Dear Ford...

[rct]

I work. I work for Your Government, on Your Air Traffic Control System, the one that runs in 160++ terminals. But enough about my day job.

I also work on my way to work, my way home from work, and on weekends. I work selling Marauders for you.

I answer questions. Lift the hood. Let them crawl under it. Even have taken some for a ride, but don't let them drive it.

I endure wolf whistles, following me to a parking spot, being met in the parking lot on my way out.

I have the only one around here it seems. I have seen exactly ONE other in this area, but I think he was on his way outta town. There is one about thirty miles up the road, haven't seen him lately though.

Please FoMoCo, put some ad money into Southern New Jersey. Let My People know what the EF this thing is. Ideas? Sure:

All four hobbits under that tree clump, Wraith above looking over. Behind him, not the horse...

Frodo and that Tyler chick on the horse, from the front, running from not the Wraiths on horses...

Gandalf and Frodo standing, Frodo with that "Holy CRAP" look on his face, the two of them circled by nine...

Well, you get the picture. Sorry to you Silver and Blues, we'll have to come up with something else for them.

How bout Saurons' huge nugget in the car, big old glove wearin the ring up on the wheel, car parked on Mt. Doom?

Just some suggestions. I enjoy the work, I really do. Just could use some help!

[Marauder57]

Samwise is that you???? ;)

[RF Overlord]

Actually, rct, you should be GLAD they don't do more advertising...now you have a unique car...that's EXACTLY why I wanted one to replace my Thunderbird SC, because it was uncommon...if I wanted a car that EVERYONE and his dog owns, like a Camaro or a Firebird or a Mustang, I'd have bought one of those...

[rct]

Originally posted by RF Overlord
Actually, rct, you should be GLAD they don't do more advertising...

I am. I really am. I just had a long three day weekend of Maraudertising. Fun to drive, fun to explain. I'm pretty durn glad there ain't a bunch of 'em roaming around!

[TripleTransAm]

Originally posted by RF Overlord
Actually, rct, you should be GLAD they don't do more advertising...now you have a unique car..


I'm liking this car so much, I'd want the car to be popular enough that they'd still be making them once it came time to trade up. As it is, it looks like the current beautiful iteration of this model will take a nap at 2005, so it's not like I can get an identical-looking 2006 or 2007 model anyway... but if they hold back on advertisement for THOSE models like they did for 2003, then I fear it'll be another case of "well, they don't sell so we're pulling the plug", if the next Marauder is worth getting.

[RF Overlord]

Originally posted by TripleTransAm
if the next Marauder is worth getting.

That says it all right there...

I'm afraid that 2-year gap will be used for a complete re-design that will turn it into some crapola wrong-wheel drive POS, like they did with the Cougar...God, I hope I'm wrong... :rolleyes:

[RCSignals]

I think the entire Panther line is supposed to be redesigned for 2007, isn't it?

Ford should never have said they'd build 18,000 of them. They should have simply said "limited availability" like General Motors is now doing with the "new" Impala SS, the Cadillac convert, and the "new" GTO.
Initially GM said they would build 18.000 GTOs. None of the current word from them says that anymore.

[SergntMac]

Originally posted by RCSignals
I think the entire Panther line is supposed to be redesigned for 2007, isn't it?

Actually, it was stated as '05, with introductions beginning in '04. LM has 4 new models slated for debut in '04, yes?

Something is stuck in the back of my head (and it's not an axe from TTA's garage) about a frame number change in the VIN. From M75 to M79...Now, hold that thought and dwell on this.

Steve Babcock at the Trilogy open house related that the MM would not be produced in '05 due to deadlines in corporate fuel economy and emissions that call for major changes in the platform. He said this in a way that leads this dreamer to wonder if there is a relationship between the frame number and corporate compliance with the deadlines.

Could it be possible that LM could keep the panther platform MM alive only as a low production limited edition exempt from the deadlines? Cull the M79 from the line, set it on the side for use later? This car is near perfect in many ways, and we have shown our readiness to play around with it. I think we made some points with LM. The platform has been in service so long, and this newly developed frame and all, I just can't see FMC not getting some more use from it in another way.

I usually don't do "what ifs", but this intrigues me now. Something to debate, yes?

[TripleTransAm]

Originally posted by RF Overlord

I'm afraid that 2-year gap will be used for a complete re-design that will turn it into some crapola wrong-wheel drive POS, like they did with the Cougar


Well, if there's one thing I learned in all the years I've been head-over-heels over American cars, it's that US automakers like to cut costs. And the best way to do that when revamping model lines is to consolidate them into as few different platforms as possible.

I was not surprised to hear that the LS was on the same platform as the T-bird.

Now, I saw this concept Lincoln Continental at the 2003 Montreal Auto Show last Fall. I also saw a concept Lincoln Mark VIII (which, by the way, looked AWESOME). About a week ago someone on this board mentioned the Ford 427. I searched the internet for some pics and found something that DEFINITELY looks like it belongs in the same family as the other cars I mentioned above. I recall having seen a Ford 500 concept car at some point, but can't remember if it showed the same family resemblance as the other cars I mentioned.

So.... if these cars are indeed going to replace the current Panther, then chances are the Marauder will get a piece of that pie. All we need to do is follow the development of that platform, and we'll know the base on which they'll build the next Marauder.

Wouldn't be the first time a car was redesigned after only being on the market a few years, and have it come back 10 times as successful. Look at the '70-'81 Firebird... the first generation only ran from late '67 to '69, but the next generation proved to be a home run!! And if the next generation of Marauder looks anything like the Lincoln Mark VIII that I spotted at the car show, well I'd definitely be impressed!
http://www.tripletransam.com/salon/Dscf6181.jpg

[TripleTransAm]

Originally posted by SergntMac
Could it be possible that LM could keep the panther platform MM alive only as a low production limited edition exempt from the deadlines?


As much as I'd love this to be the case (since I too believe this current platform to be an esthetic work of art), most government requirements apply to the entire lineup of cars within a manufacturer, so I doubt one line would be able to escape the knife, unless the requirements were self-imposed (ie. "Ford would like to bump up its CAFE results by x points for 2005"). But then again, have we ever seen a car manufacturer willingly cut profits in this day and age, especially Ford with its decontenting and other corner-cutting?

So, yeah, I gotta wonder why they poured so much engineering money into the Panther for 2003 only to have it redesigned by 2005. The model number thing might be a fluke... it wouldn't be the 1st time it happened... the original GTO became its own model (not an option on the Tempest) in 1966 or 1967, and the entire A-body lineup was redesigned for 1968. Maybe the 2003 re-engineering was supposed to debut earlier but was delayed and it wasn't worth it to scrap everything in anticipation of the 2005 requirements? (ie. the engineering was done, lets try to recoup costs)

One of the supposed reasons the Firebird/Camaro twins were killed off in 2002 was because of 2003 crash regulation changes (maybe that's why the Panther got a redesigned frame). There was no way to update the 1993-2002 F-chassis to the new regs without redesigning doors (side airbags), cowl, rear... ie. the whole damned car, and since they weren't serious about selling the cars (same advertising issues and CAFE concerns as Ford), they just let it die.

But it will be interesting to see what happens. This car kicks royal butt and in the spirit of this thread, it deserves to let itself be known to more people.
(proof: I haven't driven an F-body in about 2 weeks, and it's been NICE out!)

[RCSignals]

You may be on to something with the "M79" designation MAC. One has to wonder why it wasn't that way from the start. M79 essentially makes it a stand alone model, rather than a version of M75 Grand Marquis (even though the 2003s did have their own Order Guide.

Also, with respect to CAFE and emissions, the Marauder is ULEV compliant as far as California goes (says so on the sticker on my car) ULEV is a pretty good rating. Something Honda brags about, but Ford obviously didn't mention

[Bigdogjim]

Tell me again what is the down side to keeping the Marauder around as an "option" on current Mercury line up?The car did very well in '63, '64, & '65. as an "option package" on the "regular" Mercury line up. '69 & '70 stand alone models realy did not sell all that well.

Anyone?

[RCSignals]

BigDog, probably the biggest difference between the Mercury's then and now, is the Grand Marquis of today has the "granpa ride" stigma. Something that doesn't necessarily translate well into a muscle car, in many peoples minds.
Other than that it shouldn't make much difference