Rare Japanese mid-ship convertible, of which only 92 were made

Do you know the MR Spyder, an open sports car that Toyota Technocraft once produced just 92 units based on the second-generation Toyota MR2? 31-year-old Mr. Masato Itokawa has been lucky enough to have this rare car for nine years. We asked him why he, a professional automotive engineer, is so in love with it.

His mother drove a first-generation MR2 before he was born

About 100 cars loved by car enthusiasts aged 35 and under gathered at the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse for the ‘YOKOHAMA CAR SESSION-Young People’s Car Life’. One car in particular that was constantly surrounded by old men was the Toyota Technocraft “MR Spyder”, of which only 92 were produced. The owner of this rare car, 31-year-old Mr. Masato Itokawa, politely answered their questions.

He has been the owner of the rare 1998 MR Spyder for nine years, but he says he has had the elements to become a Toyota MR enthusiast since he was a child.

“Growing up, my mother told me that before I was born, she drove an AW11 MR2. I was fascinated by the midship layout, retractable headlights and two-seaters, which were rare among Japanese speciality cars, and I guess it was imprinted in my mind.”

Got MR Spyder after driving a second-generation MR2

While he was a university student, Mr. Itokawa drove a second-generation SW20 Toyota MR2, on which this MR Spyder was based, but he had to let it go once he started his job search.

“When I was looking for a car to love when I started working, I knew I wanted a SW, and when I was looking at used car information, the website I usually look at happened to be unavailable, so I looked at a used car site I don’t usually look at and found a used car dealer there that had the MR Spyder in stock. I don’t think I would have come across this car if I could have seen the website I normally look at.”

“Only a Toyota Technocraft production, the exclusive rear hood and cowling blend in with the original SW20 design while at the same time emphasising its convertible character, which I fall in love with every time I look at it in my car.”