1987 Mercury Grand Marquis

To continue my Detroit Iron in Moscow (DIM) column on this blog, wherein I do a bit of car spotting and photograph and report "Detroit iron" in Moscow -- i.e. full-size American automobiles that I see on Moscow streets, lanes and especially in back yards whilst not specifically looking for them, here is something from my other blog, Spotted...Cars in Moscow.

By the way, full-size in automobiles is taken to mean anything longer than 5,000 mm, although there are some other parameters, but this is the one I go by.

Lo and behold! One previous owner (!) 1987 Mercury Grand Marquis! Continuing verbatim from my other blog as specified above.


Seen in May 2015 is this 1987 Mercury Grand Marquis full-size automobile.

I spotted this one at a dealer's lot - traded in by somebody and is now available to buy.

To quote wikipedia:

The Mercury Grand Marquis is a full-size rear-wheel drive luxury sedan that was sold by the Lincoln-Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company from 1975 to 2011. From 1975 to 1982, it was the premium model of the Mercury Marquis model line and became a standalone model in 1983. For its entire production run, the Grand Marquis served as the flagship of the Mercury line; it was the Mercury counterpart of the Ford (LTD) Crown Victoria. From 1979 to 2011, it shared the Panther platform along with the Lincoln Town Car

 

The reason I made so many pictures is that, as I said, I saw this at the car dealer where I was having my car, a Ford Focus II, serviced so I had plenty of time and had nothing better to do. 

But I don't think it's time wasted as I am into car-spotting and also have a soft spot for these American full-size cars in particular (see my other blog - DIM - Cars) and collect their sightings in Moscow, of which these pictures are a proof, not that I have ever driven one or ever likely to the way things are looking at the moment.

Front window through the glass shots... nice interior, velour. 

No seat belts in evidence.

DIM: Lincoln Town Car 2 Gen

My DIM - Detroit Iron in Moscow series continues...

Today's full-sized car is a Lincoln Town Car 2nd Generation spotted and photographed by me in Moscow in August last year.

As usual back yards, side roads and narrow alleyways is the places to go to if you want to find these beasts in Moscow.

Lincoln Town Car 2nd Generation 1990-97 in black.

 Looks clean and in good shape.

Detroit Iron in Moscow - Lincoln Town Car 1st Generation

Continuing with my DIM -- Detroit Iron in Moscow series which is a series of posts where I do a bit of car spotting and photograph "Detroit iron" in Moscow -- i.e. full-size American automobiles that I see on Moscow streets, lanes and especially in back yards whilst not specifically looking for them.

Spotted today is this Lincoln Town Car.

This one is first generation and towards the end of it. Not the first Lincoln Town Car on this series but the first one first gen. 

 

To be fair, I spotted this one not on a street per se, not in traffic, not in a Moscow high-rise back yard (where most of them seem to have congregated so far) but on some kind of historic movie shoot, not far from the Kremlin actually.

Though the Lincoln appears to be out of keeping with the other cars on the shoot which are 1960-70s Volgas, Pobedas etc. Maybe the movie guys are trying to pass it for a much earlier car but it is clearly from the late 1980s. 

Shot through the passenger front window.

What's the movie going to be about? We see the Lincoln cornered aggressively into a tight spot by a 1950s M-20 Pobeda and a 1970s GAZ 21 Volga. No escape.

DIM: Dodge Intrepid

Another post in DIM -- Detroit Iron in Moscow which is a series of posts where I do a bit of car spotting and photograph "Detroit iron" in Moscow -- i.e. full-size American automobiles that I see on Moscow streets, lanes and especially in back yards whilst not specifically looking for them. 

Today's subject is this Dodge Intrepid Second Generation full-size car (pictured below) and was found on a dealer's lot.

The first Chrysler product on this series... to be fair this one is neither RWD nor does it seat six people but is surely classed as a full-size car as it checks most of the other boxes -- V6 power (at least), length over 5,000 mm, a roomy passenger compartment, etc.

It may have been in a minor accident -- or, God forbid, it struck somebody in the safe hands of its previous owners... also "rust coloration" is visible in places. This car is likely over 10 years old at the very least as production was ended in 2003. But it is now available to buy as somebody's trade-in at my Ford dealer where I made these photos yesterday.

Chrysler's LH platform, cab-forward design or something. I actually like the look of this car... coming from a time when car designers were willing to try something new, to introduce new concepts and their designs ended up mostly looking much better than current blobs of cars which almost all look boring and unappealing... to me anyway, also bloated like.

Other than the front end, it doesn't look that bad for a ten (at least) year old car.

DIM: Lincoln Town Car 2nd Gen in Traffic

A post in the Detroit Iron in Moscow (DIM) series of posts where I do a bit of car spotting and photograph "Detroit iron" in Moscow -- i.e. full-size American automobiles that I see on Moscow streets, lanes and especially in back yards whilst not specifically looking for them.

And mostly I see them in Moscow backyards... but not today. For the first time since I started this series and in any case since I don't even remember how long ago, I have seen a piece of Detroit iron actually rolling in traffic.

So today's DIM is this Lincoln Town Car 2nd Generation 1990-97.

 

DIM: Crown Vic 1st Gen Utah Highway Patrol Livery

Another post in Detroit Iron in Moscow (DIM)... a series of posts where I do a bit of car spotting and photograph "Detroit iron" in Moscow -- i.e. full-size American automobiles that I see on Moscow streets, lanes and especially in back yards whilst not specifically looking for them. 

Today's specimen is a Utah Highway Patrol Crown Victoria 1st Gen 1992-94.

'Utah Highway Patrol"... "State Trooper"... You're a long way from home, buster!

You are serving us now.... and we are servicing you... at a great expense no doubt.

We got you... is that a box of donuts on back seat?

Unfortunately, this time I wasn't able to make more (or better) pictures.

DIM: Ford Crown Victoria

Detroit Iron in Moscow (DIM) is a series of posts where I do a bit of car spotting and photograph "Detroit iron" in Moscow -- i.e. full-size American automobiles that I see on Moscow streets, lanes but most often in the back yards of Moscow apartment houses for some reason.

From one of those back yards not far from my own place comes today's subject -- a Ford Crown Victoria.

I approached it stealthily from behind (Panther!) on a sunny August day.

In fact the sunny conditions interfered with my mobile phone photography.

But there is no mistaking it from this view anyway.

Ford Crown Victoria 1st Generation 1992-94 in kinda tan. No idea what the trim is. Probably the cheapest.

It's long...

... it sure is long but it's also very narrow by today's standards. Compare to the Benz next to it in the next picture. I think my Ford Focus is wider.

In fact in the picture below -- strictly from the front -- it looks like it is a (sub-)compact car... which obviously it is not. However being narrow is a bonus on narrow back yardie streets of Moscow.

Look, no-grille front fascia! Me, I like the no-grille of the early 90s much better than the ugly grilles that most cars have these days, as ugly as they are fake for the most part.

DIM: Lincoln Town Car

Detroit Iron in Moscow (DIM)... a series where I photograph "Detroit iron" in Moscow -- i.e. full-size American automobiles that I see on Moscow streets, lanes and in back yards whilst not specifically looking for them.

Today's subject is this Lincoln Town Car Signature Series, likely 3rd (and last) Generation.

This seems to be roadworthy.

Missing some of that whalebone (whatever) in the grille.

Panther platform.

Unwashed.

Signature Series magnum something or other trim.

 Missed it.

Keyless keypad entry! Can you not tell the combination by wear on the keys?

DIM: Chevrolet Caprice Classic

DIM - Detroit Iron in Moscow - today is a Chevrolet Caprice Classic.

Looks like Fourth and last Gen 1991 - 1996.

B body?

It doesn't look like it could drive off this place. 

According to Urban Dictionary, "Detroit Iron" means a big, heavy, bad-handling car made in Detroit. A road locomotive. Me, I like the look (and the idea) of them though.

DIM: Mercury Grand Marquis GS

A new series on my blog -- car spotting -- Detroit Iron (in) Moscow (DIM).

Today's installment -- a Mercury Grand Marquis GS, fourth generation (?). Pretty recent and looks relatively clean.

Detroit iron...  except this one was likely made in Ontario, Canada, wasn't it.

Panther love! 

Grand Marquis GS

Mercury