All things equal: Miata or mk1 mr2?

All things equal, which grown ups go kart wins the lap battle. Stock like the day it rolled off the assembly line. For the record, it's NA versus aw11. Any year, but must be that body style!

An aw11 is so much more special imho. A) mid engined= more special B) everyone has a miata (because they're great) C)aw11/2zzge c/60 would be berking epic and cheap D)

E)

Huge fan of both. I've had 4 NA and 3 MK1s. The '88 SC NA would win hands down, but outside of that, they are really close. MR2 balance is amazing...until it's not. I find the Miata more forgiving and easier to drive fast. I wouldn't kick either one out of the driveway, and am kinda looking at them now on CL.

Im biased towards the miata. Love my NA to death.

In the early '00s, I has an MR2 SC and a Miata NA at the same time. Both great.

I kept the NA. And still have it today.

What usage? Daily driver the Miata wins on practicality and comfort. Summer fun car only around town mr2 wins.

If we're talking pure lap times at our local track on stock(ish) vehicles, it's the Miata.

I do headwork on both....

More potential in the 4AGE....

My vote:

For joy of driving and fuel economy: mr2

For competition and abundant parts choices: miata

Having said that, one of the most fun cars I have ever driven was a manual rack STS prepped miata. What fun! What steering feel!

I would say the answer is yes. Both of those.dont know which is faster, but the want is strong.

MK1. All day long but I am blast as I can take them apart and rebuild them in my sleep.

<<<heads off to c list. Really though, is the Miata faster around a track? Remember, ALL this equal, so full tank of gas, same tires (same size for that matter), same driver.

dculberson wrote: What usage? Daily driver the Miata wins on practicality and comfort. Summer fun car only around town mr2 wins.

I'd say comfort wise they're fairly close. The NA is 5 years newer than the MK1 in design. The MR2 having a front and rear trunk makes it much more practical than you'd think.

I learned to autox in an MR2, so they have a major soft spot in my heart.

There's a spec class for Miata, there isn't one for the AW11. That says something.

Trackmouse wrote: <<<heads off to c list. Really though, is the Miata faster around a track? Remember, ALL this equal, so full tank of gas, same tires (same size for that matter), same driver.

On our track, yes.

This is easy.

Which car do YOU like better.

Done.

IMHO, this is like any enthusiast car that isn't the best of the best of the best. I'm (nominally) as rational as anyone else, and totally know that the Miata is a far superior car than my Alfa. But I just love the Alfa so much, that I choose it.

It's not about being the fastest, it's about being the happiest.

MR2 is a great car- it's one of 2 cars that my dad bought new without test driving it (the other, interestingly, was an Alfa), and he really loved that car. It was an early car for my driving career, too- and it was great. And the 2 Miata's I've owned were great, too. I've sat for 205,000 miles in one of those- one of the best cars I've ever owned.

There is no wrong answer.

Keith Tanner wrote: If we're talking pure lap times at our local track on stock(ish) vehicles, it's the Miata.

This, even though the AW11 is much cooler.

In my mind it would be the Miata against this Two seater Toyota.

NOHOME wrote: In my mind it would be the Miata against this Two seater Toyota.

yeah... but that one is so berkeleying ugly

Full disclosure: I'm a AW11 fanboi

So I'll say it, the Miata has a better chassis for motorsports. They're lighter, arguably better weight distribution, can fit larger tires without massaging the fenders, and they have a better suspension design.

That said, I wouldn't trade my AW11 for a Miata. They'll never be as cool though, or feel as special to drive imho. The first MR2 just has so much character they're hard not to love.

I've played with this myself. Ultimately it comes down to the fact that I want a real convertible. So Miata wins (Spyders can play in a different thread--I'd love one of those too)

I've owned a bunch of both, including an ITA road race MR2, so I have a few opinions. First, in terms of raw speed stock, the Miata is faster, period. Even when new in autocross and showroom stock, the Miata vanquished the MR2 somewhat easily.

That said, if I had to choose, I would pick the MR2, but it would have to be an '85, and it would have to be in near mint condition. MR2s are getting difficult to find, parts even more so. Finding Miatas is not that tough, I see them everyday going to work, and even in my garage at home. Seeing a MR2 on the road is a rare event these days. I'm constantly on the lookout for another one. There is something that's a bit special about them, more than their humble underpinnings would lead you to believe.

As to the MR2s "snappyness" at the sharp end, most of that is able to be tuned out with (good)shocks and springs. They intensely dislike a lot of compression. But I never found the AW11 to be unfriendly in the way my MR2 Turbo was. It was great under braking, better than the Miatas, and of course excellent at putting down power.

Miata makes the most sense. They are better engineered and supported. Much more speed potential in the Miata platform. Other than just being fundamentally different cars, there is over a decade of development gap. The MR2 is a much older platform than the Miata. Even being a convertible, the Miata is quieter inside. Parts availability -- a brazillion Miatas out there, but good luck finding that busted C-pillar trim, eyelids, and front valence for the MR2. Oh and rust...MR2s like to do that.

I've owned a crapton of MR2s though.

So let's shift this to any non mazdaspeed Miata (excluding the nd) versus any mr2 (non turbo)

I just noticed there are zzw30's on c list for LESS than the mk1 aw11! One on there for 3300$!

Off to CL I go once more...

https://fayar.craigslist.org/cto/5712450958.html