In June 2009, Wayne Johnson was in the market for a new car. A lifelong enthusiast of the Mercury automobile brand, Johnson wasn’t merely browsing; he was looking for a Marquis, a much-respected car in the high-riser car community of which Johnson was a part. Johnson found a fourth-generation 2008 Grand Marquis with a factory fog light option, made the purchase and soon set his plan in place to begin a rapid-fire succession of modifications. As he surveyed different tint percentages, he selected a 5 percent limousine tint because it created, in his words, a “presidential look.” The factory headlights were removed and 20K hyper blue high-intensity discharge lights were installed, optimizing his field of vision for nighttime driving.
| Stats box |
| » Engine: 4.6-liter V-8 |
| » Performance: true dual exhaust with Magnaflow truck tips, no mufflers |
| » Wheels: 24-inch Bigg Liars on 255/30/24 series tires |
| » Interior: painted engine compartment, painted interior inserts, 7-inch in-dash Power Acoustik DVD/CD player, two 9-inch headrest monitors, 17-inch drop-down monitor, two 15-inch Kicker CVR subwoofers in custom enclosure, 2,000-watt amplifier |
| » Exterior: HID headlights, fog lights |
Johnson was very interested in pursuing a pop culture theme with his car. So after installing a set of 22-inch black Mezzano MZ11s with chrome accents, he decided to honor “The Wire” by applying custom vinyl graphics based on the popular HBO show. A custom exhaust system came next, featuring true dual 1.5-inch pipes with 5-inch Magnaflow truck tips — but no mufflers.
Over the next year, the Marquis’ exterior showcased custom graphics with themes such as “Family Guy,” NASCAR, and a tribute to the movie “American Gangster.” While it grabbed attention for some time, Johnson decided to ditch plans to make his car a rolling billboard and opted for simplicity with a white paint job.
Johnson also made major changes inside the cab, painting the dash board and various interior panels and installing a 7-inch, in-dash Power Acoustik DVD/CD player along with a 17-inch, flip-down ceiling monitor. Two 9-inch screens were added to the headrests. The sound was boosted when Johnson added two 15-inch Kicker CVR subwoofers in a custom enclosure supported by a 2,000-watt amplifier with turbo cooling fan. Johnson even had marine speakers installed in the front grille of his Marquis, just in case someone couldn’t hear him coming.
Finally, Johnson decided it was time to graduate his wheels and traded up two inches for 24-inch Bigg Liars. The wheels were so big, no lift kit was required to give his car that “perched” look.
While Johnson said he derives a lot of inspiration from popular culture, part of his inspiration comes from the age-old competition between Ford and Chevrolet. That rivalry can be intense in the high-riser community.
What do you drive? A 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis.
Why do you drive it? I drive it because it’s my favorite car. I’ve drove these since I was 16. And I’ve had every body style from the ’80s to current.
What makes this car so special? It’s special because it’s big, it’s a V-8, and it’s a Ford. I love Fords … period.
What is your most memorable driving experience? The most memorable driving experience I’ve had is going to and from work every day. People take pictures and record videos of my car. But the best story I have is when I took a road trip for a car show in Atlanta. This was when I had the “Family Guy” theme on it. I was at a gas station out of town and some locals pulled up and treated and talked to me like I was the most famous person they ever met.
What was the first vehicle you owned? A 1990 Plymouth Acclaim.
What music are you currently listening to in your car? Young Jeezy.
And your first ticket? What was it for? My first ticket was for driving on a permit without a licensed driver in the car. It was so long ago I don’t really remember how much the ticket was but they made me park the car and walk.
