GTP Cool Wall - Mercury Marauder Panther

  • Thread starter Tornado
  • 52 comments
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Tornado

Tornado

40,420
** 2003-2004 Mercury Marauder suggested by JCE **
03marauder.jpg


Specs:
Engines - 4606cc DOHC 32-valve V8
Layout - FR
Transmission - 4-speed automatic
Power - 302 @ 5750 RPM
Torque - 318 @ 4300 RPM
Curb weight - 4199 lb
Zero to 60 mph - 6.9 sec
Standing 1/4-mile - 15.6 sec @ 94 MPH
Price - $34,325
​
 
Uncool. I know what Ford was trying to do here. I love the idea. They wanted to give baby-boomers who finally wanted to get rid of the Impala SS they had been holding on to something to upgrade into, while at the same time trying once again to make Mercury something other than "the division that somehow doesn't lose money." But there is so much wasted potential here.

First off all, they all but named this a follow-up to the Impala SS. I even recall adds that depicted it as such, though on the sly. Problem being, the Impala SS was a faster car despite having less power and more weight (the Impala SS also was much more happy to allow hoonery). The looks are there (I even think the Marauder looks better than the Impala of old). The performance wasn't.

Which brings me to my bigger problem: Ford wanted to do tons of stuff with this car and never did what they promised. I'll let the demise of the Marauder convertible concept go, because there wasn't enough sales to support it in the first place (despite the zero overhead that this car likely had). But the original concept flip-flopped between a detuned Terminator Cobra engine and a Triton truck engine, both tuned to around 335 HP and both more than enough to make everyone forget the Impala SS ever existed (heck, even a supercharged version of the normal Crown Victoria engine would have sufficed, and probably would have been cheaper than the pricey hand-built 4-valve). And then it finally came out with an engine that was barely adequate when it was in the SVT Cobra two years prior, making it sadly like Camaro vs Mustang Circa 1999 all over again. Ford says neither engine would fit, but I say they probably didn't even try (I'm sure the 5.4 would have been amazingly annoying to do; but the Terminator engine should have fit without much more than a hood rise, if that).
This lack of effort disappoints me, because at best the Marauder as it arrived represents what the entire Panther line (Crown Vic, Grand Marquis and Town Car) should have been as a baseline when it was redesigned in 2003, and the Marauder should have been a step above that. As it stands, it is a warmed over version of a car that itself should have been Marauder-good from the start, and it quite frankly isn't enough. The disappointing numbers only drive the point home further. I want to love this car. But unlike the Crown Victoria Interceptor, I just can't.
 
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I like it but its the typical stuff that Ford and GM do. They use outdated parts and try to pass it off as new stuff.

Uncool. You could have done better Ford...👎:grumpy:
 
No thought required, sub-zero.

Although if you actually think it might go to uncool. Too many fakes around here. And the fakes are friggin' slow.
 
It's cool, and yet, It's just not all that it could have been. Especially since, at the time, the Mustang GT motor would have fit, and made the car go much, much faster...

Kinda gotta go uncool.

EDIT: I didn't think It had the 24V engine in it, just the normal 4.6 cammer with the Police Package. I think the engine specs come from the Lincoln...It's either Mk VII or Continental.
 
Durnit. I just thought they did like Chevy and took their Police car, put shiny wheels on it, and called it a day.

Still, Toronado's made a compelling case for Uncool. I'm sticking by it.
 
A cool car until 3 months later you see 30'+ inch rims on them.:yuck:
The car yearns and pleads for a cool vote, but I'll discipline it with a firm, fair...
Uncool:tdown:
 
Big, heavy, underpowered for both it's capacity and it's weight, boring to look at, 4 speed auto (4 speed ffs!) and no doubt softly sprung with rollypolly handling.

Seriously uncool.
 
Pitracer100
A cool car until 3 months later you see 30'+ inch rims on them.:yuck:
The car yearns and pleads for a cool vote, but I'll discipline it with a firm, fair...
Uncool:tdown:
Click to expand...

I have yet to see a real Marauder with anything other than the stock rims. Chances are if you see any with modifications it's just a normal Gran Marquis that has been modified.
 
Four door, rear drive, V8 power, good(enough)looks. Cool.

I've always thought these looked great, considering what they are, and with nice dark tint, even better. Nothing special on the inside for sure, just looks mean from outside. I'm sure it's more than willing to lay some black stripes, and would be a fun vehicle to just cruise around in.
 
Toronado
Uncool. I know what Ford was trying to do here. I love the idea. They wanted to give baby-boomers who finally wanted to get rid of the Impala SS they had been holding on to something to upgrade into, while at the same time trying once again to make Mercury something other than "the division that somehow doesn't lose money." But there is so much wasted potential here.

First off all, they all but named this a follow-up to the Impala SS. I even recall adds that depicted it as such, though on the sly. Problem being, the Impala SS was a faster car despite having less power and more weight (the Impala SS also was much more happy to allow hoonery). The looks are there (I even think the Marauder looks better than the Impala of old). The performance wasn't.

Which brings me to my bigger problem: Ford wanted to do tons of stuff with this car and never did what they promised. I'll let the demise of the Marauder convertible concept go, because there wasn't enough sales to support it in the first place (despite the zero overhead that this car likely had). But the original concept flip-flopped between a detuned Terminator Cobra engine and a Triton truck engine, both tuned to around 335 HP and both more than enough to make everyone forget the Impala SS ever existed (heck, even a supercharged version of the normal Crown Victoria engine would have sufficed, and probably would have been cheaper than the pricey hand-built 4-valve). And then it finally came out with an engine that was barely adequate when it was in the SVT Cobra two years prior, making it sadly like Camaro vs Mustang Circa 1999 all over again. Ford says neither engine would fit, but I say they probably didn't even try (I'm sure the 5.4 would have been amazingly annoying to do; but the Terminator engine should have fit without much more than a hood rise, if that).
This lack of effort disappoints me, because at best the Marauder as it arrived represents what the entire Panther line (Crown Vic, Grand Marquis and Town Car) should have been as a baseline when it was redesigned in 2003, and the Marauder should have been a step above that. As it stands, it is a warmed over version of a car that itself should have been Marauder-good from the start, and it quite frankly isn't enough. The disappointing numbers only drive the point home further. I want to love this car. But unlike the Crown Victoria Interceptor, I just can't.
Click to expand...

This.

I vote uncool.
 
Sub Zero. Sedan? Check. Big throaty V8? Check. RWD? Check.

Uber win in my book.

This thread needs videos.



It's not stock, but still badass. :D
 
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Obviously I voted subzero. Its big, brash, quick and makes a very pleasant noise. It isn't meant to do anything other than be a daily driver with an attitude. Its just brilliant.

CDailey
Sub Zero. Sedan? Check. Big throaty V8? Check. RWD? Check.

Uber win in my book.

This thread needs videos.



It's not stock, but still badass. :D
Click to expand...


That noise is just the best in the world to come from a car. Just youtube marauder and supercharge and bathe in the world of awsomeness.
 
Uncool. Bordering on warm.

An antique albeit updated platform (introduced in 78 for some 79 models) with a live axle, from a brand catering mostly to the geriatric crowd, trying to compete with a car that had debuted almost 10 years before it? Really?

Kinda like an unattractive overweight older lady trying to be a MILF. Shouldn'a bothered.
 
Hmmm....

It's not a Crown Victoria.







But it IS a Panther...










But it's still not a Crown Victoria.






Pass.
 
Cool. Big, wallowy, old-school V8 sedan that looks suitably like something the bad guys in a film would drive. Not quite as cool as a P71, but still cool.
 
TheCracker
0-60 in 6.9 seconds? even a moderately warm-hatch would blow it away. Uncool.
Click to expand...

Maybe not to 60mph, but certainly after that:

Zero to 60 mph - 6.9 sec
Standing 1/4-mile - 15.6 sec @ 94 MPH
Click to expand...

What exactly is it doing in the next 8.7s that means it only manages another 34mph?
 
Famine
Maybe not to 60mph, but certainly after that:
Click to expand...

Well, perhaps not a moderately warm-hatch, but certainly any genuine Hot-hatch. Even a '98 Peugeot 306 Rallye - with a less than mighty 167bhp does 60 in the same time. ;)
 
Famine
Maybe not to 60mph, but certainly after that:



What exactly is it doing in the next 8.7s that means it only manages another 34mph?
Click to expand...

Running out of gear. They're only designed to quickly get up to 80. I wouldn't take it above 80 in that chassis anyway. :scared:
 

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