Pros :
- Screaming 300+ hp V8.
- Front bucket seats instead of a bench.
- Ultra-stylish sleeper look.
- Shiny aluminum alloy wheels.
- Huge interior space and a cavernous trunk.
Cons :
- Too heavy.
- Could use more power to move all that bulk.
- Only available with an automatic.
- Few color choices.
- Huge grippy tires makes for a predictable drive on a track.
Press Coverage :
Anxiety builds as we round turn one at triple-digit speeds on the high banking at Pocono Raceway. We're running the same groove as Sterling Marlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart, only we're doing it in a stock-block 2003 Mercury Marauder musclesedan, not a NASCAR Winston Cup stock car. We wonder what kind of braking performance this new American street machine will deliver as a 90° lefthand turn into the track's road course rapidly approaches.
We've already sampled the steering response and found that it's right on for a car of this size. No surprise there. Essentially a hot-rodded Grand Marquis, the Marauder rides on a unique suspension with 18x8-in. forged 5-spoke polished aluminum alloy wheels shod with BFGoodrich g-Force T/A rubber. Tire sizes are 235/50ZR18 in front and 245/55ZR18 on the rear. Despite the 302-hp V8, there's so much meat in the back that it took a couple of tries to break them loose for our signature smoky burnout. No worries. A quick swap of the 3.55:1 rear-end gears to, say, some 4.10s would take care of that problem in a hurry.
By the way, Marauder's 4-wheel vented disc brakes had no trouble at all reversing our forward momentum in a straight line without antics or fade for that first lefthander coming off the banking at Pocono. They're up to the task for any kind of street driving.
Marauder's front frame rails are hydroformed and partially filled with foam for a more controlled collapse in a collision. Their increased rigidity makes a better mounting point for the new cast-aluminum No. 2 crossmember. All the suspension bits--coil/shocks, double A-arms, 28mm stabilizer bar--are mounted to the crossmember, not the frame. So the entire front suspension is isolated from the body for better noise control and tunability. In addition, there are now eight mounts between the body and frame. One bushing on each side of the car is unidirectional for that tight, rattlefree feel.
Mercury's engineers upgraded the suspension with monotube shock absorbers. Benefits include easy ride tuning with the large piston diameter for specific applications like the Marauder. Also, monotubes can be installed in any position, hence the upsidedown mounting of the rear units.
Instead of plain, traditional rubber bushings, the beefy front stabilizer bar now sits in a solid Gripper system that preloads the bar for better roll control.
The Marauder is motivated by a 32-valve quad-cam 4.6-liter all-aluminum V8 making 302 hp at 5750 rpm and 318 ft.-lb. of torque at 4300 rpm. The lower intake manifold was borrowed from the Mustang Cobra, and it breathes through dual 57mm throttle bodies. Bill Dear, program manager, is proud to tell us that Marauder has the least restrictive air intake of any product built by Ford Motor Co. The engine is backed by a 4R70W Plus 4-speed automatic transmission and a brazed 11-1/4-in. high-stall-speed torque converter with a 1-in. heavy-dutry 1-way clutch. The automatic has also been beefed up to handle the V8's extra torque output. Mercury says traction control with a shutoff switch will be added to the Marauder in the fall. We wonder why anyone would want it.
We had fun hustling the Marauder around the road course at Pocono. In fact, they had to bring us in after a half dozen laps because we just kept going faster and faster and faster. The ride, handling, steering and throttle response are first-rate for a 4200-pound sedan. Our only complaint is that the brake feel is a bit on the soft side. If you intend to go road racing in your Marauder, consider a set of 6-piston Brembos all around.
Part of the reason for Marauder's good steering feel is the switch to a variable-ratio rack-and-pinion gear. Look closely and you'll see that the teeth in the center of the rack are spaced closer together than the rest. This gives a slightly slower steering rate just off center for good on-center feel. However, out on the road course, we felt no slowness in the steering whatsoever. What we did notice is a huge improvement over the old recirculating-ball setup.
Marauder's styling is so subtle that it says MARAUDER on only the rear bumper. Good thing the 2-ft.-long Meg's exhaust tips bellow a musclesedan tune. And the 21mm solid rear stabilizer bar helps keep the tail planted in the twisties.
Marauder's interior features the same leather upholstery as that in the Lincoln Town Car. But these seats have French seams, unique side bolsters and side-impact airbags. The steering wheel was also borrowed from the Town Car, but Marauder's is wrapped with perforated leather. There's a 100-watt amplifier in the trunk to handle a garbage-can-lid-size subwoofer. Alpine did audio-equalization tuning specifically for the Marauder. There are oil pressure and voltage gauges down low on the center console behind the shifter. And all the instruments are Auto Meter Pro Comps. The only other option on the Marauder is a CD changer.
Mercury purposely staggered the rear tires larger than the fronts to give Marauder the correct forward stance and to put more rubber at the rear. Also, that full-size spare mentioned above is the front tire size: 235/50ZR18. So, if you temporarily mount the spare in the rear, you can go only about 50 miles without causing damage to the limited-slip differential and the ABS.
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History:
1998-2002 Mercury Grand Marquis
4,600 cc / 215-235 hp / 275 lb-ft / 3917 lbs / 0-60 mph 8.5 sec.
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