The Toyota MR2 still looks like the second-generation MR2 that was one of the most popular Japanese sports car of the 1990s. Nothing much about it has changed it, either. It’s still powered by the legendary 3S-GTE four-cylinder engine. Power is still sent to the two rear wheels courtesy of a manual transmission. But just as it looks the same, it’s also different in one significant way: it’s packing a turbocharger the size of Montana that helps the four-banger engine produce an incredible 610 horsepower. That’s almost 80 horsepower more than the modern-day McLaren 540C that it’s racing against.


Now, power isn’t everything, especially in drag races. Technology plays a critical role, too, specifically when it comes to getting off the line quicker and smoother than the opponent. This is where the 540C has the leg-up with its ability to tap into a launch control system. Its 533-horsepower, 3.8-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine is also mated to a quick-shifting dual-clutch transmission that changes gears far more smoothly than any manual gearbox is capable of. So does the McLaren 540C’s modern-day advantages have enough to carry the British supercar to the finish line against a heavily tuned Toyota MR2?


Rory and Carl partook in a series of races and the results were expected, though not for the car that you’re probably thinking about now. No spoilers here, though. Watch the video to find out if this juiced-up Toyota MR2 is capable of going throwback on the McLaren 540C and all of its modern-day gadgetry.