mod@tech

Is imitation the sincerest form of flattery? Toyota could have been accused of that when it introduced the MR2 in 1984 as a response to the Pontiac Fiero 2M4. While the Fiero was eventually discontinued, Toyota evolved the MR2 into a baby thoroughbred sports car of sorts. In its third incarnation, the MR2 returned to its roots. Our Pick of the Day is a third-generation example of this lightweight mid-engined car. This 2002 Toyota MR2 Spyder is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Though it may appear that Toyota was inspired by the Fiero, this was not quite the case as the MR2 hit the streets about 10 months after the Fiero. Much to the chagrin of Poncho fans, the original 1985 MR2 (code-named W10) was a better Fiero than what Pontiac developed. Of course, Pontiac sorted it out and then killed it—typical for the corporation at the time (and arguably true even today). The W10 was produced through 1989, a year after the Pontiac was unceremoniously killed.

After the Fiero was put to rest, Toyota introduced a second-generation MR2 for 1990. Appearing as a more evolved mid-engine sports car, the new “W20” MR2 featured slick styling for the time, almost like a smaller, mid-engine Ford Probe (feel free to rage in the Comments section below). Horsepower was 130 with the 2.0-liter inline-four, with a hot turbo version adding 70 more horsepower. The W20 was produced through 1999.

For the 2000 model year, Toyota brought the MR2 back to its tidy two-seater roots, though as a convertible. Called “Spyder,” the “W30” MR2 eschewed hidden headlamps for a more Austin-Healey Sprite-esque look. Throughout its six-year lifecycle (for North America; two more years elsewhere), the MR2 Spyder was powered by a 138-horsepower DOHC 1.8-liter inline-four, which could be paired with a five-speed manual or automated manual. Later, a six-speed automated manual became available, as did a six-speed manual for the European market. Unfortunately, after it built 27,941 MR2 Spyders for the North American market, Toyota decided to throw in the towel two years later.

This Solar Yellow 2002 Toyota MR2 Spyder has an impressively low 12,300 miles. It also features the five-speed manual transmission, so you can cry a sigh of relief. “The car feels tight, responsive, and nearly as fresh as the day it left the factory,” says the seller. “The sleek black top is in excellent condition … and it still includes the highly sought-after carbon-fiber dash.”

The original window sticker, manuals, and accompanying books go with the sale. Considering you won’t find many affordable mid-engine cars today (the C8 Corvette is the cheapest and the only attainable example), why not go for this reasonably priced ($21,500) “Mister Two”?

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com

With 16-cylinder engines and price tags in the millions of dollars, it seems as if every Bugatti is a totally unique creation, but that’s not entirely true. If you go to the French automaker’s media site, look under its Hypercars section and you’ll find a section marked Few-Off; those include 40 units of the Divo and 10 specimens of the Centodieci. And then there’s the Brouillard, a product of the company’s new Programme Solitaire bespoke division that’s a 1-of-1 build.

The person who commissioned the Brouillard collects Carlo Bugatti furniture, Rembrandt Bugatti bronze sculptures and, of course, Ettore Bugatti cars. Ettore loved horses, particularly Brouillard, “a majestic thoroughbred with a coat as white as the first snowfall, speckled with the subtle shades of a summer morning mist” and “the embodiment of everything Ettore admired: speed, beauty, and unparalleled grace.” Brouillard not only inspired the name of this one-off, but his curves and musculature also influenced its sculpted design and proportions.

Visually, the Brouillard is divided into two parts: the upper two-thirds are finished in light green, making the silhouette appear lower and longer, while the bottom third is darker, blending in with the Brouillard’s shadow.

A center spine (a design element seen on other Bugattis, including the Type 57 SC Atlantic) runs over the front of the car, across the glass roof, and down the middle of the cover for the 1,578-horsepower W16, ending just ahead of the fixed ducktail rear wing.

The cockpit is furnished with a mixture of light green leather, custom-woven fabric in a tartan pattern, green-tinted carbon fiber, and machined aluminum, as well as clear references to Ettore’s favorite steed.

The seats (custom-made to the client’s preferences) and door panels feature embroidered horse accents. A miniature hand-crafted bust of Ettore Bugatti’s prized horse is encased in glass at the front of the machined aluminum shifter for the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

For now, the Brouillard is Programme Solitaire’s only completed build, but there will be others coming at a rate of only two a year; all will be based on existing Bugatti chassis and powertrains. You can see the Bugatti Brouillard in all its equine glory at its world debut during Monterey Car Week, which runs August 8-17.

News on the Dodge Charger has its ups and downs these days—usually the latter. For those of you disappointed at the loss of the Hemi V8 and the advent of the EV-powered Charger Daytona, this is an ICE story for you.

Car and Driver brings to our attention what’s in store for 2026, which means Dodge just dropped a press release. As the EV-powered Charger Daytona has been the only game in town since the Charger’s redesign, we will finally get to see the twin-turbo 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six trickle down to dealerships before the end of the year. Is it a substitute for the Hemi? No, but “true” performance fans have finally been given some hope.

The Charger Sixpack will be available as a coupe or sedan, both featuring the Charger’s good looks that seem to get better with each iteration. So why don’t we see more of these on the roads? (Well, duh!) The Sixpack may finally receive the esteem needed for the Charger to show up on Main Street, USA.  

The entry-level version will be the Charger Sixpack R/T, which sounds strange considering R/T used to be a step-up performance model. Powering the Sixpack R/T will be a 420-horsepower version of the Hurricane engine; a 550-horse version will power the Charger Sixpack Scat Pack, which is expected to pull 12.2-second ETs. Both version feature an eight-speed automatic and AWD, with the front axle capable of disconnecting automatically to improve fuel economy for the latter—shades of 1930s free-wheeling! Additionally, Sixpack Scat Pack models will also feature Line Lock standard, sending 100 percent of torque to the rear wheels while you annoy your neighbors.

Look closely at the hood and you may notice the Sixpack lacks the “R-Wing” pass-through, which is a feature of the Daytona. Additionally, the hood features a bulge that not only looks great, but is also designed to accommodate the twin-turbo engine.

If there’s a cost to this, it’s the 4800-pound weight, which would make an Imperial break out in a sweat. What’s the weight penalty on the front wheels? Fifty-five percent. If you thought the mention of cost was going to lead to the price, then here ya go: The Charger Sixpack R/T coupe will start at $51,990, while the Sixpack Scat Pack will require five grand more. Prefer the practicality of the sedan? Add another $2,000 and patience, as the sedan won’t appear until the new year.

The Charger Sixpack Scat Pack will be the first out of the gate, appearing late in 2025, while the Sixpack R/T will follow after the start of 2026. Considering the Charger’s architecture is already primed for ICE, could a Hemi V8 be far behind? With the return of Tim Kuniskis, we can only look forward to 2027 to see what Dodge may bring us.

In the 1950s, vertical headlights began appearing on production cars; they reached the mainstream in the 1960s. Although my impression is that vertical headlights originally came from custom culture, their eventual adoption by popular makes seems to have been more inspired by turbines. The following four cars currently listed on AutoHunter or ClassicCars.com feature this style of headlight layout. Can you identify each vehicle and the years they were produced?

Post your answers in the Comments section below. If you need a hint, just click on an image.

Click on a photo to reveal each car

Every Tuesday, you’ll find a new puzzle on The Classic Cars.com Journal. You can also play previous games for even more enjoyment!

Not all Camaros are created equal, and our AutoHunter Spotlight on this 1967 Chevrolet Camaro RS demonstrates this nicely. Thankfully, the data plate on this vehicle gives info that would be difficult to prove without documentation, so we have the benefit of knowing this particular Camaro was originally built with the Rally Sport package as well as a four-speed. Currently, it’s powered by a 350 small-block, plus it features a rear spoiler, Cowl Induction hood, three-spoke steering wheel, power front disc brakes, and more. Finished in blue with a black leather interior, this subtly modified pony car comes from the selling dealer with a clear title.

The current blue is a bit stronger than the original Marina Blue. Other exterior features include hidden headlights (as part of the RS package), separate back-up lights (ditto), a rear spoiler, a Cowl Induction hood, and a set of 17-inch US Mags Santa Cruz wheels. The latter are wrapped in staggered-width Yokohama radial tires—225/45 up front, 245/45 out back.

The cabin features black leather upholstery with a pair of TMI bucket seats up front. Other interior features include a Vintage Air air conditioning system, RetroSound AM/FM stereo with Bluetooth, three-spoke steering wheel, and floor-mounted Hurst shifter.

The instrument panel features aftermarket gauges that include a 140-mph speedometer, 8,000-rpm tachometer, and readouts for the oil pressure, coolant temperature, and fuel. The odometer currently reads zero, having been reset during the restoration.

Chances are this 1967 Camaro was built with a small-block from the factory, but certainly not this 350. It features a four-barrel carburetor, an aftermarket intake manifold, headers, MSD ignition, and an aluminum radiator. The powerplant is connected to a four-speed manual transmission.

The underside features power front disc brakes, 3.73 gears in the rear differential, and a dual exhaust system.

Yes, you see many Camaros pass through the AutoHunter gates and, most of the time, they don’t have original documentation—this 1967 Chevrolet Camaro RS included. However, in this case, the data plate is its saving grace as the accessory codes point to this car originally being built with a tinted windshield (W), a four-speed manual (2L), and Rally Sport equipment (3L). That stuff’s golden, making this Camaro all the more desirable. But act fast and bid now because on Thursday, August 14, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. (PDT), the auction for this spectacular Chevy will end.

Visit the AutoHunter listing for more information and a photo gallery

If you look at used Jeep Wranglers for sale on certain sites, there’s a good chance the majority of them will have modifications of some kind. The Wranglers that fall into that group have also probably been bashed around on trails. Our Pick of the Day, a 2004 Jeep Wrangler X 5-Speed, falls into only one of those categories. You can find it listed on ClassicCars.com by a dealer in Arlington Heights, Illinois.

With even the quickest glace at any photo in this story, you can tell that this Patriot Blue TJ Wrangler has been upgraded with a variety of parts. According to the selling dealer, the previous owner added them. Better lighting was a big focus, so the headlights were changed to Quadratec LEDs, the front turn signals were smoked, KC LED fog lights and Sylvania flood lights were installed, and the rear setup was changed to LED tail lights surrounding a trio of LEDs.

The stock front bumper was replaced with a black powder-coated steel unit from Fishbone Offroad. In place of a factory hardtop or soft top is an aftermarket slant-back soft top with plastic windows. Paramount Automotive rocker guards with integrated side steps offer body protection and convenience. The suspension has been lifted by 2.5 inches, creating more room for the new 15-inch Pro Comp wheels and a set of fresh 35-inch Pro Comp A/T tires, all of which are put into motion by the Command-Trac four-wheel drive system. At the rear, black diamond-plate body armor guards against the scratches and dents that Mother Nature has been known to leave on her 4X4 visitors.

Since this Wrangler has obvious modifications, it’s easy to assume it’s been driven hard on trails. In fact, it’s quite the opposite, as the selling dealer states, “It has never been off-roaded.” Even better, the odometer shows there are only 49,035 miles on this rig. That means that inside the Khaki Santana Cloth interior, “Everything works as it should including the ice cold A/C.”

What about the Power Tech 4.0-liter I6, which was factory-rated at 190 horsepower and 235 lb-ft of torque? Or the heavy-duty five-speed manual gearbox? As the dealer puts it, “The Jeep looks, runs, and drives perfect. The transmission shifts great with no weird noises and the clutch grabs like new.”

Nobody has enjoyed this 2004 Jeep Wrangler X‘s off-road goodies or put substantial mileage on it. If you want to add some real miles to this TJ and throw some mud on its tires (and bumpers, grille, doors, etc.), buy it now for $15,995.

Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com