model": "MHS-PM5", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image DateTime": "2011:10:16 16:42:04", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Centered", "Image ExifOffset": "134", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail ImageDescription": "", "Thumbnail Make": "SONY", "Thumbnail Model": "MHS-PM5", "Thumbnail Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail DateTime": "2011:10:16 16:42:04", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "13300", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "8202", "Thumbnail YCbCrPositioning": "Centered", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/15", "EXIF FNumber": "18/5", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Program Normal", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "320", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0220", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2011:10:16 16:42:04", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2011:10:16 16:42:04", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF CompressedBitsPerPixel": "222049/131072", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MaxApertureValue": "3", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF LightSource": "Unknown", "EXIF Flash": "Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode", "EXIF FocalLength": "139/20", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "2048", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "1536", "Interoperability InteroperabilityIndex": "R98", "Interoperability InteroperabilityVersion": "[48, 49, 48, 48]", "EXIF InteroperabilityOffset": "13164", "EXIF FileSource": "Digital Camera", "EXIF SceneType": "Directly Photographed", "EXIF CustomRendered": "Normal", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Auto", "EXIF DigitalZoomRatio": "1", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "EXIF Contrast": "Normal", "EXIF Saturation": "Normal", "EXIF Sharpness": "Normal"}