The early Gen 1 MR2 was essentially a Toyota Cayman. I bought a 1985 MR2 brand new and we drove it 125,000 miles until selling it in 1993.
The 1.6L four cyl had dual overhead cams, 4-valves per cylinder, variable intake, and produced 112hp for 70hp/liter. That engine loved to rev and was reminiscent of a high performance motorcycle engine - which was no surprise because the engine was partly developed by Yamaha.
At this time, the 3.2L Porsche 911 was producing 207hp for 65hp/liter - less than a Toyota! And remember, Toyota (then and now) is not exactly known for squeezing every hp out of an engine. Fairly impressive for the time.
And to the best of my recollection, the MR2 had no intermediate shaft bearing.
Engines would routinely run past 200,000 miles without a problem.
Handling was exemplary and consistent with a mid-engine sports car. Many a driver (including myself) spun it after being surprised at how quickly it rotated. It was nimble, quick, and incredibly fun to drive.
Of course, the later models became bloated (as is so common) and lost all of the magic that made the early model so fun.