mr2 spyder!

The Toyota MR2 Spyder is all about affordable fun. It’s a two-seat, mid-engine, rear-wheel drive roadster designed for the sports car enthusiast on a budget.Capable of performing with vehicles that cost nearly twice its price, the MR2 Spyder has had an enormous impact on the way consumers think about Toyota products.Developed to deliver true driver enjoyment, the lightweight MR2 Spyder features a wide, low-slung platform, a long wheelbase, and a mid-mounted engine for superior handling.Power is supplied by the same 1.8-liter twin-cam 16-valve four-cylinder engine offered in the new Celica GT. The engine features VVT-i cylinder head technology, which is a variable-valve timing with intelligence system similar to the design currently used in Lexus engines. Rated at 138 hp at 6,400 rpm and 125 lbs.-ft. of torque at 4,400 rpm, the MR2 Spyder’s favorable power-to-weight ratio has contributed to a zero-to-60 acceleration time of 6.95 seconds.Power is applied to the rear wheels of the MR2 Spyder through a standard five-speed manual transmission or a new-for-2002 sequential manual transmission (SMT). The MR2 Spyder is the first U.S.-market Toyota model to feature this new, sophisticated transmission. The clutch pedal and gear selector have been replaced with a single shifter. The SMT clutch and gear selector operations are performed by ECU computer controlled actuators and the engine is also equipped with electronic throttle control to allow the ECU to reduce torque during shifts.Upshifts or downshifts are achieved by moving the selector to the + or - positions. SMT includes standard steering wheel mounted shift buttons and cruise control. The lack of a clutch pedal provides the convenience of an automatic transmission with the interaction of a manual transmission.