jimlam56
02-07-2008, 07:09 PM
Not sure who the author is...
Some Features and Facts:
From 2003 to 2004, Ford produced the Marauder as a "high-performance" version of the Mercury Grand Marquis sedan, comparable in execution to the 1994-96 Chevrolet Impala SS. The Mercury Marauder was based on the Ford Panther platform, which utilized hydroformed body on steel-frame construction (which was then further reinforced providing 24% more torsional rigidity than a comparable Grand Marquis frame), speed-sensitive variable-assist rack and pinion steering, live solid rear axle with 3.55 gears mated to a limited-slip differential located by a lateral watts-linkage and upper and lower control arms, and police-grade 28mm and 21mm sway bars and suspension also consisting of a front short-long-arm (SLA) coil-over gas-pressurized monotube shock setup and rear monotubes that were mounted outboard of the main framerails with the addition of load-levelling (automatic ride-height management) rear air springs. The vehicle utilizes two different tire sizes; four 18x8 forged five-spoke wheels equipped with BF Goodrich G-Force KDWS 235/50WR18's in front and 245/55WR18's out back - allowing for side to side OEM tire rotation only. Braking consists of active traction control (2003 Late Build (300B) and all 2004s only) and four wheel ventilated, 11 inch rear and 12 inch twin-piston front, ABS disk brakes with electronic brake force distribution. The Marauder had a naturally aspirated 4.6 L DOHC V8 (the Ford Modular engine) producing 302 hp (225 kW) and 318 ft•lbf (431 N•m) of torque; this engine was used in the Mustang Mach 1 and Lincoln Aviator SUV produced between 2003 and 2005, albeit it was fitted with a new Roush twin 57mm tip-in throttle body and one of the least-restrictive air intake systems produced by Ford at the time, as well as borrowing the Aviator's truck cam (with its lower torque curve) resulting in a 7 second 0-60mph time for the 2+ ton automobile, (Steve Babcock, Ford's Mercury Marauder program manager, claimed mid to high 6 second times for stock, depending on break-in, but this remained unproven during independent tests). Fitted with a Faurencia dual exhaust starting with 2" diameter pipes up front, H-pipe cross-over, and 2¼" pipes out back with 3½" polished stainless Megs tips, the attention-getting exhaust tone decreases to a relatively low level once crusing speed has been achieved. The Marauders transmission is a 4-speed heavy duty overdrive automatic outfitted with a high stall-speed converter allowing RPMs to reach up into the engine's power-band (approximately 3000 - 4500 RPM) before transmitting torque through to the rear wheels under wide-open throttle (WOT) conditions. 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 mpg decrease in fuel economy[citation needed], 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, a set of simple valve-body modifications 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 unconfirmed 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 11,052 vehicles the Marauder was discontinued.
Some Features and Facts:
From 2003 to 2004, Ford produced the Marauder as a "high-performance" version of the Mercury Grand Marquis sedan, comparable in execution to the 1994-96 Chevrolet Impala SS. The Mercury Marauder was based on the Ford Panther platform, which utilized hydroformed body on steel-frame construction (which was then further reinforced providing 24% more torsional rigidity than a comparable Grand Marquis frame), speed-sensitive variable-assist rack and pinion steering, live solid rear axle with 3.55 gears mated to a limited-slip differential located by a lateral watts-linkage and upper and lower control arms, and police-grade 28mm and 21mm sway bars and suspension also consisting of a front short-long-arm (SLA) coil-over gas-pressurized monotube shock setup and rear monotubes that were mounted outboard of the main framerails with the addition of load-levelling (automatic ride-height management) rear air springs. The vehicle utilizes two different tire sizes; four 18x8 forged five-spoke wheels equipped with BF Goodrich G-Force KDWS 235/50WR18's in front and 245/55WR18's out back - allowing for side to side OEM tire rotation only. Braking consists of active traction control (2003 Late Build (300B) and all 2004s only) and four wheel ventilated, 11 inch rear and 12 inch twin-piston front, ABS disk brakes with electronic brake force distribution. The Marauder had a naturally aspirated 4.6 L DOHC V8 (the Ford Modular engine) producing 302 hp (225 kW) and 318 ft•lbf (431 N•m) of torque; this engine was used in the Mustang Mach 1 and Lincoln Aviator SUV produced between 2003 and 2005, albeit it was fitted with a new Roush twin 57mm tip-in throttle body and one of the least-restrictive air intake systems produced by Ford at the time, as well as borrowing the Aviator's truck cam (with its lower torque curve) resulting in a 7 second 0-60mph time for the 2+ ton automobile, (Steve Babcock, Ford's Mercury Marauder program manager, claimed mid to high 6 second times for stock, depending on break-in, but this remained unproven during independent tests). Fitted with a Faurencia dual exhaust starting with 2" diameter pipes up front, H-pipe cross-over, and 2¼" pipes out back with 3½" polished stainless Megs tips, the attention-getting exhaust tone decreases to a relatively low level once crusing speed has been achieved. The Marauders transmission is a 4-speed heavy duty overdrive automatic outfitted with a high stall-speed converter allowing RPMs to reach up into the engine's power-band (approximately 3000 - 4500 RPM) before transmitting torque through to the rear wheels under wide-open throttle (WOT) conditions. 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 mpg decrease in fuel economy[citation needed], 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, a set of simple valve-body modifications 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 unconfirmed 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 11,052 vehicles the Marauder was discontinued.