I’m back again. Shortly after today’s QOTD about special editions went live, I received an email back from a kind contact at Ford. She provided me with the press photos of the Mercury Villager Nautica I had requested. Since they’re so nice, and you probably haven’t seen them anywhere else, it’s Picture Time.
Feast your eyes on this tasty minivan.
It turns out I was wrong (write that down), and there was another color available for the Villager Nautica — this striking raspberry and white combination. I’m certain I haven’t seen one this color in the wild.
Mercury knew you needed somewhere to put your Bugle Boy jeans and fanny pack, so buyers were provided with this special Nautica bag, in subtle banana yellow.
And here’s that glorious two-tone interior as it looked when new. This appears to be the grey leather option.
Back to blue, showing the scale of the quite large duffel. I’ll bet I could fit twelve pairs of stone wash jeans in there.
[Images: Ford Motor Company]
I told you there was always time for more Villager.
You gotta put Mercury on your list.
There is always time for more Jill Wagner.
+100
She is why I watched wipeout. Don’t tell my ex wife
Your secret is safe with us.
I called her, and she wants to have a word with you this evening.
I guess the buyers of this lovely vehicle could be called village people.
Wait, wrong era…
Not enough room to actually disco in but I’ll bet there’s enough room to get down.
It’s the nicest Nissan Ford ever sold.
The three fans of the Ford Corsair are crying into a slab somewhere.
Sick, sick, stuff Corey.
But I can’t look away…
You need that yellow duffel and those white wheels.
Must. Resist. Yellow. Duffel.
I actually saw one of these in the flesh last summer, blue and white IIRC with lots of rust but still roadworthy.
It has definitely been years for me since I saw one of these specifically. Occasionally will see a newer Quest here or there.
A friend’s mother still has an MY97 or 98 Villager, sadly without the Nautica edition though. I can’t recall seeing a Nissan branded minivan in the past few years in person.
That’s saying something, 28, ’cause the current Quest sticks out like a sore thumb that got processed through the ugly machine.
Just in case anybody has got to have one:
Red in Arizona:
https://tucson.craigslist.org/cto/6102786413.html
Blue in Texas (at a dealer but advertised as private party, feel free to flag it, ha):
https://houston.craigslist.org/cto/6048478937.html
The one in Arizona really isn’t too bad, assuming it runs similar to how it looks. That Texas one… 100% hooptie.
The automotive equivalent of blue & white two tone Topsiders. Stacy’s Mom had one of these.
And we all know she’s got it goin on.
Give me the “Volvo Driving Soccer Mom” – much hotter.
But the VDSM probably had more VD.
Oh man, the memories…bought an off-lease 96 blue and white Nautica in ’98…excellent condition aside from the mark in the carpet between the front seats where the first owner’s cell phone floor mount had been. HUGE improvement on the 96 Windstar that we had traded in, but a lot smaller too. The Windstar was a complete turd.
I have not-so-fond memories of keeping those white wheels clean too, that was a drag. I was really proud of that van, it looked amazing when it was freshly washed.
Villager Nautica vs Silhouette Final 500 vs 1990 Town & Country
Hmmmm.
That’s tough. My love for the Silhouette is diluted by my dislike for that generation.
[email protected], Kill, Marry: 90s Van Edition
If it didn’t come with vinyl siding its no Town & Country in my book.
(Quick internet search – OH GOOD! It did.)
I must’ve owned no less than 10 Bugle Boy T-shirts when this van was on sale, all of them with (in hindsight) hideous, gaudy designs that essentially turned me into a walking Bugle Boy advertisement. I liked them back then, though. Looks like BB went bankrupt in 2001. Figures.
Are you really Mark-Paul Gosselaar?
This is original version. I had 2000 Sport. It had seats, better and more comfortable than any minivan today.
I liked the Sport when we had a new one at the L-M dealer. I was more concerned with getting a floor shift Continental CE. I tried to get the manager to order a bunch of them. Lol he didn’t seem to think it was a good idea. And from a business standpoint, I must agree.
Wait! 2002 Continental CE! That’s my favorite special edition. I shall go post an answer at once! Ha
I feel like I saw 5 or 6 red versions to every blue one. I think because the regular Villager and Quest came in a similar color, it would be tough to distinguish – especially if you didn’t know to look for it.
The red one looks like one of those minivans modified with a wheel chair ramp, they always sit so high up in the back.
That is one way to make a Grand Caravan or Sienna even uglier.
I’m sure it will surprise no one to know that I would vastly prefer this: https://www.ride-away.com/commercial/ford-transit-connect/
Looks pretty normal, not all jacked up in the back.
I like how Ford couldn’t even bother to be consistent on the placement and length of the gold pinstripe for the red vs blue version.
No pics of the uber-cool digital dashboard? These things are so cool, flaws and all.
Here you are sir, digital dash.
https://dayton.craigslist.org/cto/6102435244.html
Ooooo digi dash! I think that’s the same one as on the 95-97 Townie.
I loved those dashboards too.
Nope, different setup to the TC, which had a big digital speedo front and center.
Ah the Villager. As a detailer back in the 90’s at a now defunct Lincoln Mercury dealer a customer got one of these and had the bottom custom painted a different color. While backing out to drive it up for delivery I saw I missed a spot on the windshield so I quickly jumped out to clean it. I didn’t get it into park I guess and it proceeded to back out of the wash bay and rip the drivers side door off as it exited. Good Times. I did not get fired somehow.
Oh yes, I remember on multiple occasions getting Villagers with Quest center caps on the wheels.
Don’t worry. My wife backed up our Villager straight into our other car. Wife – 2, cars – 0. She didn’t get fired either. But her favorite chair… did.
Reminiscent of the great FoMoCo luxury packs of yore. Almost makes an ugly minivan look good. Can you imagine a batch of dark blues and a batch of maroons lined up on the lot next to each other? It would be a thing of rich colored beauty.
There is a blue and white Nautica Villager parked at Alki Point in West Seattle right by the lighthouse. It has handicapped tags and is rough. Suspect it is a single owner.
Mom had one of these from new in 96, I got it as a hand-me-down first car in 1998. Ugly paint scheme aside, the Villager was actually a wonderful product. It was one of the first vans to have car-like driving dymanics, it was exceptionally reliable for us (we had 2 of them, in fact). I loved it. It was just big enough to fit 7 and would fit a mattress with the seats removed.
My baseball teammate’s mom had one of these. One of the earlier minivans I remember with rear seat audio controls. My family, base model Plymouth Voyager with crank windows. At least it was a V6. I was from the poor part of town.