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The new Mercury Marauder takes its name from the big Mercury muscle cars of the 1960s, but its true spiritual ancestors are two black Mercury sedans that starred with Jack Lord in the long-running television series Hawaii Five-O.

Lord portrayed the granite-jawed Steve McGarrett, head of Hawaiis elite Five-O police unit, his demeanor cop-show tough, his hair a perfect North Shore wave, his car no standard police-issue Ford Custom 500 or LTD but a big black Mercury in which he stormed around Oahu.

"Steve McGarretts car is as much a character in the series as any of the people." So claims Karen Rhodes in Booking Hawaii Five-O, the best and as far as we know, the only scholarly tome on the cop show.



"The big, black Mercury sets a tone of power and intimidation," she continues. "Steve is . . . tough and threatening on his own, but the black Mercury adds a further dimension of strength, even a sinister darkness, to McGarrett." Thats some pretty impressive work for a 68 Park Lane and, later, a 74 Marquis, either of which, off-screen, might have been driven by your grandfather.

wenty-two years after McGarrett screeched his big black sedan to a stop for the last time, Mercury has served up a machine perfectly suited to the marques most telegenic enthusiast. The Marauder is a badass cop car with some major attitude.

The reborn Marauder first appeared not in Honolulu but in Las Vegas, as a concept car at the 1998 SEMA show. Considering what populates the miles of aisles at SEMA--wildly winged Honda Civics with hyperkinetic paint jobs, slammed SUVs on huge chrome wheels, bikini-clad babes stroking shock absorbers--Mercurys Grand Marquis in Darth Vader livery garnered a surprising amount of attention.

Walkaround

The Marauder, in its standard ebony paint, gives the same menacing vibes as a black leather jacket. The black monochrome treatment has even been given to the headlamps with only the reflectors spared the blackout treatment. The taillamp bezels are dark tinted as well for what Mercury calls a "serious, but understated appearance."

Up front, Cibie fog lamps are inserted in the front bumper, and the rear bumper has "MARAUDER" embossed in it while big dual 3.5-inch chrome exhaust tips protrude straight out the back.

A big car needs big tires, and the Marauder wears P235/50WR18 boots on front with wider, P245/55WR18 rubber at the rear. The larger rear tires give the Marauder a natural slight rake that enhances the performance image. Five-spoke forged aluminum wheels are eight inches wide and have cast into the wheel hubs the bas-relief image of Mercury, the swift messenger of the Roman gods and a Mercury revival from the Fifties.

The current Mercury logo is centered on the grille in a bright finish; we think the gods head logo should be here as well, but Mercury did not consult us on this. The exterior, according to Mercury representatives, was purposely kept simple because focus group attendees said theyd rather have it left plain to customize themselves.


Interior Features

Like Dorothy in Munchkinland realizing shes not in Kansas anymore, the driver of the Mercury Marauder knows hes not in a Grand Marquis.

The instrument panel has white faces, with a large round speedometer and tachometer flanked by smaller fuel and temperature gauges. The 140-mph speedometer incorporates a red-lit "Marauder" graphic.

Instead of a column shifter for the automatic transmission, a leather-wrapped shifter is mounted on a floor console that has two cup holders and a storage bin. An AutoMeter (a brand known to car enthusiasts) voltmeter and oil-pressure gauge are positioned just ahead of the shifter.

Marauders are also given dot-matrix gray trim accents on the instrument panel, while the dual eight-way power seats are finished in supple black leather, the best used in any Ford Motor Company product. Classic French stitching from earlier Marauders is revived for the 2003 edition. The seats were given extra padding for greater support, and of course theres a Mercury gods head de-bossed into the front seatbacks.

The optional six-disc CD changer for the 140-watt Alpine sound system is located in the trunk, where its not as convenient, especially if the trunk is loaded, though this is a quibble brought on only by the new in-dash CD changers. There is a single CD player, as well as a cassette player for those in the retro mood or those who enjoy books on tape. (Sorry, no 8-track player, though the radios AM band works well).

Filigrees aside, the interior delivers on the promise of the exterior with lots of room inside for five. Access to the cabin is easy through large doors, and finding a comfortable driving position is easy with the 8-way power seats, tilt wheel and adjustable pedals. The front buckets are wide (so much so that the seatbelt buckle end actually protrudes through the seat bottom cushion). The seats are soft, too. The back seat is wide and soft as well, with enough room across for three adult males, though the center rider loses foot room to the driveshaft tunnel of this rear-wheel-drive car.

The trunk is huge. If you need more luggage room than this, your name is Zsa Zsa and you should FedEx your steamer trunks of gowns ahead. The trunk organizer is nice to have, with adjustable section dividers, but not really necessary and offered on the Marauder, probably, mainly because its available on the Grand Marquis.

Driving Impressions

Fire up the engine of the Mercury Marauder and youll know this is no automotive Kansas. The V8 rumble from the dual exhaust announces that the Marauder is a true American performance car. The all-aluminum 4.6-liter engine was developed specifically for the Marauder, with four-valve-per-cylinder double-overhead camshaft heads. The compression ratio is 9.85:1, requiring premium fuel.

All this yields a power rating of 302 horsepower at 5750 rpm. Peak torque is 310 pounds-feet, and comes at a relatively high 4300 rpm. Mercury engineers specified a high stall speed torque converter for the automatic transmission, which means the engine can rev higher, reaching its power band before the automatic transmission transmits power, thus producing quicker acceleration. The engineers also biased the final drive selection, a 3.55:1 rear axle, for acceleration over fuel economy. The Marauder attained an EPA rating of 17 city/23 highway, impressive for a large car, so they obviously didnt go overboard. A limited-slip rear differential is used for better traction with beefy internals for durability.

The engine tuning works, as the Marauder accelerates with authority. Very few will be able to kick sand at the Marauder in the local stoplight grand prix. The base Grand Marquis, for example, is rated at 220 bhp, the Grand Marquis LSE at 235 bhp. The 1994 Impala SS produced 260 bhp, and was considered fast for its time. How our expectations change. Still, the Marauder weighs more than two tons, so the engine has its work cut out for it. Drivers who expect the Marauder to smoke its tires at every stop sign will be disappointed. Modern tires are much better than those of the Sixties, providing too much grip for this behavior. You can still spin the tires if you work at it. But otherwise, the power goes into acceleration, not tire spinning.
As good as the engine is, the new suspension is even better.

Mercury delayed introduction of the Marauder (originally a concept car displayed at the SEMA show in Las Vegas in late 1998) to use the new chassis of the 2003 Grand Marquis. This new frame shared by the Marauder, Grand Marquis, and Crown Victoria has new stronger hydroformed front rails, a new aluminum No. 2 crossmember and is generally more robust for improved stiffness. Chassis rigidity allows better engine and suspension mounting for better handling, and less noise, vibration and harshness transmitted into the body.

To this, Mercury stiffened up the Grand Marquis suspension, using special gas-charged monotube shock absorbers and, at the rear, air springs. A new "Gripper" anti-roll bar was used up front for quicker response and a better on-center feel to the steering.

How good does it work? We tried the Marauder in two venues. One was the south course at Pocono International Raceway, a combination of the NASCAR Turn 1 high banking and a twisting road course across the infield. The track allowed acceleration onto the banking and a top speed through the big curve of around 100 mph. In almost any other family sedan, if it could go that fast, the tires would be howling in protest. The Marauder was asking for more, balanced front to rear and holding on like a championship square dancer in a power swing-your-partner.

Through the infield, the Marauder handled like a sports car, a big sports car. It was easy to place it anywhere on the track, thanks to precise variable-ratio rack-and-pinion steering. The Marauder has what racers call "good turn-in," or transition from driving straight to turning. It also has remarkable transient response, the ability to change from turning left to right and back again. Part of the credit goes to the excellent BFGoodrich g-Force T/A tires, which combine great grip with ride comfort. The only thing marring our attempt at playing Rapid Roy That Stock Car Boy were the seats, which simply lacked the lateral support to counter the lateral force the Marauder can develop, and an imprecise shifter that hobbled attempts to shift the car manually in the infield.

We were impressed with the ability of the Marauder to brake straight and sure from more than 100 mph, both the 4-wheel disc brakes to slow the vehicle and the suspension and steering to keep it under control. Out on the road, the carefully cultivated exhaust note was just as evident on acceleration, though quiet when cruising. Choppy, patched-asphalt roads highlighted the firm suspension, but the frame and body feel solid and rattle-free. Theres no apparent flex to the frame, so the bumps encountered dont result in a shuddering reverberation thats worse than the bump itself. Ride on smooth pavement is quiet, with little road or wind noise.

Summary

The Mercury Marauder is a performance car and will appeal primarily to the automotive enthusiast. Mercury expects 90 percent of buyers to be male. Not a car nut? Dont buy the Marauder. The Grand Marquis or the Ford Crown Victoria will fill your big-car bill much better, and for much less money.

That brings us to another point. We flinch at $35,000 for this car. But the four-door BMW 540i, with a 290 bhp 4.4-liter V8, costs about $55,000. The Lincoln LS with the 252-bhp 3.9-liter V8 lists for about $38,000. Of course, those cars arent directly comparable to the Marauder, which is the only car of its kind on the market today. No doubt Mercury will sell a passel of Marauders to fans of big American muscle. Ford guys who wanted a car like the Impala SS but would never buy a Chevy finally have something to buy.

Pros: I love pretty much everything about this vehicle! The styling is fresh, hip & unique. The Milan has a great foreign flair! The Milan is extremely comfortable to drive and the interior looks very expensive.



The V6 engine has amazing, effortless pickup and gets awesome gas mileage! The interior cabin is air tight and there is no road noise. This car is an amazing value. Mercury should have come out with something like this years ago! This car is not as bulky as the old Sable and it is alot more attractive.



Cons: A Sirius satellite radio option would be a great addition. Rear visiblity for some may be difficult due to the high rear decklid, so a rear backup assist warning feature might be helfpful. For some reason, the Merc engineers forgot to include a glovebox light, a strange omission given the otherwise high standard equipment level on this car.

New for 2006

The all-new 2006 Mercury Milan is powered by either a 160-hp Duratec 23 inline 4-cylinder with a 5-speed manual or automatic, or a 221-hp Duratec 30 V6 combined with a six-speed automatic. The chassis is tuned to be nimble and responsive with precise steering while providing a quiet interior and ride comfort under a variety of road conditions.

Interior Design and Special Features

The Milans upscale interior offers an effective blend of premium materials and functional design elements. The interior is supposed to reflect the high-quality living environments of todays young professionals. Upscale Milans feature leather seating surfaces with contrasting stitching, and a Wales Mahogany wood finish or Satin Metallic trim can be ordered on Premium models. Base and optional audio systems are MP3-capable, and the split-folding rear seat, along with a 15.6-cubic-foot trunk, adds to the Milans utility. Most buyers will find the Mercury Milan suitably roomy with ample head-, shoulder and legroom for adults to ride comfortably in the front or back.

Safety

Four-wheel disc brakes are standard on all Milans. Antilock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution are optional on base Milans and standard on the Premium trim, and traction control can be had on V6 models. Stability control is not available. An optional Safety and Security package gives the Milan front-seat side airbags and head-protecting side curtain airbags for all outboard occupants. Without the side bags, the Mercury Milan scored four stars (out of five) in NHTSA frontal- and side-impact (front and rear) testing. With the side bags, the scores were the same, save for side impact for front passengers, in which it earned five stars. In frontal offset crash testing conducted by the IIHS, the Milan scored "Acceptable," the second-highest rating.

Powertrains and Performance

The Milans base 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine makes 160 horsepower and meets PZEV certification in California. Its connected to a standard five-speed manual transmission, and a five-speed automatic is optional. A 221-hp, 3.0-liter V6 is optional on both the base and Premier trims. It comes with one transmission, a six-speed automatic. This transmission shifts well enough, but we wish it had a true manual-shift mode instead of just two forward-gear gates ("D" and "L").

Driving Impressions

The Mercury Milan Premiers 221-horsepower V6 engine and Japanese Aisin six-speed automatic transmission give the driver the kind of power we all like when it comes to getting across the intersection or getting out of a tight spot, but theres not a lot of reserve after that, and theres not a lot of satisfaction in driving it hard.

The engine feels a bit choked and a bit underpowered, and doesnt sound like a powerful engine when prodded. A full-throttle kickdown maneuver will also get the front end to pitch, too quickly and too high for our taste, leaving the front tires scrambling for traction and direction for an annoying split second.

We found the steering to have a fairly hefty feel and effort at the wheel, but it was a bit too disconnected from the road surface for our taste, a minimum-effort, minimum-feel tuning, but most people will probably not notice much difference either way. High-speed handling showed predictable, normal and usual levels of understeer.

The ride, over the universally awful streets of Detroit, was quite good, with lots of compliance to soak up bumps, not too much body roll, and quiet, smooth operation.
The brakes, on the other hand, were strong and direct, without a lot of wasted pedal travel before deceleration starts to happen, and low effort-to-stop ratio.


Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options

The midsize Mercury Milan sedan comes in two trim levels, base and Premier. The base model rides on 16-inch wheels and includes items like air conditioning, an MP3-compatible CD stereo with six speakers, a six-way power driver seat, a split-folding rear seat, an analog clock, cruise control, full power accessories and keyless entry. Options include alloy wheels, a sunroof, an upgraded eight-speaker stereo and in-dash CD changer. Premier models are upgraded with 17-inch aluminum wheels, a CD changer and leather seating. In addition to the options on the base Milan, Premier models are eligible for heated front seats, as well as a Comfort Package with automatic climate control, automatic headlights, foglamps and an auto-dimming rearview mirror.

Large Trunk

The long, deep trunk has a low, wide opening. Its lid pops up well out of the way on hydraulic struts, but theres no grip or strap to help close it without getting hands dirty on the outside metal. The split rear seatbacks fold forward and sit moderately flat to enlarge the cargo area. The heavy hood is held open by only a prop rod, but fluid filler areas in the engine compartment are easily reached without getting clothes dirty. Lots of people havent put midsize American cars on their shopping list because autos such as the Milan havent been offered. Now that its here, lets see how well it does.

Overall Review:

Great car for anyone looking for an automobile that is affordable, reliable and fun to drive.