For those who aren’t familiar with the Toyota MR2, it’s essentially a mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive roadster manufactured by Central Motors, a division of Toyota, from 1984 until 2007 when the company ceased production. These five bizarre supercar knockoffs are mainly based on the second generation (1990-1999) model. Continue reading to see them all.
5. Gumpert Apollo
We came across this Gumpert Apollo replica that’s based on a second generation Toyota MR2 (1990-1999) on eBay. While the original mid-engined Apollo supercar gets an Audi-sourced 4.2-liter, twin-turbo V8 with 650HP or an insane 800HP in Sport form, the Toyota-based replica makes do with a modified version of the Japanese sports car’s four-cylinder turbo engine, with the seller claiming it yields “255 WHP at 15psi and 303 WHP at around 19psi” on the dyno.
4. Ferrari F360 Spider
As is common in these type of builds, the replication of the Ferrari model is restricted to the exterior body panels with the interior left mostly intact (sans the Ferrari-badged seat covers). The Italianized Toyota has allegedly covered 109,000 miles (about 175,000 kilometers) and according to the AutoCheck history report, it was involved in an accident back in 2007, hence the salvage title.
3. Ferrari F430 Spider
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a Toyota MR2 dressed up as something else, in this case a Ferrari F430 Spider, but the story here is that the owner of the replica took it to a classic / sports car meeting of some sorts in The Netherlands parking it close to the real Italian deal. Talk about having faith in your creation…
2. Lamborghini Murcielago
What he hadn’t seen before is a Lamborghini replica, with this build coming from Bulgaria. The owner of the Murcielago lookalike says that it is based on a second generation MR-2 from 1992, which at the time, was often referred to as a poor man’s Ferrari due to its resemblance to the 348 and F355 models. This example is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that’s good for 163hp (165PS), linked to a manual gearbox driving the rear wheels. The car is said to have covered around 75,000 miles or 121,000 kilometers.
1. Ferrari Enzo
This eBay find is based on a 1992 Toyota MR2 NA, which is said to have been “professionally stretched and reinforced” to a 104-inch long wheelbase to bring its dimensions closer to the original Ferrari. The replica has been three years in the making, and according to its current owner, it is “about 90 percent complete” and that “with a couple weeks of work you will have an amazing car”.
