Fire up the engine of the Mercury Marauder and you'll know this is no automotive Kansas. The V8 rumble from the dual exhaust announces that the Marauder is a true American performance car. The all-aluminum 4.6-liter engine was developed specifically for the Marauder, with four-valve-per-cylinder double-overhead camshaft heads. The compression ratio is 9.85:1, requiring premium fuel.All this yields a power rating of 302 horsepower at 5750 rpm. Peak torque is 310 pounds-feet, and comes at a relatively high 4300 rpm. Mercury engineers specified a high stall speed torque converter for the automatic transmission, which means the engine can rev higher, reaching its power band before the automatic transmission transmits power, thus producing quicker acceleration. The engineers also biased the final drive selection, a 3.55:1 rear axle, for acceleration over fuel economy. The Marauder attained an EPA rating of 17 city/23 highway, impressive for a large car, so they obviously didn't go overboard. A limited-slip rear differential is used for better traction with beefy internals for durability.
The engine tuning works, as the Marauder accelerates with authority. Very few will be able to kick sand at the Marauder in the local stoplight grand prix. The base Grand Marquis, for example, is rated at 220 bhp, the Grand Marquis LSE at 235 bhp. The 1994 Impala SS produced 260 bhp, and was considered fast for its time. How our expectations change. Still, the Marauder weighs more than two tons, so the engine has its work cut out for it. Drivers who expect the Marauder to smoke its tires at every stop sign will be disappointed. Modern tires are much better than those of the Sixties, providing too much grip for this behavior. You can still spin the tires if you work at it. But otherwise, the power goes into acceleration, not tire spinning.
As good as the engine is, the new suspension is even better. Mercury delayed introduction of the Marauder (originally a concept car displayed at the SEMA show in Las Vegas in late 1998) to use the new chassis of the 2003 Grand Marquis. This new frame shared by the Marauder, Grand Marquis, and Crown Victoria has new stronger hydroformed front rails, a new aluminum No. 2 crossmember and is generally more robust for improved stiffness. Chassis rigidity allows better engine and suspension mounting for better handling, and less noise, vibration and harshness transmitted into the body.
To this, Mercury stiffened up the Grand Marquis suspension, using special gas-charged monotube shock absorbers and, at the rear, air springs. A new Gripper" anti-roll bar was used up front for quicker response and a better on-center feel to the steering.
How good does it work? We tried the Marauder in two venues. One was the south course at Pocono International Raceway, a combination of the NASCAR Turn 1 high banking and a twisting road course across the infield. The track allowed acceleration onto the banking and a top speed through the big curve of around 100 mph. In almost any other family sedan, if it could go that fast, the tires would be howling in protest. The Marauder was asking for more, balanced front to rear and holding on like a championship square dancer in a power swing-your-partner.
Through the infield, the Marauder handled like a sports car, a big sports car. It was easy to place it anywhere on the track, thanks to precise variable-ratio rack-and-pinion steering. The Marauder has what racers call "good turn-in," or transition from driving straight to turning. It also has remarkable transient response, the ability to change from turning left to right and back again. Part of the credit goes to the excellent BFGoodrich g-Force T/A tires, which combine great grip with ride comfort. The only thing marring our attempt at playing Rapid Roy That Stock Car Boy were the seats, which simply lacked the lateral support to counter the lateral force the Marauder can develop, and an imprecise shifter that hobbled attempts to shift the car manually in the infield.
We were impressed with the ability of the Marauder to brake straight and sure from more than 100 mph, both the 4-wheel disc brakes to slow the vehicle and the suspension and steering to keep it under control.
Out on the road, the carefully cultivated exhaust note was just as evident on acceleration, though quiet when cruising. Choppy, patched-asphalt roads highlighted the firm suspension, but the frame and body feel solid and rattle-free. There's no apparent flex to the frame, so the bumps encountered don't result in a shuddering reverberation that's worse than the bump itself. Ride on smooth pavement is quiet, with little road or wind noise.
"
Add your own review or comments
