2004 Mercury Marauder

Review

Tire Burning Luxo-Cruiser Reminiscent Of 60s Muscle Cars

Picture this: Its 1969. Cars are big, V8s are powerful and a tank of gas cost about the same as a double-latte today. Just the names of these brash American icons sets enthusiasts hearts-a-pounding: Charger, Wildcat, Barracuda, Fury, Cyclone, Cobra, Rocket and Marauder to name a few.

In the case of Marauder history is repeating itself. For 2003 Mercury took a magic wand to its Grand Marquis and resuscitated the Marauder lineage, deceased since 1970. According to Mercury, the goal was to deliver a 1960s American muscle car experience, combined with contemporary driving dynamics, comfort, safety and low emissions. What the Mercury engineers came up with is an awesome blend of size, comfort, performance and serious good looks.

I am hugely impressed with the fact that Mercury, a fairly staid company of late, would embark upon such a radical undertaking. The Marauder is a "hot" looking car, not to mention "hot" sounding and "hot" performing. The way the 18-inch chrome wheels and 3-inch diameter polished stainless exhaust-tips set off the monochromatic appearance is absolutely stunning. The entire package is smooth, clean and well proportioned. And for 2004, you dont have to be a Johnny Cash fan to appreciate the all black Marauder. This year the monochromatic color scheme is also available in Toreador Red and Silver Birch.

Drawing on its 60s heritage, the Marauder gets a full set of satin-aluminum analogue gauges on white backgrounds, including a pair of "retro-look" circular gauges displaying volt and oil pressure readings. These two beauties are nestled low on the dash just ahead of the full-length smoothly finished console, which sports a satin-aluminum metallic insert surrounding the floor-mounted shifter. Two skookum cup holders are inset behind the shifter and are followed closely by a sizeable storage bin-armrest arrangement.

A floor-mounted shifter can only mean one thing when it comes to seating, buckets. The Marauder coddles its driver and front passenger in dual eight-way power-reclining heated bucket seats finished in, new for 2004, two-tone dark charcoal and light flint leather. These units are amply padded and provide superior thigh, lumbar and shoulder support. The leather has classic French seam stitching and the front seat backs are embossed with the Mercury gods-head logo. Although the flat, expansive dash appears a little out-dated, the over-all interior design and esthetics is pleasing to the eye and restrained. That is until you get to the steering wheel. Would it be too much to ask for a sporty looking wheel? How about something that fits the muscle car image that the rest of the Marauder exhibits? The bulky unit currently in place has a "low-rent" appearance that is hardly salvaged by the modicum of leather wrapping.

Although not a highly sophisticated cabin, the Marauder can boast of tremendous comfort and substantial room for five lanky adults. In fact Mercurys big sedan has slightly more legroom in the front than the Mercedes-Benz S Class, and just a shade less in the rear. Impressive dimensions indeed. Within all this spaciousness the driver and passengers are treated to all of the bells and whistles normally found in a premium vehicle, including climate control, power adjustable pedals and an audiophile sound system, all of which come standard.

In fact the only Marauder options are a 6-disc CD changer mounted in its gargantuan 20.6 cubic foot trunk, heated seats, an engine block heater and trunk organizer. Many auto manufacturers are adopting this fully loaded few options format, which generally rewards the consumer with greater bang-for-the-buck. It is a concept I heartily endorse. Ticking option box after option box on an order sheet inflates the price beyond most purchasers expectations.

As history books explain, a successful marauder must be strong, intimidating and capable of overpowering adversaries. The Mercury Marauder is this. Its strength comes in the form of a naturally aspirated all-aluminum, low emissions 4.6-liter (281 cubic inch) DOHC 4-valve per cylinder heart that pounds out a forceful 302 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and a formidable 318 pound-feet of torque at 4,300 rpm. Can there be anything sweeter?

Refinements for 2004 include the addition of dual knock sensors, providing a more precise spark advance and a corresponding improvement in the engines overall performance and low-end acceleration. A limited slip differential ensures maximum traction is applied to the roadway when surging to 60 mph in slightly less than 7 seconds. What a great kick-in-the-pants for a full-size family sedan.

Marauder power flows through a heavy-duty 4R75W 4-speed automatic transmission with improved shift response. The new transmission provides quicker upshifts and downshifts, and lets the driver "kick down" into first gear at a higher speed. Where Mercury completely missed the mark is in the number of gears and the method of selecting them. Many high-end vehicles are now equipped with five-speed automatics with Mercedes going as far as a 7-speed automatic transmission. But even with four gears, Mercury could have significantly advanced Marauders performance edge with by incorporating a sporty manual-shift mode unit. Marauders basic inline, "Drive-2-1" format may be reminiscent of the 60s but its completely out of place in Y2K and beyond. This low-tech arrangement doesnt encourage performance shifting, make best use of the engines powerband or enable maximum use of engine braking.

Gear selector aside, its quite refreshing for an American auto manufacturer to apply a high-performance theme to a full-size, V8-powered, rear-wheel drive, 4-door former luxo-cruiser - other than the fact that Chevy did basically the same thing a few years back with its full-size, V8-powered, rear-wheel drive Impala SS - with an all-black monochromatic paint scheme to boot.

The Marauder, based on the Grand Marquis platform, features rack-and-pinion speed sensitive variable assist power steering, a full perimeter frame, rigid hydroformed front frame rails, monotube shock dampers, front and rear stabilizer bars and 18-inch forged aluminum wheels. Rather than sublime ride comfort the Marauders chassis set-up is tuned toward taut handling with the use of rear load-leveling performance air springs as standard equipment. Dont expect Ferrari-like handling, but theres also no need to shy away from spirited motoring. The Marauder will undoubtedly eat up curves, dips and dives like a starved canine. But keep in mind, its somewhat anachronistic live rear axle suspension inherits limitations.

Competent, predictable handling can be a lifesaver during emergency maneuvers, but in the unfortunate event of a multiple vehicle crash, basic physics suggest that survivability is higher in the vehicle of greater mass. The curb weight of the Marauder is 4,195 pounds, making it clearly the winner in any contest that doesnt involve a full-size SUV. While size alone buys a lot of safety, Mercury has gone a step further. The Marauder has achieved a double five-star frontal impact crash rating from the United States National Highway Safety Administration. Marauder safety features include advanced front and side airbags, plus 4-wheel anti-lock brakes and traction control. Such safety features are of great importance to purchasers who respond to little voices crying out "Mom" and "Dad."

The full-size cousins, Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis and Marauder are pretty well indestructible, just ask any cabbie or cop - actually forget the cops as multiple police departments across the nation (Texas in particular) are suing Ford for problems with fuel tank fires. Other than this specific quirk cab drivers and the men and women in blue drive and abuse these units 24/7, hammering them through potholes and pounding them over curbs.

Just the same, according to JD Power and Associates ratings, the Marauder does not "stand out" for mechanical quality. Unfortunately, there is no JD Power data for mechanical reliability as yet. However, there have been no recalls to plague the Marauder and only one Technical Service Bulletin which dealt with carpet peeling away from the door panel. One thing for certain though, parts ought to be plentiful and reasonably priced given the huge number of fleet purchasers using the Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis platform.

In the end, Mercurys goal of blending a 1960s muscle car experience with the attributes of modern automotive technology has been achieved and preserved in the annals of automotive history. The 2004 Marauder is a wonderful distillation of full-size American automotive gusto. Exhilarating V8 power, dual exhaust, bucket seats, rear-wheel drive and posi-traction are the buzz words that the old-man and I salivated over some 30 odd years ago. Theyre back.

So is the Marauder a "poor mans" BMW 7-Series, Mercedes S Class or Audi A8? Regardless of the answer, I think its a darn good start especially for an American auto manufacturer. I for one would be ecstatic to see the Marauder, and any other full-size American V8 sedan, evolve to the point of competing head-to-head with the imported super-sedans costing many more thousands of greenbacks. Keep up the good work Mercury.