Toyota MR2 show at Sandown gathers speed

The Toyota MR2 will turn 40 later this year, and to commemorate the occasion the Victorian branch of the Toyota MR2 Owners Club of Australia is throwing a special celebration at Sandown International Raceway in Melbourne on October 29.

Dubbed the ‘MR2 40th Anniversary Motor Show’ by organisers, the event will be free for all Toyota MR2 sports cars on display and be supported by myriad coffee and food vans, market stalls, V8 supercar hot laps and plenty of social chit chat as enthusiasts from around the country converge on Sandown to celebrate all things MR2.

Various display-related competitions – with trophies for winners – will be run throughout the day, but perhaps the biggest highlight will be a photo opportunity with what organisers expect will be the “largest gathering of MR2s in one place in the Southern Hemisphere”.

Ninety-three vehicles attended the 30th anniversary event and organisers tell us there are already more than 70 individual registrations for this year’s 40th bash.

“The first prototype Toyota MR2 was unveiled at the Tokyo motor show in October 1983,” organisers said.

“Ten years ago, we conducted a similar event for the 30th anniversary in the carpark at the Alma Doepel ship and workshop car park and exceeded our 50 expected cars with 93 MR2 that attended the event.

“This is a record for the most MR2s in one place in Australia.”

Track sessions for the MR2 contingent have been ruled out due to the Sandown circuit already being booked out across the October 28-29 weekend, but none of that will impact the Show ’n’ Shine or other festivities around the grounds.

Cars can start taking their place from 9am, with trophies awarded at 2.30pm ahead of a 3pm wind-down.

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