1992 Toyota MR2 GT-i16 T-BAR

We are delighted to be able to offer this genuine UK Toyota MR2 with under 40,000 miles on the clock. Fresh from a trip to Le Mans earlier in the year, this is your opportunity to get your hands on an iconic Japanese sportscar that offers great performance and stunning handling alongside better than average reliability; the nineties are, in our opinion, the sweet spot when it comes to balancing classic looks and dynamics with the sort of reliability that lets you use your toy without constantly worrying that it’s going to leave you stranded at the side of the road freeing your other half to legitimately complain about the folly of wasting your hard-earned cash on old cars…

First registered on the 1st of August 1992, the MR2 has had just four previous owners. The vendor tells us that he understands that the original owner sadly died and her husband couldn’t bring himself to sell his beloved wife’s car, so he kept it safely garaged for eight years. He eventually sold it to a friend of his, who then kept it garaged for another four years, again without using it. This explains the car’s remarkably low mileage and stunning condition; as the owner puts it: “It is virtually as new. All the new owner needs to do is drive it because everything works as it should.”

Presented in the classic colour scheme of a red exterior and a black interior, this is a ‘Revision 2’ car so benefits from bigger brakes, 15-inch alloy wheels and, most importantly, the revised suspension geometry that cured the sometimes wayward handling of the earlier cars.

The paintwork, believed to be genuine, is looking lovely. Red is a forgiving colour and responds well to diligent maintenance, and this example proves the point perfectly; with sharp panel alignment, excellent panel gaps, and the sort of fit ‘n’ finish that made Japanese cars a byword for build quality, this car could be five years old instead of almost 30. Virtually flawless, its condition beggars belief and we would urge interested parties to pop along to see it in the flesh to appreciate its condition.

The removeable targa roof panels are in great shape too and still seal tightly. The badges are excellent, as is the glass and light lenses.

The genuine Toyota 15-inch alloy wheels have been recently refurbished and are looking fabulous. Just as importantly, they’re shod with matching Toyo Proxes performance tyres, all of which still have good tread.

As we will never tire of explaining, our experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly. Their presence does not, of course, preclude the need for a thorough inspection - something the vendor would welcome, by the way – but do give you a shortcut into their attitude towards maintenance.

The black leather seats are in great condition, wearing only the very lightest of patinas; even the outer driver’s bolster being free of damage and significant creasing. The condition of the seats is echoed in the steering wheel, pedal rubbers and driver’s mat heel protector; if you are a Doubting Thomas who views this car’s mileage with an unusually sceptical eye then the condition of these should be enough to lay your mind at rest.

The high-power (52W x 4) Bluetooth headunit is recent, as is the aerial and remote control. Typical of the care with which the car has lived its life, a genuine blanking plate is fitted to mask the gap left in the double-DIN hole. Originality buffs will also be pleased to hear that the original headunit comes with the vehicle, along with a variety of other bits and bobs that have been replaced over the years. Speaking of originality, the MR2 even still has the covers for the targa roof panels.

The rear boot is very clean and tidy, with almost unblemished carpets and a clean underside to the painted boot lid.

Again, there is nothing to do to the interior, which makes for a boring section to read but a great car to own!

Fitted with a stainless steel Mongoose cat-back sports exhaust (with O/E style rolled lips for the ultimate in discreet performance…) and a recent new catalytic converter, the two-litre twin-cam 16-valve engine seems to be in rude good health, starting and idling cleanly and pulling strongly.

The underbonnet area and underside of the car are both clean and neatly presented but not obsessively so. That said, the former is original enough that it would be a great foundation for the sort of owner who likes his engine bay as clean as his interior. More originality can be found with the presence of the car’s original, factory fitted warning stickers, which normally go AWOL over the years.

Speaking of which, the spacesaver wheel and tyre are present and correct, as is the jack.

The online MOT history shows nothing of concern whatsoever and confirms the car’s low mileage. The current MOT certificate expires in June 2020, and the car comes with a number of expired MOT certificates plus a few old invoices and bills to confirm the recent work that has been done to it. Not that there are many – and that’s not because it has been neglected, it is simply that it hasn’t needed much doing to it; the current owner has only had to fit a new aerial and fuel filler cap because that was all that has been required.

It also comes with a stamped service history booklet, the original owner’s manual, and storage wallet.

Please visit the documents section of the gallery of this listing where you will find photos of this and other paperwork to support our claim that this car has been maintained to a very high standard.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please get in touch with us here at The Market HQ.

The Toyota MR2 is something of an unappreciated classic with its values still languishing in the doldrums. It’s true that the value of good cars has been rising steadily over the years but even the very best cars still struggle to reach five figures, which seems an odd state of affairs as it is as reliable as the Mazda MX-5 yet offers the sort of mid-engined handling and steering feel that its front-engined rival can’t hope to replicate.

As to the car itself, it is a stunning vindication of the initial engineering integrity, backed up by decades of careful curation. While the flaws of many of our literary heroes are what make them interesting, this is a car with no adverse back story to tell, just a bittersweet love story that explains why it is in the nigh-on perfect condition you see today.

As to value, the vendor in this case is so confident of his car’s condition that he is offering it with no reserve; that’s right, it’ll sell from the very first bid, so why not pop a cheeky bid in and see what happens? We're thinking it will sell somewhere between £5,500 and £8,000, but as always it's you bidders who decide.

After all, the very worst outcome will be that you find yourself the owner of one of the very nicest and most original MR2s in the UK today. And honestly, that wouldn’t be the worst start to the holiday season, would it?

Viewing is always encouraged, and this car can be seen here at The Market HQ in Abingdon; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car, AnyVan for transporting it, and Footman James for classic car insurance.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings of any auction, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles we have for sale. While we use our trade experience to assess every car that comes through our hands (and between us we have bought hundreds of classic cars over the years for our personal use…) we are fallible, and our assessment of a car may contrast with that you might form yourself.

This is why we offer a far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange a professional inspection on their behalf of, each vehicle prior to bidding than any traditional car auction, and we will never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this by coming to see it in person.

That said, we do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or those formed as a result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.