Nick’s Toyota MR2 SW20

Owner: @nick_engel_91

An eye catching trophy of heritage and beauty.

I’ve known Nick for a while, but over the years, this was the first shoot we’ve been able to schedule. I was absolutely excited to finally get the opportunity, and I was thankful with how photogenic this MR2 is as this shoot only spanned about a 1.5 hours of total shooting time.

The sunlight was definitely a paid actor and as I kept hitting the shutter on my camera, the reasons for why I loved chasing cars for photography came rushing back. This SW20 reminded me of how great 90’s cars are. I still remember loading up a new game of Gran Turismo and asking myself: Miata, FC3S, or SW20?

When you grow up with cars through video games, you can’t help but stop, stare, and appreciate when one is in front of you in the flesh (er, metal). I notice this myself a lot as a photographer that sometimes I catch myself not taking photos anymore just to stop and appreciate what’s in front of me. It’s kind of like you’re just caught in the moment and you don’t want it to end.

I think that’s something that car enthusiasts have in common: There’s always a car that makes you put down what you’re doing just to appreciate the moment and it’s even more special when it’s not a $100k+ exotic.

That’s why Japanese cars of the 90’s era were so special and nostalgic - they amazed the world through quirks and personality, and when I say that, I mean that’s what shows like Initial D based their entire premise on! The Skyline GT-Rs were AWD monsters, the Supra were powerhouses that could handle winding roads, the NSX was an all aluminum chassis MR layout machine, I can go on and on. There was just a different mix of pros/cons that anyone could find a car to relate to and we fell in love with those cars and they sometimes became a definition of our personaility.

The MR2 was an affordable Mid-Engine layout vehicle and when the SW20 debuted with it’s 3S engine, it was such a potent and capable vehicle in both race and every day driving. A car that you can be proud of and can hold it’s own on the track is a winning combo. An MR layout with optional T-Tops and Toyota reliability was a car you can just get in, have fun with, and enjoy.

This is actually the first time I’ve ever experienced an SW20 first hand, but not my first MR2 (I owned an AW11 with a 4AGE engine a few years back!).

While at first glance, you would notice the heritage decals, and then the next thing is probably that it’s lowered on Advan RG2 wheels in the 17” format that compliments the car so well. Nick tends to attend and showcase this MR2 at local events, so if you have the opportunity to see it, I highly recommend seeing the subtle mods he’s done further than just wheels and suspension.

When I first saw it in person and going through the car, I just kept noticing more and more personal touches that as a car enthusiast, you can’t help but appreciate. Just when I thought I saw everything on the car, there was another touch I came across that kept me hook on it. You know it’s a special car when it can keep you around like that. This car is a love story for 90’s JDM enthusiasts.

Owner: @nick_engel_91