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Revision as of 04:38, 20 August 2006 by Ejfetters (talk | contribs) (→Fuel tank safety concerns)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) Motor vehicle| Mercury Grand Marquis | |
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| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Ford Motor Company |
| Production | 1967–present |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Fullsize luxury car |
| Body style | 4-door sedan |
| Platform | FR Panther |
| Related | Mercury Marauder Ford Crown Victoria Mercury Colony Park Lincoln Town Car |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Mercury Marquis |
The Mercury Grand Marquis is a full-size premium sedan built by the Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company at the St. Thomas Assembly Plant in Canada. The Grand Marquis is essentially a slightly more luxurious version of the Ford Crown Victoria, with a slightly higher price tag. It comes in two main trim levels; the GS and the more luxurious LS, which further divide into different packages with various options: GS (base model), GS Convenience, LS Premium, LS Ultimate and the LSE. The trim level can be identified by the fifth, sixth and seventh digits in the VIN. A Grand Marquis GS is represented by "M74", whilst a Grand Marquis LS/LSE is represented by "M75".
The Grand Marquis shares the same platform as the Ford Crown Victoria and Lincoln Town Car. All current Panther-based cars are powered by Ford's 4.6 L SOHC V8 engine, which produces anywhere from 190 to 250 hp (142 to 186 kW) depending on model year and configuration. The only exception was the Mercury Marauder, the Grand Marquis' high performance cousin which was powered by a DOHC version of the 4.6 L engine and produced over 300 hp (224 kW).
Power is carried to the rear end by a 4-speed electronically-controlled, wide-ratio automatic transmission. This transmission is known as the 4R70W, and is the successor to Ford's AOD and AODE transmissions of the early 1990s.
Mercury has always been marketed as a step-up from the Ford brand and has historically been more performance and luxury oriented. There are indications of that in the Grand Marquis. Properly equipped, the large sedan can be both a comfortable semi-luxury sedan while still offering adequate performance.
The Grand Marquis remains quite affordable, priced well below similarly well-equipped entry-level luxury sedans. Prices for the Grand Marquis range from $25,555 to $36,060.
Canadian Market
In Canada, after the Mercury brand was phased out in 1999, this car was sold as the Ford Grand Marquis but still remains badged as a Mercury, despite being named a Ford in all Canadian sales literature. Since the demise of the Mercury Marauder in 2004, the Grand Marquis is the last remaining Mercury vehicle sold in Canada. It replaces the civilian Crown Victoria, which is now sold only to commercial fleets and law enforcement (as a Police Interceptor) in Canada.
Middle East Market
The Grand Marquis and its twin, the Ford Crown Victoria are popular sedans in the Middle East. This is especially true in countries like Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Vehicles with Middle East specifications (also known as GCC spec) come with slightly different options and features. A true dual exhaust system comes standard, as well as aluminum wheels. LS wheels come standard on the GS trim and vehicles manufactured after 1998 come with '98+ Lincoln Town Car seats, available in both cloth and leather trim. The Handling and Performance Package (HPP) has been renamed to "Export Handling Package" (EHP) and differs slightly from the Handling and Performance Package. Dual exhaust isn't part of EHP (since they already come standard) and it comes with a 2.73 rear axle ratio over the 3.27 that HPP comes with. The Export Handling Package usually comes standard on the LS Series and shares the same 16" aluminum wheel with the Grand Marquis LSE. A long wheel base version is also available, called the Grand Marquis GSL. In the US, the long wheel base model is only available to fleet customers.
Origin
The Mercury Marquis was introduced as a trim package on the full size 1967 Mercury. The Grand Marquis trim line was introduced in 1975 as a step up from the base Marquis and formerly top-line Marquis Brougham. For the 1983 model year, the base and Brougham models were downsized to the Fox-body, replacing the Mercury Zephyr. The full size Panther model remained the Grand Marquis. This nomenclature continued after the midsize Fox car was discontinued in 1986 in favor of the front wheel drive Sable, to this day where the current full size Mercury is labeled Grand Marquis.
History
The Mercury Grand Marquis has been a model in its own rights since 1983, the "Grand" label indicating a trim level previously. Since then, there have been two generations of the Grand Marquis, with a major redesign in 1992 (the Mercury Colony Park wagon was not redesigned but discontinued), and a major revamping of the front suspension and steering system in 2003. The Grand Marquis is based on the Ford Panther platform shared by the Ford Crown Victoria and Lincoln Town Car, and has been the largest sedan on sale in the US priced under $40k.
Ford Motor Company's downsized full-size cars came a couple of years after GM's downsizing, but the "Panther" platform that they rode on was one of Ford's most successful. The previous Marquis was a virtual twin to the Lincoln Continental of the seventies, but this Marquis was more unique, though it was more of a Ford Crown Victoria than a "baby Lincoln Town Car". The Marquis was bigger and flashier than the Ford though, with its own unique styling and interior. The new big Merc was one of the best full-size cars in terms of comfort and usefulness, offering Lincoln-style luxury in a package as useful as the most dirt plain of Crown Victoria Police cars. When the smaller mid-size Marquis was introduced in 1983, the big Merc became the Grand Marquis. All this Marquis business has prompted the magazine Car and Driver to perpetually joke about the upcoming "De Sade" package. In the mid-eighties, the Grand Marquis became Mercury's best seller, a testament to Mercury's conservative customers and their car buying preferences. With top notch reliablilty and loads of comfort, the Grand Marquis was popular with everyone from Plumbers to housewives to corporate execs, and the large number of them on the road today is telling of the good engineering behind the big car. These are good values today, near the top of the big-car pack. See the '79-'90 Ford LTD/Crown Victoria for further information.
1983
The Mercury Grand Marquis became more distinguished from its upscale Lincoln cousins and shared more design elements with the Ford Crown Victoria than with any Lincoln model. The Marquis, like the Ford LTD, split off into a midsize version based on the Ford Fox platform, while the Grand Marquis continued with the Panther platform.
1992
This was the first year for the 4.6 liter SOHC V8 engine. The Grand Marquis was completely redesigned, with its angular shapes being replaced by a new aerodynamic body. The new rounded design was then highly regarded for its light weight and low wind resistance characteristics which led to increased fuel efficiency. The interior was also redesigned with new door trim and seats. Four wheel disc brakes were made standard, along with speed-sensitive variable assist power steering and a 19 gallon fuel tank. Rear air suspension was optional, along with a keyless entry system.
1995
This was the first year for the 4R70W transmission along with an OBD-II compliant PCM. The vehicle received an exterior refreshing: grille, headlights, cornering lights, front and rear bumpers and rear fascia, along with a choice of new wheels. The interior was also redesigned: dashboard, seats, door trim panels, illuminated power window/power lock switches and power seat controls were moved to the door panel. 10 inch front seat tracks is standard. A 2.73 rear axle ratio was made standard, over last year's 3.08. The power antenna was integrated into the rear window on all models and an electronic temperature control system was available on the LS Series.
1996
A new four-spoke steering wheel replaced last year's "brick" steering wheel and a single key entry system was introduced. The throttle body linkage was redesigned along with the engine cover and an all-plastic intake manifold made standard.
1998
1998 was the first year of the Modern design. The vehicle received an exterior freshing including a new front and rear fascia, grille, hood, headlights, cornering lights, tail lights, bumpers, door mirrors and wheels.
There were also certain interior updates, such as a new two-spoke steering wheel, green LED backlighting, a black column shift lever and turn signal/wiper stalk arm (previously chrome) and a Gentex auto dim rear view mirror with an integrated compass. A single CD player was also made available, as well as an eight way power passenger seat with lumbar support. The analog gauges also got red pointers, over the orange ones in previous years.
A number of mechanical changes were also made. A fail-safe cooling system with a dual speed electric fan was put in place, along with a coil-on-plug ignition. Dual piston brake calipers were also added to the front, which were larger in size, hence 16 inch wheels were made standard. A 19 gallon fuel tank replaced the previous 20 gallon tank and a Watt's Linkage Suspension added to the rear. Fuel lines were also moved to the passenger side frame rail. A coded ignition key (known as Passive Anti-Theft System ) system was also added and a 72amp/hour battery replaced the previous 58. Minor changes included a redesigned engine cover and the power steering fluid reservoir being moved to the front of the engine.
2003
2003 was the first year for the second generation of the Panther Platform. The Grand Marquis received a facelift and new rear fascia, along with refreshed interior door panels (including door handles and power window/power lock control switches) and an optional overhead console (standard on the LS Series). However the real changes were under the skin. An all-new hydroformed frame was engineered, rack and pinion steering replaced the old recirculating ball system, the front and rear suspension, as well as brakes were redesigned and an engine knock sensor was made standard along with 5.7 liter (6 qt) oil pan (20% larger than '02). The wheels were also redesigned with a high positive offset, as well as the exhaust system. A quiet EBD brake booster with a mechanical panic assist system was also added. Other changes included an intake manifold with aluminum water crossover and an electronic returnless fuel system. Side airbags were also made available and a dual media (cassette/CD) player made standard. More minor changes included a redesigned engine cover with a chrome V8 logo, the oil fill was moved to the passenger valve cover and the power steering fluid reservoir moved to the radiator surround (previously on the front of the engine). A shoulder belt was also put into place for the rear middle passenger and a valet key was made standard.
2005
A number of changes were made for the 2005 model year. An Electronic Throttle Control system was put in place, moving the cruise control function to the Powertrain Control Module (PCM). Occupant weight sensors were also added, meaning the passenger airbag could be disabled. Other changes included two new front crash severity sensors, a new steering column and two-spoke steering wheel and the addition of a mast antenna on the right rear fender. Interior changes included new wood trim, chrome interior door release handles and an Audiophile 6 disc in-dash CD changer (optional on the LS Series). The steering wheel lock feature was also eliminated.
2006
For 2006, the front end was refreshed, becoming more similar to the Ford Crown Victoria. This included a new grille and front fascia, in addition to new headlights and available fog lights. Interior changes included a new steering wheel, a new dash layout, and a new instrument cluster, which featured the addition of a tachometer and digital odometer/tripmeter. The mast antenna on the right rear fender was integrated back into the rear window and new wheel designs were made available. This is also the first year for the 4R75E transmission.
Fuel tank safety concerns
While the car has been highly rated for safety, there was some controversy and lawsuits in the 1990s over Mercury Grand Marquis, Ford Crown Victoria, and Lincoln Town Car gas tank leaks after certain types of high energy impacts, specifically when being hit at a certain angle offset in the rear at speeds greater than 85 mph (137 km/h). These impacts did cause fuel tank failures in the Grand Marquis. However, the impacts also caused similar failures (and at higher rates) in other popular law enforcement models such as the Chevrolet Impala. For comparison, the survival rate for these type of collisions were higher for the Grand Marquis (and stablemates) than any other current mid-sized sedan, which perform worse due to their much lighter construction, lower weight, and shorter distance for a crumple zone.
The reports that the cars were more prone to fires during a rear collision was a simple combination of three things. First, most law enforcement agencies rely heavily on the Crown Victoria as their primary vehicle, meaning that any police-related auto accident is very likely to involve a Crown Victoria. Second, the accidents occurred as the result of the officers intentionally parking their vehicles close to active traffic to "shield" a stopped motorist - something most civilians would never do. Third, the impacting vehicle was often traveling at, or above, the posted legal limit (70-75 mph in most jurisdictions).
The condition was exacerbated by police equipment installers drilling over the package tray in the luggage compartment. Due to the gas tank's orientation, drilling through the package tray may result in drilling into the gas tank. Installers also used screws set directly into the bulkhead and facing the fuel tank. In the event of a high-energy collision, these screws could be forced into the tank, both rupturing the tank and possibly act as a spark source. Long bolts for mounting heavier equipment were also directly suspect. Further, many investigations, both performed by federal/state agencies, and the police department themselves, have found that removeable items in the trunk were improperly stowed. These items became tank-piercing projectiles during the rear-collision scenarios. Ford's solution came in the form of a recall kit including patterns to mark unsafe areas (to drill) in the luggage compartment. Also included were rubberized kevlar and hard ballistic nylon shields for the differential cover lower shock bolts. They also included a kevlar-based trunk liner. Ford used similar kits on early-1980s model passenger vehicles. For 2005 and newer models, Ford offers the first-ever on-board fire-suppression system for the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor units, which effectively choke any fire on-board when detected.
The problem, for all intents and purposes, ceases to exist when the vehicles are struck at ordinary speeds and in conditions most motorists face. In fact, police fatalities were no higher in the Crown Victoria than the Chevrolet Caprice..
Despite numerous court cases charging Ford with partial liability for fires caused in accidents, the company has been exonerated and the "average Joe" safe nature of the Crown Victora reconfirmed. An attempted class-action suit in Belvidere, Illinois in 2004 failed as well.
Future
Despite rumors to the contrary, Ford has announced that Mercury will continue to produce the Grand Marquis through at least 2010.
The company does plan on redesigning them sometime in the future, likely retiring the Panther platform altogether and moving them to the Ford D2C platform (used by the Ford Mustang). While Ford would likely replace the Crown Victoria name with something along the lines of Fairlane (or maybe even Galaxie, to go out of Ford's plans to use names that start with the letter "F"), the Grand Marquis name would most likely be shortened back to "Marquis" to go along with Mercury naming their cars with names that begin with the letter "M".
Sources
Taken from Liquid's Model Year Changes and Ford Major Product Changes documentation.
See also
- Mercury Marauder
- Ford Crown Victoria/Police Interceptor
- Lincoln Town Car
- Ford Panther platform
- Ford Motor Company
External links
- Grandmarq.net Panther platform forum
- Jonelle's Crown Vics, etc.
- Crown Vic Net Forums
- FAQ Farm's Mercury Grand Marquis FAQ: wiki question and answer forum
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