In a time where new cars are able to park themselves, give turn-by-turn directions and feature more cameras than the Hollywood paparazzi, some cars seem left out of the technology loop. Mercury’s Grand Marquis is one of those cars - which isn't a bad thing.
First of all, the answer to your question is yes. The Mercury Grand Marquis is still sold in dealerships.
The Grand Marquis is a purpose-built car. Its purpose isn’t to offer the latest technological trends or wallet-friendly fuel economy, instead the Grand Marquis knows its role and happily shuttles snowbirds up, down and across America’s interstate with the occasional duty as an airport taxi. For drivers looking for Lincoln Town Car luxury and comfort for almost $20,000 less, the Grand Marquis is the perfect car.
Since the average Grand Marquis customer doesn’t care about navigation systems or iPod connectivity, Mercury focused on comfort and interior space for its luxury flagship. The front and rear bench seats offer seating for up to six passengers with almost as comfort as your living room couch - it’s about the same size, too. With the optional rear air suspension, the Grand Marquis floats down the road making anything from speed bumps to potholes unnoticeable and eliminating the rough ride generally associated with solid rear axle vehicles.
From the driver’s seat, the concessions that were required for the plush three-passenger bench seat are obvious, but minute. While the fold-down front center armrests aren’t uncomfortable, a better design surely could have been introduced over the past two decades. A larger, fixed position armrest would have probably added luxury and a more upscale feeling. To allow for ample legroom for a potential center seat passenger, the radio and HVAC controls are placed more than an arm’s length away from the driver, which means that most drivers will have to change positions to operate the stereo and air conditioning. The optional steering wheel mounted radio controls would have helped to alleviate this minor inconvenience.
Making the front seats even more comfortable is the eight-way power front seats with the controls conveniently mounted on the door panels, power lumbar support and power adjustable pedals for the driver. The optional ($1,195) Palm Beach Edition adds small but noticeable luxurious touches that include unique “Palm Beach” badges and front seat embroidery, standard seat-mounted side airbags and a satin appliqué across the instrument panel and door panels. Our test model came in an attractive Smokestone Metallic paint accentuated by 16-inch, nine-spoke chrome wheels and an inviting interior that features plush carpet and soft Cashmere leather.
Resting under the long hood is the Grand Marquis’ sole powertrain for the Grand Marquis - a 224-horsepower, 4.6-liter V-8 putting out 272 lb-ft of torque and mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. With the optional dual exhaust, numbers are increased slightly to 239 horsepower and 287 lb-ft of torque. Although the 2008 Grand Marquis comes with an EPA rating of 15 mpg city and 23 mpg highway, this test car showed impressive highway fuel efficiency with an average of over 24 mpg (on 87-octane gasoline). The 19-gallon fuel tank and mostly interstate driving allowed for a range of over 400 miles. For a car that the average driver will drive primarily on the interstate (sometimes too slow in the fast lane), these are solid numbers.
At 4,135 pounds, don’t expect the Grand Marquis to excel in tight turns or on a slalom course, but it does get up to speed pretty quick and smoothly. From a dead stop, our test car hit 60 mph in 10.2 seconds. On the highway with the cruise control set, only the biggest of inclines persuades the transmission to downshift out of overdrive. Switching the traction control off, the Grand Marquis lays down some serious rubber from the right rear tire – this means absolutely nothing, but there is just something about seeing a smoke-billowing, tire-squealing burnout from a car that looks more at home in a bingo hall parking lot.
The only technology not available on the Grand Marquis that would have come in handy quite frequently is a backup camera or sensor. With a lengthy rear overhang (over three feet to be exact), knowing exactly where the rear of the car can be a guessing game at times making some parking maneuvers rather tricky. The positive aspect of the long rear end is immediately apparent when the trunk is open. The cavernous trunk has the ability to swallow 20.6 cubic feet of cargo, which means more than golf clubs and luggage than the Cadillac DTS, BMW 7-Series or Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
Despite harsh criticisms about its antiquated platform design, the 2008 Grand Marquis scores a perfect five-star rating from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration in front (12 years in a row), side (when equipped with side airbags) and rollover protection. Standard safety features include traction control and four-wheel disc brakes with ABS.
With a base MSRP of $28,170, our test car, a Grand Marquis LS Palm Beach Edition, came in at $30,665 – a $14,375 savings compared to a base Lincoln Town Car.
Review written by: Jeffrey N. Ross
All photos copyright Jeffrey N. Ross/Autotropolis.com © 2008