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1972 Mercedes-Benz 600 Kompressor [video]

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21–23 of 23 posts

Re: 1972 Mercedes-Benz 600 Kompressor [video]

#21
post #7

Back then they were saying that the largest market for MB 600 in 90-ies was Russia. Whether it was so or not, it definitely was the car to drive for the mafiosos and for the government bureaucrats. In the bleak, dirty, poor USSR/Russia those cars looked like they were out-of-this-world, and in many senses they were. They were de-facto separating 2 castes of people - the new elite, so called "new Russians", from the r…

Don’t forget Jeep Grand Cherokees! They loved those things (Brat 1). Worse piece of shit I’ve owned but also my favorite of all time.

> Worse piece of shit I’ve owned but also my favorite of all time.

that would sum up my experience of living through the 90ies in Russia :) Or as Dickens said:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair”

Re: 1972 Mercedes-Benz 600 Kompressor [video]

#22
post #3

"Why yes, I am a third world dictator."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wabenzi:

> Wabenzi is an Anglicization of the pejorative Bantu colloquialism WaBenzi, originally used in Kenya to refer to members of the new ruling class that superseded the colonial regime, that has come to refer to the new ruling class in any post-colonial African country. The term usually refers to a corrupt government official, or family member of one, and derives from their being seen as driving an imported car. "Wa" is a prefix that refers to people in some Bantu languages; "benzi" comes from Mercedes-Benz, a car perceived as prestigious. The Anglicized spelling form is more common than the original Bantu WaBenzi.

Re: 1972 Mercedes-Benz 600 Kompressor [video]

#23
post #7

Back then they were saying that the largest market for MB 600 in 90-ies was Russia. Whether it was so or not, it definitely was the car to drive for the mafiosos and for the government bureaucrats. In the bleak, dirty, poor USSR/Russia those cars looked like they were out-of-this-world, and in many senses they were. They were de-facto separating 2 castes of people - the new elite, so called "new Russians", from the r…

Seems like these people drive another Mercedes these days: the G-Wagen.
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