Auto Young Likewise. Those or a GNX and towards the end of high school a 300c; and now that I take the first true step into adulthood cars like these would be the best way to have fun while being able to haul the wife kid and dog
Auto Young I've always wanted this since I knew it existed. Multiple issues though: A. I'm too young for that much power and B. Cant afford it. I intend to get a P71 and drive that as a daily for around 5 years or so, and after college (if they're still around) try for a DOHC engine swap.
Get the Grand Marquis if you can find them. Marauder is hard to find, but the GMQ can give you the same power with a bit less sporty punch. I feel like I'm driving a sleeper with my Marquis. I plan on putting dual exhaust and a larger air intake on mine to boost the power though.
I have a 80 yr old customer that bought 1 of these new.. The salesman said, " Oh no sir, you don't want this 1, how about an LS? " He replied "Hell no! This is as close as I can get to my '70.." I have serviced and driven this car multiple times. It is LOUD and obnoxious to say the least. And I love it! It's a cop car on steroids.
@@Watcher3223 Just noticed a LS yesterday. Body panels look like they were shifted slightly, oxidation around badges. Not the car it could have been. Like a mid 90s Acura. Tarnished, but entirely capable.
Not the fastest car but you gotta remember it's a full size sedan with a Mach 1 motor. Sure you won't beat Mustangs or anything but losing by a couple yards ain't bad when you got 4doors of comfort. I'm happy with my 2003 Marauder.
CTJacob and 2 years later even worse. CVTs and direct fuel injection make many CUVs perform as well as this but no character and i wonder at comfort and reliability
Jon Davis does an exceptional job with these reviews. The intro at 1:05 is presented very clearly in a quick and informative manner. Backing a kick ass intro that makes anyone want to watch the rest of the review.
Imagine this came out with the 03 cobras 4.6 supercharged v8 390hp, I still remember when the cobra came out and ran mid 12s and was the fastest mustang in production. Now I own the 03 marauder and 03 cobra :)
I've had the pleasure of driving a few of these working at a Lincoln/Mercury dealer and this is still one of my favorites! Sure, sure, it's not "fast" per say, I've driven much quicker cars, but those cars were typically smaller too, but for it's class this car is damn quick. And the exhaust note still resonates in my memory today. If I've got a chunk of change to blow on a car I'd probably still buy one.
MAN_ON_WHEELZ go for it, I saw one recently (about a year ago) in long Island NY with about 8k miles and in pristine condition going for 8k, and that was at a dealership....they also had no idea what it was, figured it was "just" a panther body grand marq....I know, cuz I was working there. never sold it, wound up being auctioned for 4500....whoever eventually got that car got away with murder haha
Garrett Smith WHAAAAAAT?!?! I look online around here and the car is worth at least $15,000 for a steal! How do you not know what this thing is?!?! JUST LISTEN TO THE EXHAUST!!! lol God I miss driving these cars.
+iBeer420noscope You sure about that? Cause just assuring any upgrades you add won't damage the drivetrain alone may run you a grip. If you do manage to get a CV to go faster you'll likely have spent the same or more than you would simply buying a Marauder.
Awesome car!! I remember eyeing these back in '03 at the dealership, while taking my '88 Grand Marquis in for service. My '88 was a great running car. The 302 had nice power, would light the tires up off of the line, nothing fast at higher speeds but cruised nicely. Ride was velvety smooth, a true luxury cruiser.
I feel like what really held this car back performance wise was the 4 speed Auto and 3.55 gears. I think if it had an extra gear and 3.73s or 4.10s it would be a lot quicker
I got a retired Crown Vic Police Interceptor a couple of weeks ago, it's probably gonna be the closest thing i'll ever get to one of these Marauders, and I love it already. Love these old Panther platform boats, as well as their B body rivals from GM.
do the crown vic police cars have a better transmission than the caprice LTZ or impala SS, i keep seeing they cant handle the power of the LT1 and break easily.
@@jinglemyberries866 Honestly? I wouldn't know because I've never had an Impala SS or Caprice (would honestly love to have a Caprice 9C1). But I can say the Police Interceptor's transmission is pretty sturdy, even coming with its own intercooler.
I always loved these. Saw an old lady driving one a few months back. Wonder if she thought she was just getting a standard Grand Marquis? Then again, there's an old lady that works out at my gym that drives a Mustang Laguna Seca , and she really drives it. She doesn't drive like an old lady.
Awesome car. With a set of 4.10's, a looser converter and a good tune these were bad ass cars!!!!! I had a 97 that I swapped to dual exhaust, 3.73's, a Jmod and a good tune and it was as quick as a 5 speed mustang GT of the same vintage.
Love these. I remember when the FL Hwy Patrol purchased some to use as unmarked cruisers. I know they had some silver ones. I think, like the Impala SS, Marauders only came in black the first year, but then added a couple more colors by the next year.
0-60 is not always representative of real world performance. Where this big Merc shines is in passing power when, say, you are behind a yozo in a pick up doing 50 and you need to get around him. This car just blasts past cars when passing. This is typical for heavy but powerful cars. Their 0-30 is ho hum, but 30 - 60 is a flash.
I was very excited about this car in 2003 so I took one for a test drive. I just wasn’t satisfied with the performance but the looks were killer. I ended up waiting a year and getting the “new” Pontiac GTO.
I actually liked the 04-06 GTO because it was essentially a Corvette disguised as a Pontiac Grand Am or something like that. They were real sleepers. Plus it probably cost half as much as a Vette and actually had a back seat so it really could be used as a family car. A guy I know had one but he rolled it
I remember being at the local ford dealership as a kid when my dad was looking at a yellow mustang GT convertible 5 speed, and I was running through the cars and smacked my head off the mirror of a marauder. I still want one! But a P71 will do too.
Florida Highway Patrol had 18 brand new Marauders in different colors donated to them back in '04, and they used them for unmarked patrol duties throughout the state. I used to see them occasionally with someone stopped on I-4 or I-95 around Daytona.
DrewLSsix yeah, but ford is still stuck on the front wheel drive kick... i HATE front wheel drive... horrible under steer, chews through tie rods and ball joints, the cv axles dont last long, they handle like shit... had a 96 continental, what a fucking nightmare under that hood... cramped... could barely get the oil filter out when changing the oil... and it was almost impossible to get the radiator out to swap it... it had to come out the bottom...
That sounds like any RWD modern tbh, a f'kin pain in the arse, and all manufacturers are designing cars so that home servicing is near impossible, so you are tied to them for even a basic service. FWD cars are vastly superior when it comes to handling, and are much safer in the wet, because RWD cars constantly want to wag the tail, no weight over the driven wheels causes oversteer, even a Capri 1.6 will go sideways in the rain, and that has bog all power. American car companies haven't yet cracked how to make a decent FWD car, American cars are lets face it designed to go in a straight line, when it comes to the twisties, oh dear. I've had loads of FWD cars that have been a doddle to work on, a full service in 45 mins(plugs, points,cap and rotor arm, plug leads,oil, filters and coolant change), that was because the cars were deliberately designed for ease of maintenance, now if you don't have a laptop or canbus tool, you are pretty much screwed
craigybus1 vastly superior in adverse conditions maybe.... during regular daily driving quite unlikely. Emergency maneuvering, stopping distance, lateral grip ,maximum acceleration , HANDLING..... ALL GO TO REAR DRIVE VEHICLES OVER FRONT WHEEL DRIVE. always exceptions but none would compete with best rear wheel drive cars.. especially before 2014 or so. Ever notice how many grandma's drive the marquis and crown Vic. Outside of the snow belt/rust belt front wheel drive is totally irrelevant and inside of it we prefer all wheel drive or rear wheel drive if you can drive.... even in the snow. Nothing worse than understeering into oncoming traffic because your hand brake ,or even worse parking brake is broken.... front wheel drive.. = toy car. Not that any motor vehicle should be viewed as a toy.. just saying.
I drove a 1988 Mercury Grand Maquis up in the mountains of PA for three years. all you have to do is put some sand bags in the back and 2 Copper Weather master Studded winter tires.
Owned one, loved it! Sold it because the black paint was a pain to keep clean, poor quality paint to begin with, looked good though when clean and polished. Took up all the space in my one car garage.
My 05 Volvo S80 Premier with an T6, twin cam, twin turbo in-line 6. My Volvo weighs 3900 pounds and this luxury car runs 0-60 in 5.1 seconds consistently! 1/4 mile is 14.9 seconds at 104 mph all day long!
It sounds so good ! I would love to borrow one just for about 2 hours. The first hour to drive it , and the second hour to sit behind a bridge overpass on the New Jersey Turnpike with 3 quarters of the car visible and watch everyone braking and wondering ! ! ! Yes ! ! ! ! ! !
I never did understand why the 5.4 liter never made it into this model. The Marauder wasn't even as fast as a mid-90s Impala and the Impala had a old-school pushrod motor. Dropping a Coyote moter in the bay might may things interesting, though.
Lol This is the 32v 4.6, even the cop cars were stuck with 16v 4.6's. If my vic had this set up I would be happy. You think this is underpowered try 2.73 open diff, "239hp".
These were not meant to be speedsters, they were meant to be big, loud and badass. SO STOP POSTING MY CAMRY CAN GO 0-60 in 6 seconds. NOT A GOOD COMPARISION. 4000 lb cars were not meant to be super fast
kita- s4 weighs 3800 1bs while the mercury weighs 4200 lbs, has all wheel drive, is supercharged, is a much newer car with a dual clutch transmission and costs double what the mercury costs. also, motor week always posts ridiculously slow 0-60 times....do some research online and you'll see the marauders do 60 in the 5s. you are an imbecile....
@@dudndadn12212 - you forgot to mention the turbo. All you import people always talk about my 4 cylinder this , my 6 cylinder that but conveniently forget to mention the turbocharger.
I had just bought a black Crown Vic when they rolled this out. Grrrr! It was a great car for clearing out the malingering nimrods in the left lane but terrible in the snow.
Saw one a few days ago cruising through a Walmart parking lot in Coos Bay, Oregon. Sixty-something grey haired lady behind the wheel...And that car sounded G O O D, people !
This car is wonderful and hilarious. MotorWeek, if you ever reviewed the Pontiac Bonneville GXP, Grand Prix GXP, or W-body Impala SS (with the 303 V8)... any chance we can get those as Retro Reviews too? There was a wonderful resurgence of capable yet half-assed Detroit muscle in the mid-2000s, and I (and surely others) have a soft spot for those cars.
Im not a ford product guy im more of a mopar or gm, i like the 2000-05 impala ss but damn the marauder looks mean and its rear wheel drive something gm should’ve done for the impala
It only cost $5,000 more than the Grand Marquis which sold for $30,000 and a Lincoln Town Car that same year so for $45,000 new. So 35,000 for a tricked-out mean looking car with more horsepower and torque really wasn't a bad deal
I was excited to buy one of these when new, but after all the tests came out I decide it was just too slow. Not enough torque. It needed a supercharger or a 5.4.
Favorite vehicle of the Panther Platform! 4.6L Modular DOHC (Dual Overshaft Cam Engine IIRC), V8, 302hp, had the brakes and suspension of the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, and had a lot more good stuff.
Sure, it isn't as fast as some of the next competition it would have had (say cars like the Charger and other performance sedans), but one has to remember that these things are HUGE. And, from what I understand, it is pretty simple and easy to mod them to get way more power and speed from them.
99% of Marauders can / are running 14.5s with a tune and 4.10 gears. Quality control wasn't the best when they were building these. and the cams didn't really get degreed very well. Some Stock Marauders ran slower than 15.6, while one that I know of, was documented to run 14.5 100% stock. heck some people just get the factory cams degreed and they see great results. FoMoCo can make good stuff, but they love to half ass things and call stuff good enough.
They did. My 07 crown Vic Lx Sport has the same stance similar wheels floor shift leather etc no gauges by the shifter. Gotta see it to appreciate it. Lower HP of course.
See? That's what I mean. Why would you want to want to put your little wee wee into another guy's mouth? Why would you even joke about it? Say, does your mother know you're on the computer again?
Old post I know...but I notice that MotorWeek didnt tell us all that the oil gage is a 'dummy gage'...it is preset to only show 1 pressure....not the actual oil pressure as it goes up or down, it just defaults to a preset 'ok' number...thats a lot of help!
at chevy stills win 1996 impala ss is fast 1/4 with less hp , and equal torque, older tires better handling and higher top speed, and better breaking depsite being 7 yrs older
+HorseRancher92 I agree. remember though, Ford could have actually put this car together in 1994, the body, frame, and engine all existed at that time. by the time they made this Marauder, it was the last body on frame car being built(it and it's siblings) in the country. Heck they could have made a Marauder in 1979- thats how old the Panther chassis is they built all those crown vic types on lol.
Saying the Marauder isn’t a police cruiser? The Florida Highway Patrol fielded tuned Marauders as high-speed interceptors. I spoke with a guy that drove one. Those things are pretty fast for big American boats.
A hidden gem among modern sedans, it’s too bad nobody saw this review, it basically explains why it’s the most bad ass sedan ever made yet almost no one bought it and it faded into history very quickly, ironically most of them ended up as police cars because they had the money to buy them, in fact the US military had a lot of them
@@FL50ssp Negative. The impala ss is only faster 0-60 and sometimes at quarter-mile times. It also has a more cushy/softer ride than the Marauder, however the Marauder handles way better and pulls harder on the highway. I own both a 1995 and a 2003. Both stock
Power to weight ratio may not be good but these cars are reliable and they make TONS of parts for these. Buddy has one with a cobra supercharger amd tuned to 500hp that he drives everyday.
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Still want a Marauder or a 96 Impala SS for a daily. Those were the cars of my childhood that got me excited.
Me too buddy. 94-96 Impala is my dream car but I've also loved the look of these as well
Auto Young Likewise. Those or a GNX and towards the end of high school a 300c; and now that I take the first true step into adulthood cars like these would be the best way to have fun while being able to haul the wife kid and dog
I had a 94 SS number 400 of the 500 that came into Canada, drove it for 17 years everyday... I miss that car
Auto Young I've always wanted this since I knew it existed. Multiple issues though: A. I'm too young for that much power and B. Cant afford it. I intend to get a P71 and drive that as a daily for around 5 years or so, and after college (if they're still around) try for a DOHC engine swap.
Get the Grand Marquis if you can find them. Marauder is hard to find, but the GMQ can give you the same power with a bit less sporty punch. I feel like I'm driving a sleeper with my Marquis. I plan on putting dual exhaust and a larger air intake on mine to boost the power though.
I have a 80 yr old customer that bought 1 of these new.. The salesman said, " Oh no sir, you don't want this 1, how about an LS? " He replied "Hell no! This is as close as I can get to my '70.." I have serviced and driven this car multiple times. It is LOUD and obnoxious to say the least. And I love it! It's a cop car on steroids.
The LS is Junk
@@monkeywkeys3916 _The LS is Junk_
Well, it depends.
Was it the Lincoln LS or the Mercury Grand Marquis LS?
@@Watcher3223
Take a guess
@@monkeywkeys3916 I would imagine the guess is easy; the Lincoln LS would be the one that's junk.
@@Watcher3223
Just noticed a LS yesterday. Body panels look like they were shifted slightly, oxidation around badges. Not the car it could have been. Like a mid 90s Acura. Tarnished, but entirely capable.
*Still my dream car even in today's world!!*
You got to love these retro reviews Motorweek posts.
I know right . I like the 1990 Lexus Ls 400
+Car Commercials of the Past I really do, are my favs
+Car Commercials of the Past This is why I love motorweek. I hop they do a crown vic. If they haven't already.
Car Commercials of the Past. sure do
I'm amoparman look for the panther s review. it's a must see for crown vic people!
Not the fastest car but you gotta remember it's a full size sedan with a Mach 1 motor. Sure you won't beat Mustangs or anything but losing by a couple yards ain't bad when you got 4doors of comfort. I'm happy with my 2003 Marauder.
+oakcliffscrewhead You can't explain this to braindead assholes man...
+Patrick Simmons Lol yup.
I remember back then I would have wet dreams for this car. It's just sexy as fuck.
Some don't realize that to some car people, it's really not about the numbers. It's about how the whole package makes you feel
Its a mark viii engine!!
You know you live in a spoiled performance era when 7.5 seconds 0-60 is considered slow.
CTJacob and 2 years later even worse. CVTs and direct fuel injection make many CUVs perform as well as this but no character and i wonder at comfort and reliability
Its considered slow because modern tech cars can perform at that level now, its called improvement.
A first-gen Ford Edge SUV with a 265hp V6 performed exactly the same as this car. Funny.
I had someone tell me my 5.7 sec 0-60 was slow on my gs400 SMH
@Mike Smith thanks it's a good car very smooth quiet and fast you would be very surprised at what I've beaten only bad part Is the gas mileage haha
I saw one of these on the road... So rare and so majestic.
these are already a classic.
+Cissies I know, right?! Ugh.
+Cissies fuck yeah.
one of the finest muscle modern type sedans!
+pleb I'm already down for this car. It's like the "more rare" SS monta carlo of the late 90s
Yep rare to find
awesome cars
Can we have a national day of mourning when Jon Davis passes.... I mean he will live forever but just in case.
Exactly! The man is a legend in the automotive press.
He's a damn cyborg
He doesn't even have a Wiki yet. Someone should write one.
Take the red pill DONT YOU FUCKING DARE BASTARD
He’s only 72 he’ll still be doing the show for a good many years probably
OMG, I feel so damn old. I remember watching this review! I absolutely loved this car, it was a classic right off the production line.
Jon Davis does an exceptional job with these reviews. The intro at 1:05 is presented very clearly in a quick and informative manner. Backing a kick ass intro that makes anyone want to watch the rest of the review.
Imagine this came out with the 03 cobras 4.6 supercharged v8 390hp, I still remember when the cobra came out and ran mid 12s and was the fastest mustang in production. Now I own the 03 marauder and 03 cobra :)
Man that’s sweet!
Talk about a dream car garage!
Plenty of supercharger kits available for the marauder
I've had the pleasure of driving a few of these working at a Lincoln/Mercury dealer and this is still one of my favorites! Sure, sure, it's not "fast" per say, I've driven much quicker cars, but those cars were typically smaller too, but for it's class this car is damn quick. And the exhaust note still resonates in my memory today. If I've got a chunk of change to blow on a car I'd probably still buy one.
MAN_ON_WHEELZ go for it, I saw one recently (about a year ago) in long Island NY with about 8k miles and in pristine condition going for 8k, and that was at a dealership....they also had no idea what it was, figured it was "just" a panther body grand marq....I know, cuz I was working there. never sold it, wound up being auctioned for 4500....whoever eventually got that car got away with murder haha
Garrett Smith WHAAAAAAT?!?! I look online around here and the car is worth at least $15,000 for a steal! How do you not know what this thing is?!?! JUST LISTEN TO THE EXHAUST!!! lol God I miss driving these cars.
MAN_ON_WHEELZ You could mod a well maintained crown vic, it'll be faster and half the price.
+iBeer420noscope You sure about that? Cause just assuring any upgrades you add won't damage the drivetrain alone may run you a grip. If you do manage to get a CV to go faster you'll likely have spent the same or more than you would simply buying a Marauder.
@@garrettsmith553That's wild! Most Marauders go for $20K-$30K today at the dealer.
Great, full-frame, reliable, SAFE car. It is sad these are not made anymore.
The Subaru WRX?
+Grip Maniac Subaru made a v8?
+Grip Maniac I didn't know WRX's are full frame...
+Thought Police full frame is inferior in most ways that matter to modern cars. Especially safety
+Signkutter signkutter we have differing meanings as to what is inferior.
"Backseat has plenty of room. It can acommodate up to 3 fullsize suspects in comfort."
I road in one of these a few months ago. It is a great, powerful ride and it does make other drivers nerves. One heck of a way to be noticed!
+kirk kopak oh yes!
I have one of these and I love it, tossed a MagnaFlow exhaust on it and it purrs so beautifully
Like the factory auto-meter gauges.
Awesome car!! I remember eyeing these back in '03 at the dealership, while taking my '88 Grand Marquis in for service. My '88 was a great running car. The 302 had nice power, would light the tires up off of the line, nothing fast at higher speeds but cruised nicely. Ride was velvety smooth, a true luxury cruiser.
I feel like what really held this car back performance wise was the 4 speed Auto and 3.55 gears. I think if it had an extra gear and 3.73s or 4.10s it would be a lot quicker
I got a retired Crown Vic Police Interceptor a couple of weeks ago, it's probably gonna be the closest thing i'll ever get to one of these Marauders, and I love it already. Love these old Panther platform boats, as well as their B body rivals from GM.
Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Marauder is great cars
do the crown vic police cars have a better transmission than the caprice LTZ or impala SS, i keep seeing they cant handle the power of the LT1 and break easily.
@@jinglemyberries866 Honestly? I wouldn't know because I've never had an Impala SS or Caprice (would honestly love to have a Caprice 9C1). But I can say the Police Interceptor's transmission is pretty sturdy, even coming with its own intercooler.
@@eddierools Same here the 9C1 that is a good one. Its good it has its own intercooler, thanks.
@@jinglemyberries866 Definitely a great car to use as a daily driver if you can find one with reasonable mileage and in good shape
Didn't look like a car with a 300hp engine but like the pipes! Pretty sweet ride!
coolest panther ever
Thank you Motor week, thanks for the resto reviews!
The exhaust on these cars sounded amazing back in the day.
A little more displacement would have been good . Or a supercharger . Nice car .
I had one back in 2005, that car was fun to drive! Never should have sold it!!! One thing I forgot to mention, it was also extremely reliable.
Moves pretty good for a 4100 lb full size car. Bolt a supercharger on it and you have a beast. Handling is great too
I always loved these. Saw an old lady driving one a few months back. Wonder if she thought she was just getting a standard Grand Marquis? Then again, there's an old lady that works out at my gym that drives a Mustang Laguna Seca , and she really drives it. She doesn't drive like an old lady.
Jon must’ve been so excited to see those volts and oil pressure gauges.
Awesome car. With a set of 4.10's, a looser converter and a good tune these were bad ass cars!!!!!
I had a 97 that I swapped to dual exhaust, 3.73's, a Jmod and a good tune and it was as quick as a 5 speed mustang GT of the same vintage.
$35,000 13 years ago doesn't seem inexpensive to me.
holy crap.... 35k !.....
+El Guapo I was thinking the same thing.
For 35k in 2003...there were better sedans available ...faster, better handling, lighter
***** nope, fact. Go back 2003 car reviews , track times, mpg , reliability ratings...not hard to verify
Yea 35K was ridiculous..ancient platform, mediocre performance, and a half-assed interior upgrade over a reg Grand Marquis! Pitiful showing indeed..
I want to get one of these and add a Roush supercharger and swap in a T5... mmm... hell yeah.
“Quick if not exceptional 7.5 seconds” oh how times have changed
Some minivans could have dusted this Mercury off in 2003 or close to it. A 2021 Honda Pilot mom-mobile with a 3.5 V6 does 0-60 in 6.9 now. LOL.
@@scdevon POS
With a 10 speed transmission @@scdevon
Mercury Marauder was the Crown Vic's Evil 😈 twin, badass and fast.
It was the Grand Marquis’s evil twin!!!
OK let's comprises, it was both.
Imagine what it could do with a modern transmission!
Love these. I remember when the FL Hwy Patrol purchased some to use as unmarked cruisers. I know they had some silver ones. I think, like the Impala SS, Marauders only came in black the first year, but then added a couple more colors by the next year.
0-60 is not always representative of real world performance. Where this big Merc shines is in passing power when, say, you are behind a yozo in a pick up doing 50 and you need to get around him. This car just blasts past cars when passing. This is typical for heavy but powerful cars. Their 0-30 is ho hum, but 30 - 60 is a flash.
just bought my uncles 04 and can confirm, thing is a rocket beyond 50 mph....
I think i keep watching these because i miss my childhood lol.
I own a 2004 with 19000 miles and it is awesome!
2013 I bought a new 04 with 4 miles. It's now got 58,000. and is still showroom! It still sports the original batter!
I have always been a fan of these Marauders. 👍🏿
I was very excited about this car in 2003 so I took one for a test drive. I just wasn’t satisfied with the performance but the looks were killer. I ended up waiting a year and getting the “new” Pontiac GTO.
I actually liked the 04-06 GTO because it was essentially a Corvette disguised as a Pontiac Grand Am or something like that. They were real sleepers. Plus it probably cost half as much as a Vette and actually had a back seat so it really could be used as a family car. A guy I know had one but he rolled it
@@jeremythompson9122 too bad it was 100 percent plastic, theres a reason you see no GTOs on the road today, coolant killed them
I remember being at the local ford dealership as a kid when my dad was looking at a yellow mustang GT convertible 5 speed, and I was running through the cars and smacked my head off the mirror of a marauder. I still want one! But a P71 will do too.
That would have been sooooo cool with a 6-speed manual...
Florida Highway Patrol had 18 brand new Marauders in different colors donated to them back in '04, and they used them for unmarked patrol duties throughout the state. I used to see them occasionally with someone stopped on I-4 or I-95 around Daytona.
too bad the brand has gone away now we just have Lincoln
Dajour D. new continental is good looking.
DrewLSsix yeah, but ford is still stuck on the front wheel drive kick... i HATE front wheel drive... horrible under steer, chews through tie rods and ball joints, the cv axles dont last long, they handle like shit... had a 96 continental, what a fucking nightmare under that hood... cramped... could barely get the oil filter out when changing the oil... and it was almost impossible to get the radiator out to swap it... it had to come out the bottom...
That sounds like any RWD modern tbh, a f'kin pain in the arse, and all manufacturers are designing cars so that home servicing is near impossible, so you are tied to them for even a basic service. FWD cars are vastly superior when it comes to handling, and are much safer in the wet, because RWD cars constantly want to wag the tail, no weight over the driven wheels causes oversteer, even a Capri 1.6 will go sideways in the rain, and that has bog all power. American car companies haven't yet cracked how to make a decent FWD car, American cars are lets face it designed to go in a straight line, when it comes to the twisties, oh dear. I've had loads of FWD cars that have been a doddle to work on, a full service in 45 mins(plugs, points,cap and rotor arm, plug leads,oil, filters and coolant change), that was because the cars were deliberately designed for ease of maintenance, now if you don't have a laptop or canbus tool, you are pretty much screwed
craigybus1 vastly superior in adverse conditions maybe.... during regular daily driving quite unlikely. Emergency maneuvering, stopping distance, lateral grip ,maximum acceleration , HANDLING..... ALL GO TO REAR DRIVE VEHICLES OVER FRONT WHEEL DRIVE. always exceptions but none would compete with best rear wheel drive cars.. especially before 2014 or so. Ever notice how many grandma's drive the marquis and crown Vic. Outside of the snow belt/rust belt front wheel drive is totally irrelevant and inside of it we prefer all wheel drive or rear wheel drive if you can drive.... even in the snow. Nothing worse than understeering into oncoming traffic because your hand brake ,or even worse parking brake is broken.... front wheel drive.. = toy car. Not that any motor vehicle should be viewed as a toy.. just saying.
I drove a 1988 Mercury Grand Maquis up in the mountains of PA for three years. all you have to do is put some sand bags in the back and 2 Copper Weather master Studded winter tires.
Owned one, loved it! Sold it because the black paint was a pain to keep clean, poor quality paint to begin with, looked good though when clean and polished. Took up all the space in my one car garage.
I'm addicted to Motorweek, circa 1990's, help!
I saw one last week on the Highway. Still looks great today . 💪🏻💪🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸
After owning and really loving an 04 P71 crown vic I want one of these with a fierce desire
+Corbin Goodwin Do a search on Cars.com and you'll find several for sale right now (hint: don't limit the search radius).
+Corbin Goodwin There's one near us for $7500!
My 05 Volvo S80 Premier with an T6, twin cam, twin turbo in-line 6. My Volvo weighs 3900 pounds and this luxury car runs 0-60 in 5.1 seconds consistently! 1/4 mile is 14.9 seconds at 104 mph all day long!
It sounds so good ! I would love to borrow one just for about 2 hours. The first hour to drive it , and the second hour to sit behind a bridge overpass on the New Jersey Turnpike with 3 quarters of the car visible and watch everyone braking and wondering ! ! ! Yes ! ! ! ! ! !
I just got a regular model and I love it. They are just a nice car to drive.
Why i love MW: Call us Alan Jackson, because we wanna buy this Mercury and cruise it up and down the road...
This thing was a beast and sounded so mean. Use to drive them back in the early 2000s when I worked at a Mercury Dealership.
It really should have had a spoiler.and it was stupid to not put a manual
bomb ass car. ive watched a lot of this series already and you just put one of my favorite cars on here, nice
I never did understand why the 5.4 liter never made it into this model. The Marauder wasn't even as fast as a mid-90s Impala and the Impala had a old-school pushrod motor.
Dropping a Coyote moter in the bay might may things interesting, though.
FunkyDPL Would make for a interesting swap
Exactly, this heavy car needed the torque of the 5.4, especially since it only has a 4 speed auto.
The Coyote V8 will make this car a veroucious beast.
Lol This is the 32v 4.6, even the cop cars were stuck with 16v 4.6's. If my vic had this set up I would be happy. You think this is underpowered try 2.73 open diff, "239hp".
Finally! I've been waiting forever for you guys to upload this clip.
My dream car for sure.
These were not meant to be speedsters, they were meant to be big, loud and badass. SO STOP POSTING MY CAMRY CAN GO 0-60 in 6 seconds. NOT A GOOD COMPARISION. 4000 lb cars were not meant to be super fast
Jeff Kitchen my 4000 lb audi s4 can do a sub 5 second 0-60 with two less cylinders.
Kita completely different type of car. Different propose in life
kita- s4 weighs 3800 1bs while the mercury weighs 4200 lbs, has all wheel drive, is supercharged, is a much newer car with a dual clutch transmission and costs double what the mercury costs. also, motor week always posts ridiculously slow 0-60 times....do some research online and you'll see the marauders do 60 in the 5s. you are an imbecile....
A marauders 0-60 is about 6.5 seconds
@@dudndadn12212 - you forgot to mention the turbo. All you import people always talk about my 4 cylinder this , my 6 cylinder that but conveniently forget to mention the turbocharger.
I had just bought a black Crown Vic when they rolled this out. Grrrr! It was a great car for clearing out the malingering nimrods in the left lane but terrible in the snow.
32 valves they sound really nice and they can handle more power then 2 valve can
Awesome car!!! These looked so badass & futuristic for the time, they still look amazing too.
Saw one a few days ago cruising through a Walmart parking lot in Coos Bay, Oregon. Sixty-something grey haired lady behind the wheel...And that car sounded G O O D, people !
I wanted one of these when they were introduced.
This car is wonderful and hilarious. MotorWeek, if you ever reviewed the Pontiac Bonneville GXP, Grand Prix GXP, or W-body Impala SS (with the 303 V8)... any chance we can get those as Retro Reviews too? There was a wonderful resurgence of capable yet half-assed Detroit muscle in the mid-2000s, and I (and surely others) have a soft spot for those cars.
RCR sent me here.
they also sent me here. I ended up watching that video when it came out and then purchased one.
JustGabe thanks man. Appreciate it!
who?
Trevor Williams regular car reviews
Eh.
Only a little bit more than 1000 miles on the odometer and the leather of the driver seat is starting to deteriorate on the lower side 5:06
I've always wanted one of these.
+Biker Jim Me too! it has such a tamed mature sound. Its there when you want to hear it !
me too.
Sad, Mercury no more. I think that the Mercury division was a really good company, for Ford. THIS Marauder was one of my dream cars!
My last car, '94 9c1 Caprice ran 14.53 with just headers, exhaust and shift kit.
+kwk1 Nobody gives a rat's ass...
+Patrick Simmons Well, apparently you took the time to respond, Fuckwit
Lol...
Nice comeback bro...
+Patrick Simmons The LT1 Caprices are faster than any Panther and it was 7ish years older.
Im not a ford product guy im more of a mopar or gm, i like the 2000-05 impala ss but damn the marauder looks mean and its rear wheel drive something gm should’ve done for the impala
$35k in 2003. Gee, I wonder why it didn't sell well.
It only cost $5,000 more than the Grand Marquis which sold for $30,000 and a Lincoln Town Car that same year so for $45,000 new. So 35,000 for a tricked-out mean looking car with more horsepower and torque really wasn't a bad deal
I liked the 32v 4.6. This car was a really nice package, I would love to find a survivor.
Marauders where used by the FBI and some state and local law enforcement. They cost more than the Crown Vics, but they out performed the Crown Vics.
CarlsCustomCreations I believe that, but why would they not just upgrade some Crown Vics? Tons of people do that, why not police departments?
One of my favorite cars growing up!
Needs a supercharger. Otherwise, a fine car.
I like watching this guys reviews, he might do the best reviews.
I was excited to buy one of these when new, but after all the tests came out I decide it was just too slow. Not enough torque. It needed a supercharger or a 5.4.
Favorite vehicle of the Panther Platform!
4.6L Modular DOHC (Dual Overshaft Cam Engine IIRC), V8, 302hp, had the brakes and suspension of the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor, and had a lot more good stuff.
These were cool, but slow even in '03
everything ford builds stock is slow
@@crownvictorialifestyle4421 laughs in gt and gt500
I think this is the most excited I've ever heard this announcer!
While I still think the Marauder is cool, it wasn’t even considered that great when new. It was viewed as a weak effort by Mercury; which it was.
I had a 96 buick roadmaster with the LT1. Air intake and exhaust, stock highway tires and blown shocks ran a 15 flat at 91 mph lol
Ahhh take me back. This present day world sucks ass
I wish they had made more of that midnight blue variant. That is perfection.
A Legend in its own time 🍻🏆
Sure, it isn't as fast as some of the next competition it would have had (say cars like the Charger and other performance sedans), but one has to remember that these things are HUGE. And, from what I understand, it is pretty simple and easy to mod them to get way more power and speed from them.
99% of Marauders can / are running 14.5s with a tune and 4.10 gears. Quality control wasn't the best when they were building these. and the cams didn't really get degreed very well. Some Stock Marauders ran slower than 15.6, while one that I know of, was documented to run 14.5 100% stock. heck some people just get the factory cams degreed and they see great results. FoMoCo can make good stuff, but they love to half ass things and call stuff good enough.
Another failed attempt by Mercury to lure the young driver
If only Ford would've done something similar with the Crown Vic...
They did. My 07 crown Vic Lx Sport has the same stance similar wheels floor shift leather etc no gauges by the shifter. Gotta see it to appreciate it. Lower HP of course.
4:56 damn that had to have been just for him!
0-60 in 7.5 sec is minivan/crossover territory today.
+Patrick Simmons Your junk is so small it takes a woman 7.5 seconds to find it? That's pretty bad. I wouldn't go bragging about that, dude.
You found it in your mouth dude...
See? That's what I mean. Why would you want to want to put your little wee wee into another guy's mouth? Why would you even joke about it? Say, does your mother know you're on the computer again?
+Patrick Simmons Yeah. Looks like your diaper is full. Might want to take care of that so you don't sit around in it all day and smell like shit.
+Push Back Wow you're into scat too...a gay stalking scat freak...
Old post I know...but I notice that MotorWeek didnt tell us all that the oil gage is a 'dummy gage'...it is preset to only show 1 pressure....not the actual oil pressure as it goes up or down, it just defaults to a preset 'ok' number...thats a lot of help!
at chevy stills win 1996 impala ss is fast 1/4 with less hp , and equal torque, older tires better handling and higher top speed, and better breaking depsite being 7 yrs older
+HorseRancher92 the chevy had 360 ftlbs torque vs the Mercs 318..thats the deal breaker with the slight difference in of the line performance
+HorseRancher92 I agree. remember though, Ford could have actually put this car together in 1994, the body, frame, and engine all existed at that time. by the time they made this Marauder, it was the last body on frame car being built(it and it's siblings) in the country. Heck they could have made a Marauder in 1979- thats how old the Panther chassis is they built all those crown vic types on lol.
HorseRancher92
If you want a slower uglier car with transmission failures go ahead.
A stock marauder will out run a stock impala any day and will out handle an upgraded suspension impala as well..impala ss is extremely overrated
Impala= SHIT
Saying the Marauder isn’t a police cruiser? The Florida Highway Patrol fielded tuned Marauders as high-speed interceptors. I spoke with a guy that drove one. Those things are pretty fast for big American boats.
A hidden gem among modern sedans, it’s too bad nobody saw this review, it basically explains why it’s the most bad ass sedan ever made yet almost no one bought it and it faded into history very quickly, ironically most of them ended up as police cars because they had the money to buy them, in fact the US military had a lot of them
Nah 1994 - 1996 Impala SS was faster, handled better, and more desirable/collectible.
@@FL50ssp Negative. The impala ss is only faster 0-60 and sometimes at quarter-mile times. It also has a more cushy/softer ride than the Marauder, however the Marauder handles way better and pulls harder on the highway. I own both a 1995 and a 2003. Both stock
@@M113H Sorry but my experience says otherwise. However, I do agree SS is faster.
Power to weight ratio may not be good but these cars are reliable and they make TONS of parts for these. Buddy has one with a cobra supercharger amd tuned to 500hp that he drives everyday.
just got this recommended after watching cleetus video
I'm glad John is doing better these days. He was looking pretty rough when he was singing for Korn