[Guest]

I'm not sure if I like the new Marauder or not (couldn't they at least make it look a LITTLE different than the Grand Marquis??), but I did like this paragraph from Mercury's marketing department:

Today, when the streets are littered with pretenders sporting gaudy plastic body kits, huge spoilers and stickers touting performance parts that aren't even on the car, there are those who choose to let performance speak louder than words - for you we offer the 2003 Mercury Marauder.

 

[Huskinhano]

They should put a supercharger on it! The freaking car is too heavy for 281 cu.in.

 

[RichLong]

I agree! But, I still can't wait for mine to come in! May have to put one on myself, eh?

 

[G1967T]

Just how fast is the new Marauder? 0 to 60? 1/4 mile time and speed? etc.?

 

[Guest]

Mercury says:

The 2003 Mercury Marauder recaptures this American muscle sedan heritage with an all-alluminum 32-valve 4.6-liter V8 that serves up 0-60 times in the mid-6 seconds and quarter-mile times in the high-14s.

 

[kvinkler]

Looks like competition to GT, with that weight?, that have to be wrong.

 

[G1967T]

Is that enough to handle a pesky Impala or rice sedan? Seems like the new Cobra or Lightning engine would be better up to the task.

 

[NKau]

They make 300+ hp stock I think.

 

[mgmradio]

Don't get your hopes up.I drove one today after PDI'ing it.It is a DOG.They have been sevierly detuned from the prototypes.Top end accel is good though,but unless they come up with a processor reburn.NO one will be happy with the out of the hole performance.

 

[Sportsroof1970]

I'm still waiting to see other results on this car, but so far I'm a little disappointed. If Mercury didn't hype the car up so much, I probably wouldn't be, but when Car & Driver got a 7.5 sec 0-60, and a quarter of 15.5 at 91mph, my heart kind of sank a little.

This is kind of what I expected, really, given the power to weight ratio. The only reason I thought it might be faster is in the examples above of how fast it was "supposed" to be. Oh well, I think the car is smooth, although I think the Crown Vic would be a cleaner looking candidate for this... Good for Mercury to bring out a great looking, excellent handling car like this, but they shouldn't tout it as the fastest thing on tires.

 

[Guest]

I read an article in Autoweek on it. They were pretty disappointed with it. They said there was no power at the line. Their main point was that the car is fast, but unless Mercury can make it scream from a stand-still, most folks will be disappointed in it. They said there were unable to burnout in it.

Pesonally, I like the idea of a rear-drive, muscle-car sedan. I'm however disappointed that they just took the Grand Marquis and souped it up. They at least could have given it new tail lights. Something. Anything to make it different.

 

[RichLong]

Maybe I'm taking this too personall since I ordered one of these cars. But too much emphasis is placed on the 1/4 mile excelleration of the thing IMO.
I ordered it because it's a rear wheel, 5 passenger, comfortable, safe (side impact airbags), good handling, well equipped, good looking sedan. Without going to man import, where else you gonna go? I could not order a Crown Vic Sport for awhile( mid model year i was told) due to wheel supply problems.
I've been driving a 99 Vic with the performance and handling packge. The rolling acceleration especially from 55 up, is very good. I look forward to the difference the Marauder will have in that catagory.
The other thing is that most of the "car" mags have a bunch of spoiled nitpicky writers, whos job is to look for the negatives, especially if the Manufacturer is not spending a bulk of their advertising dollars with them. I'll form my own opinions , thank you!
And finally, I want more power, I know how to go about getting it. Let's be glad they are making a good effort.

 

[Guest]

Regarding your point about the car mags...

I don't think AutoWeek falls into that category. It's the one mag I've found that is truly objective (or at least seems to be). They actually had a lot of positive press about the Marauder when it was announced, and when the early models were produced, and they had a great cover story on the Marauder convertible (very cool!). They finally test drove one a were disappointed in it. They didn't really slam the car as a whole, their point was that they felt most people would expect better off the line performance from the car.

I think the idea is awesome. I love the fact that they are producing a large, rwd muscle car. I hope it is successful, and helps revive the Mercury brand. As a Mercury driver (2002 Mountaineer), I wish nothing but the best for Mercury.

 

[Guest]

I found this piece in AutoWeek. A superchared Marauder may be coming....

Mercury working on ways to add more muscle to Marauder



We’re not the only ones who reported Mercury’s Marauder muscle car is a little short on, well, muscle. Marauder project chief Steve Babcock said as much during a recent briefing when he promised more ponies for the next iteration of the tricked-out Grand Marquis. The problem, he identifies, is giving Marauder power while avoiding fuel-economy penalties.

So far, Marauder has been handicapped with a naturally aspirated 32-valve 4.6-liter V8 that produces 300 horsepower and not enough low-end grunt, but a solution may be imminent. At a recent hot rod show, Babcock popped the hood on a silver-painted Marauder to show off its supercharged 32-valve 4.6-liter that may solve the mileage/power conundrum.

While it’s not the full SVT Cobra package, the Roush booster pushes performance to 340-345 hp, which we’re told is enough to knock a second off Marauder’s high-14-second quarter-mile time.

Mercury folks are mum about future Marauder plans, other than to say potential buyers in warmer climes want a lighter body-color option.