Mercury Grand Marquis Air Suspension.
In essence, the Mercury Grand Marquis bridged the gap between the workaday Ford and expensive Lincoln sedans. With hidden headlights and chrome trim that accented the massive, stately body, the Grand Marquis air suspension floated down the road propelled by V8 engines ranging up to 460 cubic inches (7.5 liters) in displacement. A serious downsizing took place in 1979 that saw weight drop by 700 pounds, the wheelbase shrink by 7 inches and the big V8s replaced by a 302-cubic-inch (5.0-liter) mill. The boxy-looking Grand Marquis continued like this until a major revamp for ‘92, which is covered in more detail below.
The Grand Marquis name dates back to the mid-’70s, when it signified the top trim level of the Mercury Marquis. The Marquis shared its basic platform with the full-size Ford LTD, which was later renamed the Crown Victoria. Unlike today’s version, which is identical in nearly every way to the Crown Vic, the older Grand Marquis looked more like a Lincoln and had a more luxurious cabin. As far as the modern-day Grand Marquis, the car’s most recent updating happened in 2003, when Mercury fitted it with an all-new frame, a redesigned front suspension and rack-and-pinion steering, all of which improved the big Merc’s crash performance and handling. That year also saw the brief return of the Marauder, a name that harkened back to the 1960s. This blacked-out Grand Marquis featured a firmer suspension, big wheels, bucket seats and a four-cam, 302-horsepower V8.
For the full-size sedan shopper who just wants a big, comfortable V8-equipped sedan and nothing more, the current Mercury Grand Marquis air ride suspension compelling value: Prices start in the mid-$20Ks and fully loaded examples can be had for around $30K. Just keep in mind that it’s affordable for a reason. Premium features like navigation, high-powered audio and Bluetooth are nowhere to be found, and competing large sedans are much more modern in their mechanical makeup and overall design.
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