The DFW Car & Toy Museum in Fort Worth has expanded its collection with the addition of a rare 1989 Nissan S-Cargo, a whimsical microvan that represents a unique chapter in Japanese automotive history. Only approximately 8,000 of these distinctive vehicles were ever produced, making this acquisition particularly significant for car enthusiasts and collectors in Texas.
Imported from Japan in 2018, the S-Cargo was designed as a homage to the Citroën 2CV delivery van, with its name cleverly referencing both "Small Cargo" and the French word for snail. This light commercial vehicle combines retro charm with practical functionality, featuring right-hand drive and a classic white exterior finish. The interior showcases a split front bench seat upholstered in light gray cloth and a rear bench in black vinyl, suitable for transporting goods or passengers.
Practical features include air conditioning, a full-length rubber floor liner, and a Pioneer Bluetooth stereo system that adds modern convenience to the vintage vehicle. The center-mounted instrument cluster contains a 160-km/h speedometer along with gauges for fuel and water temperature. With 97,000 kilometers (approximately 60,000 miles) on the odometer, the front-wheel-drive van is powered by a 1.5-liter carbureted inline-four engine paired with a three-speed automatic transmission.
"The S-Cargo is one of those vehicles that just makes people smile—it's functional art on wheels," said Ron Sturgeon, owner of the DFW Car & Toy Museum. "It's exactly the kind of oddball innovation we love to share with our guests." The museum's collection focuses on vehicles that represent significant automotive design and engineering achievements, with the S-Cargo serving as an example of Japanese domestic market innovation from the late 1980s.
The museum's new 150,000-square-foot facility at 2550 McMillan Parkway in North Fort Worth offers free parking and admission, with operating hours Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm. Visitors can learn more about the collection and plan their visit through the museum's website at https://dfwcarandtoymuseum.com. The addition of the S-Cargo enhances the museum's appeal to Japanese domestic market enthusiasts, retro design aficionados, and those interested in automotive history that extends beyond mainstream vehicles.
For Texas businesses and cultural institutions, the museum's growing collection represents an economic and cultural asset that attracts visitors from across the region. The inclusion of rare vehicles like the Nissan S-Cargo demonstrates how specialized collections can contribute to Texas's cultural landscape while supporting tourism and educational opportunities. As automotive history becomes increasingly digitized, physical preservation of unique vehicles like the S-Cargo provides tangible connections to design innovations that might otherwise be forgotten.
