What Is Your Favourite Generation Of MR2?

Hi Forum
 
Here is a question that Im sure will either cause people to sigh or engage in some interesting discussion. Im sure this query has been posed many times before, but it would be great to here the opinions of people as of 2014.
 
I think I should set some rules though for this discussion. I want this to be fought out with evidence and well founded opinions with explanations, not just the ramblings of a fan boy/ girl.
 
At the end of this it will be interesting to see what car has captured the hearts and minds of the public the most.
 
Good luck to all.

That's just a can of worms. Neither is "best", horses for courses really.
 
My preference is the SW20. In factory form, the Gen3 turbos were the fastest of all. Their shape is somewhat timeless. They're quite refined & like all, have significant potential. Arguably suspension wise, they're "softer" than the others, but I love the overall feel.
 
Next would be the AW11 for me. They feel raw & were the 2nd fastest (SC) of all 3 in factory form. First Japanese sports car to win "COTY" in Japan in a long time. You'll probably never understand the whole "AW11" thing until you've owned/driven one. If only my previous one wasn't so old, I'd never have parted ways with it.
 
Spyder, sorry to those that own them, but they're my least favourite. I'm sure they handle "nice", although I've never actually been behind the wheel of a well sorted/aligned example. Reasons for my lack of desire, is the exterior (not memorable - very conservative) & powerplant/transmission. To get a Spyder to a level I'd enjoy/appreciate, would require a M/T conversion (yes I know JDM released manuals), engine transplant & widebody kit. If Toyota had released these with 6sp M/T 2ZZ's then it'd be a completely different story.......could have, but they didn't!

Both posts have raised good points. 
 
In reaction to these posts im going to change the goal of this thread. Let us all just then state our preferred/ favourite MR2.
 
I would agree with maj they are the same but different. Each car came from different periods and had different influences and goals driving their design principles. Trying to judge one as being better than the other would be tough and rather unfair.
 
I would also agree with MR2Qik, the last generation MR2 always seemed to soft to me. They had so much potential with the chassis being so lite and nimble. All it needed was someone at Toyota to say "wait a second isnt this a sports car?". This car definitely came from the era of OH&S meetings and emissions tests.
 
Same rules apply, make sure to give evidence and/or discussion around why you prefer one generation over the other.
 
 

Always been a fan of the SW, I remember reading reviews of the GT along with its obscene price tag, thinking if i was lucky enough i may have got my hands on a Bathurst one day. That and reading tales of the turbo version which was JDM only. 
 
For me the AW was a bit square looking, but seeing such pristine examples like sweeetpetes s/c AW and the absolute thundering power of ZeroGK's AW at the first track day challenge made me think otherwise. 
 
Likewise considered the ZZ to be the hairdressers version, but sweeetpetes car at the same event changed my mind on that one.
 
I guess i'd stick with the SW, got a garage full of parts. But if the right AW or ZZ came up at the right price I could be tempted (bolt on panels on the ZZ make it good for racing!) 

I was always a fan of the SW20 when younger and once I had a license and the funds to buy one I did. Crashed it into a house and wrote it off but it was very enjoyable for a few years. Enjoyable enough that I bought another red SW20 and had that one for about 8-9 years.
During the time I owned the SW20 I always wondered why AW11 owners loved their cars so much. Many years ago Dylan (Gorilla Industries) let me have little drive round the block in his White NA and I understood on the spot why their owners love them.
My last SW20 I built up from 100% completely stock standard to over 300rwkw which was an absolute beast. But I prefer to drive the AW11 I now have over the 300kw SW.
The AW11 is just more unique, quirky and fun. People out and about love it when they see it and I'm always having conversations about it with complete strangers. I do get the odd filthy look from the old wealthy women in their husbands Merc though.
The SW20 felt more practical for everyday life and more comfortable for longer trips (driven to QLD from NSW a couple of times) but the AW11 in my opinion is overall more enjoyable.
I've never driven an ZZW30 but would like to one day. If I was to own one I would like a manual version with a 2grfe. 
 
For all the SW20 owners out there who haven't driven an AW11 I urge you to try one out, they're bloody awesome!

yeah the standard engine AW11s are too slow haha :)
 

MR2QIK
Your AW11 has a 3SGTE though.....lol
 
Personally, I think AW11 with 3SGTE or v6 would be one the best possible drivers car your could ever own without moving into exotics.

I remember 1994, grade 10, sitting in the school library reading 'Wheels" ( pretty cool they kept this sort of literature).  This particular article was about the Jap spec SW20 and i remember thinking it would be a 'cool' car to own.  Only a few weeks later my Dad came home with a new 'Bathurst', (which we still have with 53xxxkm on it) and between that and my then obsession with the 'turbo variant' in the mag the seed was planted, I was going to have a turbo sdub one day.
 
In 2000 I was almost old enough to insure a turbo vehicle and had saved a few bucks so the hunt began.  I looked at a few, drove my first car with coilovers, and eventually found what i still have in the shed today. I've not done much (or anything now I think about it) to the body but there isn't anything mechanical that hasn't been touched at some point.
 
Therefore the sdub is my fav.  I have come close to buying an Adub a few times now but with a wife and young fella this has had to take a back seat for a few more years.  I'm sorry to say though that the Spyder does nothing for me at all. 
 
The one thing I absolutely love about these vehicles is the comradery they've created.  Never on any of the cruise meets (or on forums for that matter((mostly) have I seen ego or lack of respect.  Old and young alike we all share a common enjoyment.  I have made many friends through what should simply be a car.

I plan to poll this tread once its got a couple more responses. So keep up the interesting banter.