First Drive: 2003 Mercury Marauder

[UNCjigga]

NFS4 got scooped! Actually, someone else posted this a week ago, but the article has been updated yesterday. I can never get my searches right!

Linky

Hopefully now Chevy will bring back a REAL Impala SS. Not that I'd ever drive either car, but they would be badass to ride in!

 

[PG]

Promotional material for the Marauder shows the car spinning its rear tires during a burnout at a drag strip. Our initial impression is that the Marauder feels fast, but not in the classic muscle car way. Because of the wide rear tires and the engine's bias for mid- to high-end power, the car won't actually spin its tires during a normal acceleration run. It's only when the driver first applies the brakes for a brake-torque launch that the rear tires will break loose.

Nice, but it sounds like it needs a bit more low end torque.

 

[d33pt]

i was really excited about this car, thought it was going to be the next impala ss, but was really disappointed by the reviews. i had planned to buy one in 2004 or so, but i don't think i will now, especially not for over $30k

 

[Angrymarshmello]

The Cobra 4.6 was never a torque-y engine - it is praised for it's refinement. And no 1/4 or 0-60 times were posted in that review - it's kind of inconclusive to judge anything without those numbers

 

[Atrail]

Looks a whole lot like a Grand Marquis with a center console shifter instead of a steering column shifter.
Exterior looks a bit sharper.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Thats probably because it is a Grand Marquis and you can get the center console/shifter in the normal version too atleast I know you can in the crown vics. It just has a much nicer engine and suspension.

 

[bunker]

Originally posted by: RagingBITCH
The Cobra 4.6 was never a torque-y engine - it is praised for it's refinement. And no 1/4 or 0-60 times were posted in that review - it's kind of inconclusive to judge anything without those numbers

Mercury says the car will accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds, considerably faster than a stock Grand Marquis.

Granted it's the manufacturer that's stating the numbers, but they are there.