Power Pages: 2000 MR2 Spyder

Day in and day out, Hondas reign in the aftermarket performance arena. With that kind of domination, many non-Honda-badged vehicles often get overlooked, such as the Toyota MR2 Spyder.

Released in June 2000 by Toyota, the top-down roadster has brought fun and excitement back into driving. The flyweight 2,100-plus lb. convertible is powered by a very peppy 1.8-liter DOHC reminiscent of the previous generation MR2. The midship engine design eliminates the power robbing driveshaft and rear end, making the most of the 138 hp powerplant. Offered in both automatic and standard transmissions, the stick is the definite choice, if performance is on your agenda.

Although Toyota is planning to release a five-speed sequential e-shift transmission for the 2001 model, you might want to hold off, if the automatic is more your style. The smooth body lines of the MR2 is pleasing to the eye and works well with body tuning, as you can see by the VIS body kit and AKT Heidfields installed on our tester vehicle.

The Engine
As mentioned earlier, the MR2 Spyder is powered by a 138-hp 1.8-liter DOHC equipped with Variable Valve Timing with Intelligence (VVT-i) 1ZZ-FE engine, which is the younger sibling of the 190-hp 2ZZ-FE engine found in the 2000 Celica GT-S. The VVT-i is similar to Honda's VTEC technology, but taken a step further. Not only is the engine capable of enhancing valve lift, but it is also capable of optimizing cam timing (variable cam timing), which in turn translates to optimal low-end and top-end performance.

At low rpms, cam timing is advanced, while at high rpms, it is retarded. So all you Honda fools out there sporting DOHC VTEC power should be afraid, because the VVT-i technology is no joke.

Performance Components
Although the MR2 Spyder is very adequately powered, who can resist the urge for more power? In this segment, we decided to free up some ponies by enhancing airflow to and from the engine.

As you might have already noticed, many of the OE parts are not of the highest quality or designed with precision engineering, in order to keep production costs down. One such area is the intake system. The OEM paper element used to filter out the harmful elements can easily be clogged and is very restrictive.

To alleviate this problem, we elected to install a TRD reusable drop-in filter replacement. The TRD unit is a direct replacement and requires no extra hardware. Unlike the factory filter, the TRD unit is less restrictive and allows the engine to breathe easier.

On the opposite end of the engine is the exhaust. Most OEM exhausts are crimp-bent and often present restrictions in the exhaust flow. We looked to 5Zigen to solve our exhaust conundrum. The 5Zigen unit is constructed from heavy-duty coated mild-steel piping and features a stainless-steel canister section for increased durability and looks.

The piping section is also mandrel bent for a smooth and continuous exhaust flow from the cylinder head to the tailpipe. The unit is of the highest quality and 5Zigen is one of the only companies that offer an exhaust system for the Spyder.

Dyno Testing
As with all of our "Power Pages," dyno testing is essential. Without proper dyno numbers, it is hard to tell if a product can stand up to all of the hype. Our test vehicle with 10,760 miles on the odometer clocked in at 125.5 hp and 113.6 lb-ft of torque.

With the baseline figures logged, it was time for the TRD drop-in filter element. Installation was very straightforward and took less than a minute.

With the vehicle still strapped on the Dynojet, it was back to ripping the rollers. This time, power figures checked in at 125.7 hp and 114.5 lb-ft of torque. Considering the fact that the filter element was a drop-in, power gains were surprising.

Up to bat next was the 5Zigen exhaust system. The installation was also straightforward, but took us 50 minutes to install, because we had to let the engine cool down prior to installation.

The vehicle was reloaded onto the rollers of the Dynojet, and then it was time to rock-n-roll. Power levels were pushed to 127.7 hp and 115.7 lb-ft of torque.

Conclusion
With only two products installed on the MR2 Spyder, we were able to increase power output by 2.2 hp and 2.1 lb-ft of torque, a very decent gain. Although we have yet to see someone install the 190 hp 2ZZ-FE engine into the Spyder to make it truly fly, we know it is only a matter of time.

For now, we are certainly happy with the near-150 ponies generated by the 1ZZ-FE engine. With that kind of power, combined with the Toyota rear-wheel-drive drivetrain, it is going to be time to hunt for some Hondas.

Until next time, Happy Honda Hunting.