2003 Mercury Marauder

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You don't see these every day! This is a 2003 Mercury Marauder. The third generation Marauder saw only two years of production with just over 11,000 units built. It is a great looking sedan that was a variant of Mercury's Grand Marquis (over 180,000 built in that same time) but with a slew of performance upgrades along with a sporty, sinister appearance. The result is a spacious, comfortable car that looks terrific and is fun to drive.

This example shows a relatively low 49k miles (about 2,500 per year) and has a clean history. The body is very straight without any door dings, and the black paint has a nice shine though close inspection shows a few small clearcoat spots. There is limited factory brightwork with a bit of window trim, Mercury emblems, and 18 wheels with new tires all around. The windows are tinted which adds to the Marauder look as well. Finally, the red brake calipers and drilled / slotted rotors compete the package.

Beneath the hood is Fords 4.6L modular V8 rated at 302 hp nearly 40% more power than the standard Grand Marquis. Note this is the same platform used in the Mustang Mach 1 and is all stock except for a K&N air intake. The engine is backed by a 4R70W automatic overdrive transmission. This turns an aluminum driveshaft feeding the 8.8 limited slip rear end with 3.55 gears (same as the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor). The Marauder suspension and brakes are also upgraded over the Grand Marquis, and the power rack and pinion steering gives this big sedan a responsive feel.

The leather interior is very comfortable and in great condition throughout. The front power seats have the Mercury emblems on the seat backs while the rear bench has room for three. The dash area is very clean and uncluttered, and the factory AutoMeter gauges for oil pressure and battery voltage are present just ahead of the shifter. The electronic temperature control is nice to have and the sound system includes the optional 6-disc CD changer. Everything works properly with the exception of the adjustable pedals (a common issue on this platform). Keyless entry is also present along with an owners manual.

It is interesting to compare the Marauder to one of its few competitors, that being the Impala SS made from 1994-1996. They are similar muscle sedans with the same audience. However, the Marauder is much harder to find with only 11k built vs. 70,000 Impalas. It makes for a nice collectability factor in a car that is surprisingly practical but can still put a smile on your face.