Rev1 Vs Rev2 Handling (n/a)

[mrfil13]

yeah i thought the P/S was power steering, but thought it might have been some other system. The other i thought looked like a brake, so thought it might have been ABS, but yeah they go off once the ignition is on. What is the ABS symbol on the rev1's

[Jimlad]

a light which says abs.... (I think.. if I can remember!)

[Stef Derner]

The rev 1 is actually the best handling of the lot. The cars suspension was developed by a racing driver and proved to be very capable on the track. Unfortunately this meant that because the handling was much sharper, the skill level needed to drive it properly was much higher. The problem is that the transition from gripping to sliding is abrupt and there isn't a lot of warning because the back end is so taut.

When Toyota changed the suspension, they fitted larger wheels for improved comfort and ride, larger brakes as the original ones weren't up to the same standard as the rest of the car they also lowered the car to get the centre of gravity closer to the road. The biggest change was in the rear suspension, which was altered by changing the lengths of the trailing arms to stop the car squatting under acceleration and they made some other changes to tame it and make it less likely to snap away from you.

There's nothing wrong with a rev 1, but like in any MR2, you can't drive on a digital throttle, you have to develop some sensitivity. If you go into a bend and nail the throttle, at some point the rear wheels will begin to slip. If you leap off the gas and onto the brake, it will get worse not better. You need to feather the gas to get the road wheels moving at the same speed as the tarmac, so they grip again, which will put you back in control. The wheels will only make you go in the right direction if they're gripping the road, if they're spinning or skidding they don't do jack.

I understand that if you want to change the suspension to rev 2 or later, you'll need to change the rear crossmember and all the suspension attached to it.