Mercury Marauder
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| Mercury Marauder | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Mercury |
| Parent company | Ford Motor Company |
| Production | 1963-1965 1969-1970 2003-2004 |
| Class | Full-size |
| Layout | FR layout |
The Mercury Marauder was the name of different automobiles made by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company.
Contents |
[edit] Early models 1963-1965
| First generation | |
|---|---|
| Production | 1963-1965 |
| Body style(s) | 2-door hardtop 4-door sedan |
| Related | Mercury Monterey Mercury Montclair Mercury Park Lane |
The early Marauder was a V8-engined large automobile. It débuted as a 1963½ model as a two-door "fastback" hardtop version of the full-size Mercury. Marauders were offered from the 1963½ to 1965 model years, then again from 1969 to 1970.
In 1964, the Marauder name was used to designate both two and four door models of the Mercury Monterey, Montclair, and Park Lane using a fastback roofline, rather than the reverse-slant Breezeway roof that had been introduced in 1963.
This fastback roofline was developed for both the Mercury Marauder and the Ford Galaxie for NASCAR competition, and may have helped with the many 1963-64 Ford Mercury victories.
[edit] 1969-1970
| Second generation | |
|---|---|
| Production | 1969-1970 |
| Body style(s) | 2-door hardtop |
| Engine(s) | 360 hp (268 kW) 429 in³ engine V8 390 in³ engine V8 |
| Related | Mercury Marquis Ford LTD |
In 1969, the Marauder became a distinct model. It competed in the personal luxury market. The base Marauder had a 390 in³ engine, while the Marauder X-100 normally came with a larger 360 hp (268 kW) 429 in³ engine. Well appointed versions had bucket seats with a floor console housing a U-shaped automatic transmission shift handle, and sporty Kelsey-Hayes stylized road wheels complete with rear fender skirts. The Marauder had its own look with distinctive non-functional louvered side air intakes in the quarter panels and a tunneled rear window. Its front end and interior components were shared with the Marquis, but the back end was unique.
The market for sporty full-size cars had disappeared, though, and production was limited to about 15,000 cars for 1969 and barely a third of that for 1970.
"Marauder" was also used as the name of Mercury's 390 and 410 in³ engines in the 1960's.
[edit] 2003-2004
| Third generation | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Production | 2003–2004 |
| Assembly | St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada |
| Platform | Ford Panther platform |
| Engine(s) | 4.6 L Modular DOHC V8 |
| Transmission(s) | 4-speed 4R70W automatic (2003) 4-speed 4R75W automatic (2004) |
| Wheelbase | 114.7 in (2913 mm). |
| Related | Mercury Grand Marquis, Ford Crown Victoria, Lincoln Town Car |
From 2003 to 2004, Ford produced the Marauder as a "high-performance" version of the Mercury Grand Marquis sedan. Although it was a Mercury and not a Ford, the Marauder was considered to be the spiritual competitor to the Chevrolet Impala SS of 1994-96.
The Mercury Marauder was based on an updated version of the Ford Panther platform. The Marauder had a naturally aspirated 4.6 L DOHC Modular V8 producing 302 hp (225 kW) and 318 ft·lbf (431 N·m) of torque. The Marauder was fitted with a dual exhaust system that had unique exhaust manifolds and tailpipe tips, and borrowed many suspension parts from the Handling and Performance Package available for the Crown Victoria and Grand Marquis. The Marauder was fitted with the corporate 4R70W 4-speed automatic in 2003 and received the upgraded 4R75W 4-speed automatic for 2004. The 3.55 rear axle ratio was borrowed from the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, as well as the aluminum drive shaft.
Cosmetically, the Marauder borrowed some trim from both its Ford and Mercury stablemates. The headlights and corner lights, borrowed from the Grand Marquis, have all non-reflector surfaces blacked out while the entire grille is painted body-color. The front bumper cover is Marauder-unique and includes a curved lower air intake and fog lamps. Side trim and the B-pillars are painted body-color like the Crown Victoria, which donates it's tail lights and trunk panel (the tail and reverse lights are smoked). The Marauder's rear bumper cover is unique, with the car's name engraved in it. The 18" wheels feature Mercury's traditional "god-head" logo.
After a production run of 11,052 vehicles the Marauder was discontinued at the end of 2004, however the Ford Crown Victoria LX Sport remained, bearing a monochrome appearance similar to the Marauder but powered by the lesser 239 hp (178 kW) 4.6 L 2-valve SOHC V8. The LX Sport also included smaller 17" wheels, softer suspension tuning, a taller 3.27 rear axle ratio, along with numerous other mechanical and cosmetic details that remain unique to the Marauder.
[edit] Marauder Organizations
[edit] References
Edmunds.com, 2003 Marauder Review, http://www.edmunds.com/mercury/marauder/review.html
AutomobileMag.com, 2003-2004 Mercury Marauder, Joe Lorio, http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/sedans/0208_mercury_marauder/index.html
Car and Driver, July 2002, 2003 Mercury Marauder - Reviews / Road Tests, John Phillips, http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/1874/2003-mercury-marauder.html
Car and Driver, 2004 Mercury Marauder, User Road Tests, http://www.caranddriver.com/userroadtest/mercury/2004-mercury-marauder.html
Motor Trend, July 2002, Merc Meets Merc, Marauder and S500: Two cool, bad-ass powerbrokers on the run, Todd Lassa, http://www.stangbangers.com/03_MercuryMarauderVsMercedesS500_Article.htm
JD Power Quality Survey, 2003 Mercury Marauder, http://www.jdpower.com/autos/Mercury/Marauder/2003/Sedan/ratings
Total production for the 2003 - 2004 Mercury Marauder was 11,052:
- 2003 - Total: 7839 (327 Blue, 418 Silver, 7094 Black)
- 2004 - Total: 3213 (980 Dark Toreador Red, 997 Silver, 1236 Black)
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