Mercury Grand Marquis reviews

2001 Mercury Grand Marquis Driving Impressions

The Grand Marquis' 4.6-liter single overhead-cam V8 is one of the best engines Ford has ever built in terms of quality and durability. It is smooth and quiet, yet delivers strong acceleration with plenty of power for quick passing. It features a coil-on-plug ignition system that is simple and reliable. Thanks largely to its strong V8, Grand Marquis is rated to tow 2000 pounds.

The transmission delivers smooth, precise, quick shifts. Like many transmissions on the market today, it requires no maintenance for the life of the car.

Grand Marquis offers a smooth, quiet ride. It is stable at high speeds and in crosswinds. Better yet, with the suspension alterations made in 1999, this is the best-handling big Mercury we've ever driven. Mercury engineers refined the Grand Marquis in 1999 to produce a car that rides and handles better than its predecessor. The rear trailing arms were redesigned and relocated to provide better control of vertical wheel motions. A three-piece Watt's link was added; it provides more precise lateral location than would be possible with the single-piece Panhard rod or track bar usually used in live-axle setups.

The car does float over undulating pavement, though not at uncomfortable levels. The steering is a bit light at higher speeds, but the power assist makes it easy to maneuver the big car in crowded parking lots.

Braking performance is surprisingly good for such a large car. The brakes were enlarged and upgraded for 1999 as well, with larger, thicker rotors and dual-piston calipers on the front discs. Those changes improved braking performance and reduced the chance of brake fade when descending steep mountain grades. Steel 16-inch wheels are standard, while aluminum alloy wheels are optional. Standard tires are P225/60R-16 all-season Michelins.

We found our Grand Marquis to be a pleasure to drive on a winding road. An optional Handling Package ($855) includes a completely retuned suspension with rear air springs and a larger rear stabilizer bar, plus a quicker 3.55:1 axle ratio, special 16-inch alloy wheels and Goodyear high-performance tires. On GS models, the Handling Package also includes the dual-exhaust engine. The Handling Package sharpens cornering response and improves acceleration. At the same time, it doesn't degrade the ride quality.