Vehicle Description
The only way to duplicate the experience of owning a Mercury
Marauder is to buy a six-figure German luxury sedan. A 32-valve V8,
rear-wheel drive, a capable suspension, big brakes, and room for
five were all standard equipment in this 2003 Mercury Marauder.
Today, these represent one of the most popular segments in the
hobby and with rarity on its side, this is the one to own.
Ford only built 328 Dark Blue Pearl Marauders in 2003, and we're
betting you never even realized they came in colors other than
black. But now that you've seen it, you understand why their owners
are so passionate. You could say that Ford was trying to copy Chevy
with their Impala SS, but that would be missing the point of the
Marauder, which was more sophisticated by design. The full-sized
Grand Marquis provided the foundation, and without the heavy chrome
and usual gold paint, the big Merc takes on an entirely new
personality. Check out the cool headlights, the body-colored
grille, and the slightly deeper front and rear fascias, all of
which transform Ford's Panther platform sedan into a sleek
performance machine. That unusual blue paint remains in very good
condition thanks to a passionate owner who kept it in top
condition, and with a slight tint on the windows, it still
maintains its intimidating presence even without being bathed in
black.
If you're young, you may not understand why a full-sized sedan is
getting people so excited, but once you slide behind the wheel of
this Marauder, you'll understand. There's just nothing like a big
American luxury car if space and comfort are priorities. The
Marauder got comfortable gray leather buckets in place of the usual
bench, as well as a custom center console with a pair of auxiliary
gauges built right in. White faced dials give the driver the
impression that this Marauder is a close relative of the Mustang
Cobra (more on that in a moment) and every single feature was
standard, including A/C, power windows, locks, mirrors, and seats,
cruise control, a rear defroster, a tilt wheel, and a
decent-sounding AM/FM/CD stereo system. The perforated leather
remains in excellent shape, particularly the giant back seat, which
seems hardly used. You also get one of the world's biggest trunks,
which is beautifully finished and includes a spare tire with a
matching cover.
But what makes the Marauder truly special is under the hood: a
32-valve dual-overhead cam V8 derived from the Mustang Cobra's
powerplant. Rated at a rather impressive 302 horsepower and 318
pounds of torque, it totally transforms Mercury's biggest sedan and
turns it into a car that you'll look forward to driving. This one
remains unmodified and if the Mustangs are any indicator, it should
last practically forever if you take care of it. It's buttery
smooth under all conditions and makes the most delicious exhaust
note this side of a Ferrari. The 4-speed automatic transmission
snaps off 6000 RPM upshifts if you keep your foot planted on the
floor, yet cruises in serene silence at near-triple-digit speeds if
you let it. The ride and handling compromise is biased towards the
ride side more than, say, the Impala SS, which means this Mercury
is very easy to live with on today's roads. It's very clean
underneath thanks to a lifetime in a warm climate and those giant
18-inch polished alloy wheels with giant 245/55/18 BFGoodrich meats
look fantastic against the blue paint.
These are suddenly red-hot collectables and as you can see, prices
are on the move. This is the one to keep, with its unusual paint
and unmodified powertrain, and they certainly won't be getting any
cheaper. Call today!