If your MR2 is listed here, or has a
similar registration, it may have had a more glamorous past than you imagine.
Posing for the cameras of glossy motoring magazines, being driven at high speed
around test tracks and famous motor racing circuits, these are the famous for a
day MR2's that caused motoring journalists to heap so much praise on the car and
influenced some 13,500 people to buy one.
Several years ago I bought B230 NPB and discovered that it was originally
registered FXI 3811, and appeared in a car magazine back in the mid 80s. In this
article I have listed all the press cars I can find shown in British car
magazines since 1984. If you now own one of these MR2s, know of any others or
suspect that your car may have a hidden past please let me know.
(1) 579 DSP 75 Sherwood Toning “Fun to drive” MOTOR 21 07 84 Although this
car carried a French number plate as the car was photographed in France, it is a
Japanese “G” Limited model in Sherwood Toning, green over pale gold, and as such
is of course right hand drive. It is reasonable to assume that this car may have
subsequently been brought over the short distance to the U.K., given an English
identity and sold here. It would not have been easily saleable on the continent,
and there would have been little point in sending it back all the way to Japan.
Also appears in Brian Longs book p7.
(2) B801 TYX Dark colour “A sensation revealed” AUTOCAR 06 10 84 This car was
used for the first British press release at the time of the October 1984 N.E.C.
Motor Show and is also shown in Long p34. “Middle Wallop.” PERFORMANCE CAR 01 85
again shows the car declaring it to be the first one to arrive in Britain.
(3) B638 WHE Sherwood Toning? Long p39 British launch.
(4) FXI 3808 Dark colour “Mr.Panache” AUTOCAR road test 13 03 85.This car was
photographed in Portugal where the British motoring press tested the car. Also
featured in “Rising Son” YOUR CLASSIC 02 94
(5) FXI 3009 Dark colour same article as above, also photographed in
Portugal. Also featured in “Buying Second hand” AUTOCAR 30 05 88
(6) FXI 3810 Dark colour – John Simister says red - MOTOR road test 16 03 85
(7) FXI 3813 Sherwood toning MOTOR road test 16 03 85
(8) ??? Dark colour “Mid engined magic” WHAT CAR? 04 85. Also photographed in
Portugal. May be (4) FXI 3808 ?
(9) ??? White car shown in same article above.
(10) B45 YYK White car “Running Report” MOTOR Date unknown, also featured in
“Skirtless and Virgin White” MOTOR 07 06 86, “The Eagle has Landed 25000 mile
road test” MOTOR 06 09 86. John Simisters test car. And “it was a dark and
stormy night” MOTOR 02 01 88
(11) FXI 3811 Sherwood toning “Road test” FAST LANE 05 85 This is my car now
registered B230 NPB on 01 01 85
(12) FXI 3815 Silver car “Magic MR2 vs. X19” WHAT CAR 05 85
(13) FXI ???? Dark colour “Road Test” AUTOSPORT 18 07 85 This car also
appears to have been photographed in Portugal, so may be (4) FXI 3808 making yet
another appearance.
(14) B237 NPB White “A sports car for the 80s” MOTOR SPORT 10 85
(15) B238 NPB White “Back to Back MR2 versus Corolla” SPORTS CAR MONTHLY 11
85
(16) D36 FUV Dark coloured T-bar “MR2 moves on up“ WHAT CAR? 12 86. Also
appears in “Sunshine Supercar” AUTOCAR 29 10 86
(17) D227 ABH White T-bar Long p48
(18) D226 ABH White coupe Long p51 1987 model year car.
(19) D192 FUV Dark coloured T-bar “T-Break” MOTOR 13 12 86 Also appears “Good
sports MR2 vs. Reliant Scimitar” MOTOR TREND 08 87
(20) C422 AYY Dark coloured coupe “Trailblazer 18000 mile test” WHAT CAR 07
87
(21) D191 FUV “Good Sports MR2 vs. Reliant Scimitar” MOTOR TREND 08 87
(22) ??? White coupe “Question time MR2 vs. Datsun Sunny zx coupe” WHAT CAR?
12 87
(23) E35 DPK Light coloured T-bar “Long term test” PERFORMANCE CAR 02 88
(24) F92 NPD Mica Dark Blue Metallic – not a press car but appeared in “The
affordable exotic” AUTOCAR AND MOTOR 13 02 91
(25) F949 PYN Dark coloured - Not a press car “Nearly New” CAR CHOICES 08 93
(26) B858 XKD Dark coloured car “Honey I shrunk the Ferrari” CLASSIC CAR 12
96 Not a press car but photo spread over 2 pages and twice!
(27) G203 XGH Light coloured coupe or T-bar? Long p56 Example of one of the
last.
(28) B265 NPB Light Blue Shown in TOYOTA TODAY magazine supplement 1985 A red
Toyota Starlet B223 NPB is shown in the same photo.
NOTES, OBSERVATIONS AND QUESTIONS
(A) The oldest MR2 in the U.K. must either be the Sherwood tone car 579 DSP
75 assuming it came to this country after the photo appeared on 21 07 84, or
B801 TYX the dark coloured car used for the first British press release at the
time of the October 1984 N.E.C. Motor show. What happened to the actual car
displayed at the show? Was this B 801 TYX? Were there more than one on display?
Long p7 says that the photo was taken in time for the MR2's announcement. If
this refers to the Japanese announcement then “the first car left the production
line in May 1984” – Long. Could this have arrived via Northern Ireland? And been
kept to join the rest registered around 01 01 85? (FXI 3811 was registered 01 01
85)
(B) MOTORS long term test car B 45 YTH – one time John Simister`s test car
suffered major damage during a storm near Brighton reported in Motor 02 01 88
then being run by Ian Parkin, repairs cost £2233.10
(C) FXI 3808, 9, 10, 11, 13, 15 are all shown in these articles, was there an
FXI 3812?, FXI 3814? Were there other cars numbered before FXI 3808 or after FXI
3815? It is known that these cars were imported into Northern Ireland and
registered there, as there was a loophole in the law at that time. In the U.K.
type approval regulations prevented them from having English plates. At least
FXI 3811 was re-registered in England, B230 NPB 01 01 85 by Toyota G.B.
themselves. Were the rest of the N.I. FXI`s similarly re-registered B??? NPB?
B231 NPB was owned by a couple in Stoke on Trent in 2002.
(D) As well as B230 NPB and B231 NPB, B237 NPB was used by MOTOR SPORT and
B238 NPB by SPORTS CAR MONTHLY.
(E) Could 579 DSP 75 have become FXI 3811 or FXI 3813? Or B638 WHE? used at
the British launch 03 85 (Long)
(F) FXI 3813 Sherwood toning, was owned by John Simister.
(G) John Simister says that B45 YYK was run on long term test by himself and
Richard Bremner.
(H) John Simister says that FAST CAR also had a red MR2, which kept crashing
and was sprayed various shades of red. FAST CAR became COMPLETE CAR, was bought
by a German company and disappeared.
(I) Check your V5 registration document to see if your car has a previous
number shown.
(J) When I contacted Toyota G.B. for assistance they were not interested and
advised me that no records exist.
(K) DVLA are similarly unhelpful and will only sell you information if you
are the current owner.
(L) Rumours of a press race at Brands Hatch in 1985, Possibly with Damon Hill
driving an MR2 and shown on Top Gear – now confirmed, see article.
(M) a. Prepare list of journalists and try to contact them.
b. Try to obtain original magazine articles to identify colours.
c. Contact BBC Top Gear office about the press race as Brands Hatch say they
have no records.
d. Research other press articles.