This open-top roadster with mid-engine placement frames the excitement of a sports car in the context of masterful Japanese mechanical technology. It's simple in design, direct in function -- and fun to drive. Spyder's four-cylinder engine, displacing 1.8 liters and equipped with twin cams on top, nets 138 hp. A manual five-speed stick is the standard, but a sequential manual transmission, which came in 2002 with shift buttons mounted on the steering wheel, is optional and steps up from five to six forward gears in 2003 with cruise control added. Exterior changes for MR2 start at a revamped front with new two-bulb headlamps wrapped in chrome, standard foglamps, new taillamps and the exhaust tip morphing in shape from round to oval. More color choices occur, such as Silver Streak Mica and Paradise Blue Metallic. In the two-seat cockpit, a revised instrument panel has new meter graphics and chrome accents surround vents. Black leather seats are optional and linked to a black top, as tan leather seats tie to the tan top.
