Legends of the 90s: Taking you back in time
As close as you can get to time travel
Every now and then, it’s nice to look back and think affectionately of the good ‘ol days. Think of the feeling you get when a classic hit song plays. There’s a word for that – nostalgia.
Last weekend, the cars that filled the basement parking lot of Ayala Malls Manila Bay served as a physical representation of nostalgia for car enthusiasts in the Legends of the 90s year opener meet.
As it was when the event was born in 2015, the 90s-era vehicles present were diverse, ranging from rare three-door versions of mass-market sedans to Japanese bubble-era sports cars, and even classic 4x4 SUVs. It’s the result of the meticulous screening done by the “ADMEANS” of Legends of the 90s through an online application, ensuring the quality of the builds showcased at the meet.
It’s not every day you see a drop-top Silvia S15 in a striking silver color wearing period-correct Volk GT-C wheels. In case you missed the meet last weekend, here it is.
The Honda NSX sports car was never sold in official dealerships here in the country, be it the first or the second generation. But for Legends of the 90s, you’ll see not one, but two identical examples of the revered NA1.
Have you ever watched the Thunderbolt movie starring Jackie Chan? That showed peak 90s JDM machinery in an action flick. You’d probably recognize this GTO, as well as the car beside it – a Skyline GT-R which was its rival in the movie.
30 years ago, you’ll only find sedan and liftback versions of the Mazda 323 / Astina around the Metro. Now you know a high-performance GTX version exists here. And yes, they come with three doors and a turbo.
It’s easy to just walk past EG and EK-generation Honda Civics in a 90s car meet, as they have always been a staple both here and abroad. However, a 5-door EK “Bigote” will beg to differ. This is indeed an eye-catcher.
Of course, if there’s a Civic, there’s a Corolla. Just look at these examples of the small-body FX GT and Wagon-faced Corollas, looking great as they enter their mid-30s.
Ahhh, yes. The Pajero Field Master is still as dashing as it was when it came out locally in 1999. Even the first-gen was out to party, along with the homologation special Pajero Evo, chilling alongside a rare three-door G wagon.
The organizers also set up a drift track for RC enthusiasts in case you wanted to witness some scale model sideways action. Apart from the rare 90s metal you see pulling up at the parking slots, the Legends of the 90s meet took the crowd further back in time as DJs in the Red Bull mobile booth played 90s-era music.
The Legends of the 90s meet had almost all the ingredients of celebrating the time when analog used to co-exist with digital age. Perhaps in the next edition, maybe you’ll see people pulling up wearing 90s-era fashion and Nokia mobile phones. We can’t wait to see that one.
