New Car Review
1996 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS
by Tom Hagin
SEE ALSOL Mercury Buyer's Guide
SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price $ 21,975
Price As Tested $ 22,465
Engine Type 4.6 liter V8 w/EFI*
Engine Size 281 cid/4605 cc
Horsepower 190 @ 4250 RPM
Torque (lb-ft) 265 @ 3250 RPM
Wheelbase/Width/Length 114.4"/77.8"/211.8
Transmission Four-speed automatic
Curb Weight 3796 pounds
Fuel Capacity 20.0 gallons
Tires (F/R) 215/70R15
Brakes (F/R) Disc-ABS/disc-ABS
Drive Train Front-engine/rear-wheel-drive
Vehicle Type Six-passenger/four-door
Domestic Content 85 percent
Coefficient of Drag (Cd.) 0.36
PERFORMANCE
EPA Economy, miles per gallon
city/highway/average 17/25/20
0-60 MPH 8.8 seconds
1/4 mile (E.T.) 16.8 seconds @ 85 mph
Top Speed (Est.) N/A
* Electronic fuel injection
Full-sized four-door sedans have typified American motoring for over
50 years, but by 1997, new car buyers will have two choices among V8-
powered, body-on-frame, rear-wheel-drive American sedans: the Mercury
Grand Marquis and its corporate twin, the Ford Crown Victoria. Favored
among "mature" drivers, police services and those wishing heavy-duty
towing capacity along with the virtues of a plush sedan, the 1996 Grand
Marquis we road test this week remains virtually unchanged from last
year's version.
OUTSIDE - Grand Marquis underwent major reconstruction back in 1992,
giving it a slippery shape and flush glass to decrease wind noise and
increase fuel mileage, and to enhance its body shell stiffness for
improved drivability. The restyle did give a perceived impression of
being a smaller vehicle than the one it replaced, but there is no
mistaking that Grand Marquis is a large car - although its smoothly
rounded contours carry its massive size quite well. A minor exterior
redesign last year brought a new grille, tail lamps and front and rear
bumper fascias. The large overhang behind the rear wheels shows that a
cavernous trunk awaits massive amounts of luggage.
INSIDE - Things inside Grand Marquis have changed only slightly
since last year, when a redesigned dashboard and new seating became
available. The car comes in either GS or upscale LS trim, and both are
offered with a full compliment of standard features. Items such as power
windows, outside mirrors, (also heated) tilt steering column and an
AM/FM cassette stereo are all no-charge, while optional packages include
power door locks, carpeted floor mats and leather upholstery. Grand
Marquis can carry six passengers with its front and rear bench seats,
but over the long haul five is a more reasonable number since the center
positions are less comfortable than those next to the doors. Things are
roomy inside, though, with lots of headroom and legroom, and plenty of
space in which to stretch. Automatic on/off headlights are standard, as
is full instrumentation and a rear window defogger.
ON THE ROAD - Adhering to tradition, the Mercury is V8-powered, but
unlike America's full-sized behemoths of the past, Grand Marquis uses a
sophisticated 4.6 liter overhead camshaft engine. To enable the car to
move at a brisk pace, efficiency replaces the massive cubic inches of
days gone by. Based on Ford's modular V8 used in various states in many
Ford and Lincoln-Mercury vehicles, it gives 190 horsepower and 265 lb-ft
of torque in standard form. Buyers can opt for an engine upgrade which
will bring an additional 20 horsepower and five more lb-ft of torque
simply by adding dual exhaust. Gear-changing duties are handled by a
four-speed automatic transmission, electronically-controlled with
overdrive, which helped bring us a maximum of almost 27 highway miles
per gallon, although that figure came with extremely frugal driving. Our
20 mpg overall average was more reasonable.
BEHIND THE WHEEL - Grand Marquis' suspension is a mix of tradition
and high tech. Full-frame construction is beefy and a throwback to the
old days, while gas-pressurized shock absorbers and speed-sensitive,
variable-assist steering add modern hardware to its handling. Its
otherwise large car-like handling can be improved with an optional
suspension upgrade, which adds larger tires and stabilizer bars, as well
as alloy wheels, a revised rear axle ratio and a power steering fluid
cooler. Ford builds its police cars this way, and the upgrades make the
large car handle quite well, remaining flat in corners and all but
eliminating understeer. Four-wheel disc brakes are standard on all Grand
Marquis models, while its optional anti-lock braking system (ABS) also
adds traction control to reduces wheelspin on slippery surfaces. This is
a handy option to have on rear-drive vehicles.
SAFETY - Dual airbags are standard, as are three-point front safety
belts with adjustable shoulder anchors. Side-impact protection meets
1997 Federal standards, while ABS and traction control are optional.
OPTIONS - ABS and traction control add $670, while the handling
package is a $1,020 extra, or $600 with some packaged items deleted.