Quote Originally Posted by HypnoToad
MK1 MR2 was built with the help of lotus...and lotus uses toyota engines..and the MR2-S rated the best thing under the lotus elise for the $$
Lotus engineers actually helped design the suspension on the AW11 with Toyota. The body design was taken from a combination of early fiat designs and Toyotas plan of building Japans first MR car. The Lotus X100, an early prototype of the Elan was actually made up entirely of Toyota parts, not the other way around. Especially cars like the Fiat X 1/9 played a huge role in the production of the MR2
Fiat x1/9

The SAX prototype for the AW11

Final prototype and eventual production model (SV3)


X100


Also, Lotus just recently started using Toyota specific motors, they for many years were strickly Rover powered. Also the 2zz motor used in the MRS/Elise/Exige was designed by Yamaha and built by toyota...just a cool little fact ab such a neat little motor.