Introduction

Mercury reaches back in its history for the name Marauder for a performance version of the 2003 Grand Marquis. Although sharing body and chassis with the Grand Marquis, the Marauder is cataloged as a separate model. In 1963-64, the Marauder was a high-performance version of the Mercury Montclair and Monterey. Parnelli Jones drove a specially prepared model to victory at the 1963 Pikes Peak Hill Climb. In 1969-70, the Marauder X-100 was powered by a 429 cubic-inch (7-liter) V8. The 2003 Mercury Marauder and Grand Marquis and the Ford Crown Victoria are lonely survivors of what was once the archetypical American family sedan, a genre long since supplanted by the minivan and sport-utility. These full-size sedans come with traditional full body-on-frame construction with a front-engine/rear-drive layout, and enough size to shade a lot of blacktop: almost 212 inches stem to stern, and more than 78 inches from one side to the other. Until the gas crises of the 1970s, this was the standard automobile. The 2003 Marauder supplements the Grand Marquis as something the world hasn't seen since the demise of the 1994-96 Chevy Impala SS, the American full-size performance sedan, emphasis on performance. Initially available in any color as long as it's black, the 302-horsepower Marauder has the ambiance of "the X Files" combined with "the Blues Brothers," the Secret Service combined with the Wood Brothers (NASCAR). Cop motor, cop shocks. Actually, cops should have it this good.

Walkaround

The Marauder, in its standard ebony paint, gives the same menacing vibes as a black leather jacket. The black monochrome treatment has even been given to the headlamps with only the reflectors spared the blackout treatment. The taillamp bezels are dark tinted as well for what Mercury calls a "serious, but understated appearance." Up front, Cibie fog lamps are inserted in the front bumper, and the rear bumper has "MARAUDER" embossed in it while big dual 3.5-inch chrome exhaust tips protrude straight out the back. A big car needs big tires, and the Marauder wears P235/50WR18 boots on front with wider, P245/55WR18 rubber at the rear. The larger rear tires give the Marauder a natural slight rake that enhances the performance image. Five-spoke forged aluminum wheels are eight inches wide and have cast into the wheel hubs the bas-relief image of Mercury, the swift messenger of the Roman gods and a Mercury revival from the Fifties. The current Mercury logo is centered on the grille in a bright finish; we think the god's head logo should be here as well, but Mercury did not consult us on this. The exterior, according to Mercury representatives, was purposely kept simple because focus group attendees said they'd rather have it left plain to customize themselves.

Interior Features

Like Dorothy in Munchkinland realizing she's not in Kansas anymore, the driver of the Mercury Marauder knows he's not in a Grand Marquis. The instrument panel has white faces, with a large round speedometer and tachometer flanked by smaller fuel and temperature gauges. The 140-mph speedometer incorporates a red-lit "Marauder" graphic. Instead of a column shifter for the automatic transmission, a leather-wrapped shifter is mounted on a floor console that has two cup holders and a storage bin. An AutoMeter (a brand known to car enthusiasts) voltmeter and oil-pressure gauge are positioned just ahead of the shifter. Marauders are also given dot-matrix gray trim accents on the instrument panel, while the dual eight-way power seats are finished in supple black leather, the best used in any Ford Motor Company product. Classic French stitching from earlier Marauders is revived for the 2003 edition. The seats were given extra padding for greater support, and of course there's a Mercury god's head de-bossed into the front seatbacks. The optional six-disc CD changer for the 140-watt Alpine sound system is located in the trunk, where it's not as convenient, especially if the trunk is loaded, though this is a quibble brought on only by the new in-dash CD changers. There is a single CD player, as well as a cassette player for those in the retro mood or those who enjoy books on tape. (Sorry, no 8-track player, though the radio's AM band works well). Filigrees aside, the interior delivers on the promise of the exterior with lots of room inside for five. Access to the cabin is easy through large doors, and finding a comfortable driving position is easy with the 8-way power seats, tilt wheel and adjustable pedals. The front buckets are wide (so much so that the seatbelt buckle end actually protrudes through the seat bottom cushion). The seats are soft, too. The back seat is wide and soft as well, with enough room across for three adult males, though the center rider loses foot room to the driveshaft tunnel of this rear-wheel-drive car. The trunk is huge. If you need more luggage room than this, your name is Zsa Zsa and you should FedEx your steamer trunks of gowns ahead. The trunk organizer is nice to have, with adjustable section dividers, but not really necessary and offered on the Marauder, probably, mainly because it's available on the Grand Marquis.