Everyone knows a grandparent or older couple that cruise down the road on a Sunday morning to church in a big and wide Grand Marquis. Perhaps it is a major part of its current cult classic identity – being often owned by the people who grew up with V8 land yachts during the 60’s and 70’s, and simply want a car that reflects their younger years. For others, it may be simply a matter of cost – as of 2019, it is not hard to find a decent Grand Marquis for an acceptable price.
The Grand Marquis is a car like no other – it drives, handles, and feels rather different when compared to other modern-day vehicles. Right off the bat, the cars large size can be easily noticed. It is often dubbed a “Land Yacht” for that very specific reason – comfort and luxury came first. To achieve this, the Grand Marquis’ large size was able to accommodate plenty of leg room for the driver and the passengers. Not only that, the trunk itself is able to fit a full-sized spare tire, and have plenty of room for one’s luggage, suitcases, and groceries.
Depending on the year it was released, the Grand Marquis was offered in several different packages. For the 2006 year, the LS was the ultimate, top-of-the-line version, which originally retailed for a whopping $31, 135. Many however, believe the price to be a good fit for the type of vehicle the Marquis is – with its 4.6L V8 engine, the Grand Marquis is no lightweight, and instead, provided a lot of power for any type of situation. Ford’s V8 engine could be considered as being an extremely tough and sturdy feat of engineering, with many of these models being able to drive up to 300,000 miles, with no underlying mechanical problems.
The interior is luxurious indeed, with its wood panels found running across the dashboard and on the doors, automated seats allowing full range of motion in which a seat can be adjusted, including lumbar support. Automated climate control, and speakers that even after 13 years sound crystal clear. The backseats are do not have as much leg room as the front seats do, including a lack of headrests. Nevertheless, it is still a lot more comfortable to sit in the back then in the front of today’s cars. The front seats are extremely spacious and comfortable, being able to fit up to 3 people.
As the car takes off on a journey, the driver has ultimate comfort. On the highway, the car handles with ease, overtaking and passing many newer cars that are supposedly much more “powerful”, and it drifts on the highway with no vibrations, sounds, or shakiness. It is also a rather efficient and economical vehicle for the highway, considering its size and engine, it receives 25 mpg on the highway. The car can be literally compared to a floating yacht – once you reach the designated speed limit, the Marquis glides through, with minimum RPM’s and effort. Once your on the road, you don’t even feel that your inside a moving vehicle!
Driving throughout the city is unfortunately a different story. With its large size, it many not always be easy to maneuver the car into tight spaces, and its handling is not as sharp and responsive as one would imagine, being a little on the stiff side. Likewise, it is not as efficient in the city as on the highway, receiving 17 mpg. All things considered, one has to keep in mind that the Grand Marquis focus was on comfort and luxury emphasized with highway driving, and not racing in the peak hours of a large city. As a daily driver however, the Marquis performs incredibly, being an extremely dependable and affordable ride, with many parts and modifications being cheap and easy to perform.
Ultimately, the Grand Marquis is a relic of the past – back when cars were made with quality and craftsmanship. Many people consider the Grand Marquis as the last true American V8 RWD sedan that combined luxury and performance, with having convenience as a major aspect for the consumer. This article was written based on having a 2006 Mercury Grand Marquis as a daily driver. If you have any pictures or remarks of your own Mercury, or even had grandparents that owned one of these beauties, feel free to share it in the comments.
