have you seen the new internet show called forum wars? its where they take 2 auto rivals (ie subaru and lancer) and they pit them vs each other in 1/4 mi runs, auto cross and slalom. so do you think we could take our natural rivals the mr2 forum? i think it would make a pretty good episode
even modified you still would have to race 4cyl vs 4cyl and v6 vs v6 .the duke would lose hands down .the 3800 should rule the roost but the camry v6 can be built way up there .a toss up , i say .
I never heard of the show before, but I love the idea! Before anyone does this we should "Know thy enemy". I happen to live with an MR2 guy and we are friends, not rivals. But we can pin our cars against each other in whatever events need to be done and I could video it, then we could compare and contrast. I need a few more weeks to get mine running. I just started watching the 1st episode, do the cars go under the same events every time? I know I'd smoke him on the 1/4, 4.9 vs. non-turbo(2.2 liter 4 DOHC) 5 speed. There is a guy with a turbo MR2 up the road, I bet you he'd be willing to take it to the track for the pursuit in science.
I've driven a few examples of all of then - AW11 N/A, AW11 S/C, SW20 N/A, SW20 Turbo... and Fiero in 2.8 and 3.8 N/A.
Without shadow of a doubt, even the N/A 3.8 would decimate the 3S-GTE in entry level format, but would the second generation MR2 even count? The thing's newer than the last production year of the Fiero, so the only natural competition we have comes from the AW11s. And there is no way an AW11 is real competition to a Fiero. It may have a more thoughtfully laid out interior, but the Fiero wins outright on handling and potential for upgrades. Hell, the only thing stopping my V6 Fiero from keeping up with my friend's AW11 is the TH125...
I think the most of what this comes down to is not the cars, but the driver.
-Chris
An MR2 is a hell of a lot easier to drive fact is it is simple unlike the struggle in a fiero. I would think the fiero might be beaten modified due to the drivers more willing to push their MR2. Overall if it was The Stig and top gear and could find unbiased driver to push both cars the fiero would likely win it is all about the fear factor rather than the car.
IP: Logged
04:14 AM
Hockaday Member
Posts: 2165 From: Clifton Park, New York, The States. Registered: Sep 2009
An MR2 is a hell of a lot easier to drive fact is it is simple unlike the struggle in a fiero. I would think the fiero might be beaten modified due to the drivers more willing to push their MR2. Overall if it was The Stig and top gear and could find unbiased driver to push both cars the fiero would likely win it is all about the fear factor rather than the car.
I've never found the fiero hard to drive at all. I take TIGHT corners at 40 more confidently then in my 87 Z31
An MR2 is a hell of a lot easier to drive fact is it is simple unlike the struggle in a fiero. I would think the fiero might be beaten modified due to the drivers more willing to push their MR2. Overall if it was The Stig and top gear and could find unbiased driver to push both cars the fiero would likely win it is all about the fear factor rather than the car.
MR2's are more simple than Fieros? Hahaha...
IP: Logged
06:45 AM
Australian Member
Posts: 4701 From: Sydney Australia Registered: Sep 2004
I sold many MR2's new for Toyota so have driven many i didn't just work there i actually i sold many of them we had 2 models I sold most coupes cars for company in june 96. i own and drive a fiero i prefer fieros i think they are a better car certainly more versatile. I can say that the mr2 is easier to drive especially in traffic. (Clutch is softer easier to press steering is lighter) A high HP MR2 would give a fiero a good run. I am well aware fieros can take bigger engines so more hp but these jap car guys insist in just turboing till they blow. I can't say i have driven any other fiero than my own but have ridden in High hp MR2 and was very impressed at the performance. If the Mr2 is no match for a fiero there would really be no suggestion to have a flame war.
IP: Logged
08:05 AM
Australian Member
Posts: 4701 From: Sydney Australia Registered: Sep 2004
An MR2 is a hell of a lot easier to drive fact is it is simple unlike the struggle in a fiero. I would think the fiero might be beaten modified due to the drivers more willing to push their MR2. Overall if it was The Stig and top gear and could find unbiased driver to push both cars the fiero would likely win it is all about the fear factor rather than the car.
Again, that's up to the driver, I can push my Fiero through the corners harder than Mike's MR2, because I am more confident with a Fiero than an MR2. Yet Mike, can push his MR2 faster than I can because he is more confident in the MR2 than in the Fiero. The MR2's engine is a little further back over the driveshafts than the Fiero, making the front to rear biasis slightly different. This changes the characteristics of the MR2 slightly from the Fiero. I'm not exactly sure what you mean as saying the MR2 is easier to drive than the Fiero, but guessing from your location, I'm thinking that Right Hand Drive conversion might be a bit off which may have caused the car to act a little quarky.
Anyone who has autocrossed, knows that those cones can be a little tricky and figuring out where to go when pushing the car hard. Again that is the driver, your automatically going to slow the car if you feel a little lost. The drag strip is easier, but that really comes down to the tree in most cases. If it were to go to the figure 8, that really comes down to the tires. So I think that the chances of FIero vs MR2, with all the elements added up are, well 50/50.
-Chris
IP: Logged
02:02 PM
Pappy Member
Posts: 842 From: Land of Confusion Registered: Apr 2010
As much as I love fieros a second gen mr2 is a better vehicle and its not like they can't be modified as well.
Personally, I'd think it'd have to be done model year verus model year. It'd be unfair to compare or compete against a 90 to 07 MR2 with a 84 to 88 Fiero. This would of course limit the MR2 crowd to the 1st generation MR2.
^^^This. if you put stock for stock, 4 cylinder to 4 cylinder, it wouldn't even be a race.
Match them up based on original MSRP and not powertrain and its a much different story. A stock V6 Fiero can definitely beat just about any stock N/A MR2, and they were in the same price range. The MR2 Turbo was more expensive so it isn't really a good comparison. Its also the only model out of like 4-5 that can actually beat a V6 Fiero stock vs. stock.
As much as I love fieros a second gen mr2 is a better vehicle and its not like they can't be modified as well.
I've owned both, I've had my '88GT since 2007 and I just sold my MR2 Turbo almost a month ago. They're different cars, I wouldn't say the MR2 is better its just different. My '88GT feels more planted and confident in cornering, it seems like it has a lower center of gravity and the rear end likes to swing out and angle the car in the right direction like mid-engine exotics. The MR2 was more twitchy and had better turn-in, and it was also more unstable in heavy cornering. Cause of the rake of the car and the suspension though it felt MUCH more stable in a straight line, but that's not what you buy a mid-engine car for right? And yeah you can modify MR2's but you hit a wall pretty quick and either have to lose reliability and really ramp up the mods or do an engine swap. Modding a MR2 is also much more expensive. Hell, ALL parts for MR2's are expensive. A new MAF from a Toyota dealer is $1000. A new MAP for a Fiero is only like $50. I know from personal experience that you end up dumping all your money into keeping the MR2 running, not building it up. With a Fiero its easy to nickel and dime to keep it running and still have enough left over to slowly build it up.
A well-modified 3SGTE 2nd gen would be a formidable opponent, but a similary modified LSX Fiero would absolutely dominate it.
Although 4AGE >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Duke
Yes, a LSx Fiero would rape a 3SGTE. My MR2 had 326 crank hp and 310 crank tq and was a little faster than the LS1 Camaro I used to have. A 600-700 lb lighter car with a LS1 in it would pwn my old MR2, lol. My MR2 was also maxxed out, it had an upgraded compressor wheel and maybe even a mild cam (previous owners' mods) so its not like you find faster MR2s that often. To get more power than mine was making you have to upgrade the whole turbo and use supra injectors, and possibly even go with water injection.
An MR2 is a hell of a lot easier to drive fact is it is simple unlike the struggle in a fiero. I would think the fiero might be beaten modified due to the drivers more willing to push their MR2. Overall if it was The Stig and top gear and could find unbiased driver to push both cars the fiero would likely win it is all about the fear factor rather than the car.
A Fiero is actually very easy to drive, except at high speeds where the light front end starts to be a problem. My MR2 was 10x harder to drive, mostly because of the turbo. You have to be careful to modulate the power and to not have it spool at the wrong time or it can get the rear end loose real easy. In a Fiero you can pretty much floor it coming out of corners. My MR2 was also kind of....violent, when I would lift-off and the boost would purge out the BOV. That makes it difficult trying to go into corners smoothly, it upsets the balance of the car and can get it loose. Then again my MR2 had over 300 hp so a stock one might be easier. Also, power steering doesn't help any unless you're trying to park, I honestly like my 88GT's manual steering more at speed.
IP: Logged
05:16 PM
Pete Matos Member
Posts: 2291 From: Port St. Lucie, Florida Registered: Jan 2010
How many full bodied fieros do you see running low nines? Nevermind the fact that the suspension on the MR2's is honestly better than the fieros is. You are talking to someone who REALLY loves the fiero here and I wish I was wrong here but having driven both new and used MR2's of both the first and second generation models as well as a turbo one I gotta say that in handling we would be in a tight spot and that MR2 in the video is not even remotely the fastest one out there. From what I understand the FASTEST Fiero that is STILL a fiero is FieroX's car at just over ten seconds... So what is it that you do not understand. IMHO I would not trade my Fiero GT personally for ANY MR2 no matter how fast it was because I just love how the car drives and feels but in outright modified full bodied cars and not tube chassis race cars the Toyota has been pushed further than the fiero has. UNLESS you know of a low nine second fiero that is still mid engine and has the vast majority of the body still intact I would GLADLY retract my previous post... Peace
Pete
IP: Logged
06:17 PM
greenfiero1986 Member
Posts: 161 From: Newark, OH, USA Registered: Feb 2011
But wait, that IS the fastest MR2 isn't it? I see it was built by Jannetty Racing, do we have any Fiero's built by speed shops? Archie doesn't build drag cars as far as I know so I wouldn't really count him in this.
I also have to point out that the import field is MUCH more involved in doing these motors than this community is. The thought process that I see here is much more about putting a different motor in because upgrading the stock one is too much work. Not to mention a majority of Fiero owners are older gentlemen who want a car that is nice to drive compared to fast as alls get out.
And another thing that I don't see out of this community is innovation, I remember a thread where a guy had 400 (I think) hp out of his 2.8 after he turboed it and it just BLEW peoples mind here. Alot of my past experience with performance was in the small motor crowd who are more willing to do what it takes to get that much more HP and a usable powerband out of the motor they have than putting in a different stock motor because its easier. I say this COULD be a good head to head IF we get some serious performers to represent us.
IP: Logged
07:02 PM
Chris Hodson Member
Posts: 3066 From: Carpentersville Registered: Aug 2006
I agree that there are a lot more people tuning and boosting the living daylights out of imports than fieros but the fact remains that in a full bodied car the quickest Fiero is 10.20 and these TWO different MR2's are both .5 seconds quicker at least. Fierox if you are listening.... we love ya man and I for one cannot wait to see you put that bad boy into the nines with those fancy new axles and tranny mods...
Dear Lord, if you are listening.... I know it is not important really....but if you could find time to make available a tranny that can take the power of a boosted 3800 engine and actually put the power to the ground without breaking everything inside it I would be eternally grateful.... Amen.... Forgive me lord I am just kidding..... I think. peace
.
And yeah you can modify MR2's but you hit a wall pretty quick and either have to lose reliability and really ramp up the mods or do an engine swap. Modding a MR2 is also much more expensive. Hell, ALL parts for MR2's are expensive. A new MAF from a Toyota dealer is $1000. A new MAP for a Fiero is only like $50. I know from personal experience that you end up dumping all your money into keeping the MR2 running, not building it up. With a Fiero its easy to nickel and dime to keep it running and still have enough left over to slowly build it up.
