Back in 1985, I was 19 years old and itching to finally get my driver's license. I was still a student, but I had a loyal supporter in my grandma. She had been with me throughout my car obsession, which started with being a "test driver for Matchbox"; I was forever grateful to her! However, even with my family-fundraising efforts, I couldn't afford a car on my own. As my dad would say, "Son, if you want something, you gotta hustle." As luck would have it, a friend of a friend in the neighborhood inherited a Toyota Corona Mark 2. He already had a well-paying job and wanted to sell the rusty old thing for a quick buck. The price tag was 800 marks. If I knew then what I know now, I would've negotiated a better deal because the 9-year-old Toyota was already pretty eaten away by rust. I had to fix the fenders, a sill, and some other bodywork bits to pass inspection. But boy, was I excited!
I saved up during the summer holidays and, with the help of some car buddies and neighbors' dads, managed to buy the car and get the necessary operating permits. Living with my parents in the countryside, this car was my ticket to freedom: "Now, let's hit the disco!"
I enjoyed driving it for two years and made a lot of great memories. Our journey ended after a severe accident in the south of France, which my friend and I miraculously survived with hardly a scratch while on our way to Biarritz, crashing into a field at 100 km/h. Back then, I didn't understand it, but a combination of sheer luck and Japanese engineering saved us – that's for sure!
Years later, after finishing my studies and working my first jobs, I joined an automaker and rediscovered my passion for cars. This led me to explore vintage automobiles, and I found myself wondering: does my teenage car still exist? Who's interested in this car, and who's keeping its history alive? It's important to know that not every OEM in the mid-2000s understood the potential of preserving a brand's heritage. But especially German manufacturers provide some great examples, that still have many fans worldwide: it's hard to beat the iconic Bulli and the like, but there are still other amazing stories to be told!
So, I casually began searching for photos, facts, fan clubs, and people who love, care for, and drive a Toyota Corona Mark 2. I found used MR2s in a lot of places worldwide, but none were in good condition; some were badly mutilated, tuned, or damaged. In 2008, I found my first promising lead on the Mobile marketplace: a private seller from Switzerland offered a blue metallic MK2 in seemingly good original condition. However, I didn't have any experience with purchasing a car and the often-significant follow-up costs. So, while I was happy about the discovery, I didn't buy it at the time. It wasn't until 10 years later, after owning my first classic Porsche 911 and knowing what to do, that I found the courage to seriously pursue acquiring my teenage dream car – and so the search began again.
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