Ron
12-08-2007, 09:53 AM
2003-2004
Mercury Marauder
The Marauder was discontinued in 2004 mostly due to lackluster sales, blamed by some on styling too similar to that of the competing and lower cost Crown Victoria LX sport, an incorrect target audience, and a lack of major advertising or marketing of the car. There is some speculation that due to federal and industry CAFE/CARB/OBD regulations hidden performance capabilities were not made available from the factory, but were instead intended for owner implementation. Relatively simple changes such as 4.10 axle gearing and modified transmission shifting and converter lock-up dramatically improve drivability and performance - as if factored into the powertrain during the Marauders development - but were not made available at the time of purchase due to a 3 to 5 mph decrease in fuel economy, California emissions rules and other related factors. It is believed that word-of-mouth regarding the necessary changes to unlock the vehicles hidden performance did not spread rapidly and widely enough to impact sales, and arguably the Marauder became best known for the misunderstood "hype" regarding its performance capabilities, leading to the flagging sales which ultimately doomed its production.
Aftermarket parts availability for the Marauder is high, but expensive due to the low number of orders.[citation needed] OEM rear tires can be difficult to obtain as no other production vehicle in the U.S. uses the size selected for the Marauder. BF Goodrich has continued to provide these tires on limited production schedules. The nose-down body rake on the Marauder is not a function of the smaller front tires or a suspension modification, but rather the body design itself; as mounted to the vehicle chassis. The vehicle was awarded five-star front, front-side and rear-side government crash ratings and was equipped with dual-stage front and side-impact air-bags with automated passenger-weight-based auto-disable capability, safety belt pretensioners, load-limiting retractors and three LATCH child safety seat anchors in the rear.
A five passenger, 4,400 lb. 15 second quarter-mile four-door sedan from the factory, the 2003-2004 Marauder is often modified by its owner; there are a number of national Marauder clubs consisting of a few thousand members which provide extensive online support and information related to all aspects of the vehicle. Typical modifications which dramatically change and improve ride performance include installation of 4.10 gears, metal matrix drive shafts, thicker front and rear sway bars, upper and lower control arms, exhaust systems, ported intakes, cold-air intake kits, underdrive pulleys and the widely famed J-mod, developed by Jerry Wroblewski, one of the principal designers of the Ford 4R70W transmission. PCM tunes that have been customized for the Marauder are readily available for 91 and 93 octane rated fuel as well as 3.55 and 4.10 rear-end ratios, these in conjunction with other "mods" take the vehicle into the 12 and even 11 second range. Tinted windows and other cosmetic modifications making the vehicle badgeless, or reverting to Mercury's 60's or custom badging are also common. Less frequent due to high upfront-costs, but truly high-performance modifications include Marauder-specific superchargers available from multiple aftermarket vendors that easily boost the 4.6L stock engine output into the 400-550 horsepower range, taking the vehicle to 10 second quarter-miles with the assistance of drag-tires and upgraded suspensions and transmissions. In 2007 there have been rumors circulating of an uncomfirmed 9 second Marauder equipped with a custom twin-screw setup.
With available Marauders decreasing in number and an aggressively loyal following, a trend exits in upgrading Crown Victorias and Grand Marquis to look like the Marauder, but the drivetrain, suspension, exhaust system, bodystyle and interior differences set these far apart. Body cues are quite different on these vehicles, with front-to-rear rake being absent on look-alikes, as well as the larger rear tires. Also common is equipping the CV and GM with low cost Chinese-made cast Marauder aftermarket wheels rather than the forged aluminum factory wheels which were specifically crafted for the production vehicle. With actual resale prices exceeding published book values, and the Marauder being on various top-10 most stolen car lists in the US for 2004, 2005 and 2006, "look-alike" Marauders and other vehicles hoping to capitalize on existing demand can occasionally be found on Ebay and dealer websites.
After a production run of 11,053 vehicles the Marauder was discontinued, but the Ford Crown Victoria LX Sport remained, bearing a similar appearance to the Marauder but powered by the lesser 239 hp (178 kW) 4.6 L 2-valve SOHC V8. The LX Sport also includes smaller rims, softer suspension and a taller axle ratio than the Marauder.
See the the whole story here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Marauder
Mercury Marauder
The Marauder was discontinued in 2004 mostly due to lackluster sales, blamed by some on styling too similar to that of the competing and lower cost Crown Victoria LX sport, an incorrect target audience, and a lack of major advertising or marketing of the car. There is some speculation that due to federal and industry CAFE/CARB/OBD regulations hidden performance capabilities were not made available from the factory, but were instead intended for owner implementation. Relatively simple changes such as 4.10 axle gearing and modified transmission shifting and converter lock-up dramatically improve drivability and performance - as if factored into the powertrain during the Marauders development - but were not made available at the time of purchase due to a 3 to 5 mph decrease in fuel economy, California emissions rules and other related factors. It is believed that word-of-mouth regarding the necessary changes to unlock the vehicles hidden performance did not spread rapidly and widely enough to impact sales, and arguably the Marauder became best known for the misunderstood "hype" regarding its performance capabilities, leading to the flagging sales which ultimately doomed its production.
Aftermarket parts availability for the Marauder is high, but expensive due to the low number of orders.[citation needed] OEM rear tires can be difficult to obtain as no other production vehicle in the U.S. uses the size selected for the Marauder. BF Goodrich has continued to provide these tires on limited production schedules. The nose-down body rake on the Marauder is not a function of the smaller front tires or a suspension modification, but rather the body design itself; as mounted to the vehicle chassis. The vehicle was awarded five-star front, front-side and rear-side government crash ratings and was equipped with dual-stage front and side-impact air-bags with automated passenger-weight-based auto-disable capability, safety belt pretensioners, load-limiting retractors and three LATCH child safety seat anchors in the rear.
A five passenger, 4,400 lb. 15 second quarter-mile four-door sedan from the factory, the 2003-2004 Marauder is often modified by its owner; there are a number of national Marauder clubs consisting of a few thousand members which provide extensive online support and information related to all aspects of the vehicle. Typical modifications which dramatically change and improve ride performance include installation of 4.10 gears, metal matrix drive shafts, thicker front and rear sway bars, upper and lower control arms, exhaust systems, ported intakes, cold-air intake kits, underdrive pulleys and the widely famed J-mod, developed by Jerry Wroblewski, one of the principal designers of the Ford 4R70W transmission. PCM tunes that have been customized for the Marauder are readily available for 91 and 93 octane rated fuel as well as 3.55 and 4.10 rear-end ratios, these in conjunction with other "mods" take the vehicle into the 12 and even 11 second range. Tinted windows and other cosmetic modifications making the vehicle badgeless, or reverting to Mercury's 60's or custom badging are also common. Less frequent due to high upfront-costs, but truly high-performance modifications include Marauder-specific superchargers available from multiple aftermarket vendors that easily boost the 4.6L stock engine output into the 400-550 horsepower range, taking the vehicle to 10 second quarter-miles with the assistance of drag-tires and upgraded suspensions and transmissions. In 2007 there have been rumors circulating of an uncomfirmed 9 second Marauder equipped with a custom twin-screw setup.
With available Marauders decreasing in number and an aggressively loyal following, a trend exits in upgrading Crown Victorias and Grand Marquis to look like the Marauder, but the drivetrain, suspension, exhaust system, bodystyle and interior differences set these far apart. Body cues are quite different on these vehicles, with front-to-rear rake being absent on look-alikes, as well as the larger rear tires. Also common is equipping the CV and GM with low cost Chinese-made cast Marauder aftermarket wheels rather than the forged aluminum factory wheels which were specifically crafted for the production vehicle. With actual resale prices exceeding published book values, and the Marauder being on various top-10 most stolen car lists in the US for 2004, 2005 and 2006, "look-alike" Marauders and other vehicles hoping to capitalize on existing demand can occasionally be found on Ebay and dealer websites.
After a production run of 11,053 vehicles the Marauder was discontinued, but the Ford Crown Victoria LX Sport remained, bearing a similar appearance to the Marauder but powered by the lesser 239 hp (178 kW) 4.6 L 2-valve SOHC V8. The LX Sport also includes smaller rims, softer suspension and a taller axle ratio than the Marauder.
See the the whole story here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercury_Marauder