autox
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Bench racing the MR-Spyder

To: Craig Blome <cblome@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Bench racing the MR-Spyder
From: Randy Chase <randyc2@home.com>
Date: Fri, 26 Mar 1999 16:55:44 -0800

Craig Blome wrote:
> 
> I wandered over to Toyota's Web page and had a look at
> the preliminary specs for next year's MR-Spyder, the
> potential B Stock challenger to the Miata, at
> <http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/future/spyder/spyder_specs.html>.

Very cool. This page has been updated and the specs are looking more
concrete. I hope this car is at next weeks AutoShow here in San Diego.

>  It's impossible to really tell anything from paper,
> but some of the following things caught my eye:
> 
> 1.  The MR-S has a _substantially_ wider track than the
> Miata, yet is only 0.6" wider overall.

Cool. This means my tires will hit the cones, instead of the car body
hitting cones. 8-)

> 
> 2.  The sequential gearbox that the magazines think is
> an automatic appears to be a manual after all.  The
> page fairly screams "It's a MANUAL!  NOT an AUTOMATIC!"
>  I wonder if it will bang off shifts in 0.3 seconds
> like the F355 F1...nah, prolly not.

If it's anything like my MR-2, it will shift quickly...then the tranny
will die. 8-)

> 
> 3.  I hope the larger rear tires mean that Toyota won't
> put an insane amount of understeer-for-safety in like
> my stock X1/9.

Agreed. They might, specially after their experience with the MR-2.

> 
> 4.  You don't suppose the Boxster resemblance is
> intentional, do you?

Yes, Porsche might have copied Toyota....  8-P

> 
> Is this the car to best the invincible Miata?  Dunno.
> But I'll definitely test drive it.  Heaven help the
> poor salesdroid... >;-)

When I bought the MR-2, they were being displayed at Qualcomm Lot in San
Diego and the test drive area was the west lot. Yoohoo! I asked the
sales person.."do you mind if I can see what the car can really
do?"..hhehe

There is still a question about how fat a tire you can put on this car,
but I am bringing a tape measure to the autoshow.

Well, weather in SoCal has flipped this week but it is back to Sunny
skies for the ProSolo in San Berdoo. It now looks like I will be going
(wasn't sure) but I will be driving up in 0-dark:30. 8-/ 

Randy Chase

<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>