Mercury Marauder (2003)

Mercury Marauder

From 2003 to 2004, Ford produced the Marauder as a "high-performance" version of the Mercury Grand Marquis sedan.

The 2003 Mercury Marauder was based on the Ford Panther platform which utilizes a hydroformed steel frame, front rack and pinion steering, in addition to totally revised front and rear suspension with monotube shock absorbers, the Marauder also had a naturally aspirated 4.6 L DOHC V8 with 302 hp and 318 ft·lbf torque. 2004 was the last year for this Marauder mostly due to lackluster sales, blamed by some on bland styling and an incorrect target audience. Originally, they were produced in "any color the customer desired, so long as it was black." Eventually, the Marauder was offered in silver, blue, and red but in limited quantities.

After the Marauder was discontinued, the Ford Crown Victoria LX Sport remains and bears a similar appearance to the Marauder but is powered by the lesser 4.6 L 2-valve SOHC V8 engine rated at 239 hp. The LX Sport still offers the same exterior and interior colors of the Marauder, however it uses wood grain trim on the dashboard and doors, unlike the Marauder, which used aluminum.

Total production for the 2003 - 2004 Mercury Marauder was 11,052:

• 2003 - Total: 7839 (328 Blue, 417 Silver, 7094 Black)
• 2004 - Total: 3213 (980 Dark Toreador Red, 997 Silver, 1236 Black)

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