2003 Mercury Grand Marquis Gs Sedan 4-door 4.6l Pristine Like Crown Victoria Lx on 2040-cars

The Mercury retained the same exterior styling. For the 2003 model year, the chassis was again redesigned with hydroformed steel. The front and rear suspension were also completely overhauled. New inverted monotube shocks were now used (replacing the old twin-tube shocks that had been used since the 1960s). In the front, new aluminum control arms, andrack and pinion steering (replacing the recirculating ball units) have been implemented. The rear suspension was redesigned for durability in police-duty applications and the rear shocks were moved outboard of the frame rails for better handling and ease of maintenance. As a result, the road-handling manners of the Panther platform cars had improved significantly. The engine output increased due to the addition of a knock sensor for more aggressive timing. 2003 models also received optional seat-mounted combination head and torso side airbags.

Ford altered the transmission, revised the torque converter for better acceleration, and updated the layout of the optional overhead console. Laminated door glass also became available to deter break-ins and thefts, reduce road and wind noise, improve protection from flying glass in a collision and filter out ultraviolet rays, reducing heat buildup and fading of the interior.

VITAL STATS

For 2003, Ford's largest sedan, the Mercury Marquis, may look very similar to last year's offering, but there's been plenty of changes under the skin to keep it technically up to date.Key among them is a new, stiffer chassis that includes front frame sections designed to better absorb crash energy.Handling precision is improved via the adoption of more precise rack-and-pinion steering, plus there's been an extensive redesign of its front and rear suspensions.

Once the most common type of automobile on America's highways, Ford's big rear-wheel-drive Marquis is now something of an anomaly. But Ford's biggest sedan still has significant virtues: affordable V8 performance and room for six people (if configured with a three-abreast front bench seat).It almost sounds odd today, but this sort of car and seating arrangement is what most people drove in the 1950s, during the Eisenhower administration.

Marquis interior and trunk volumes compare well against those of an SUV.Indeed the Marquis offers the largest trunk in its class.Its old-fashioned low seat height doesn't afford today's popular elevated-perspective of the road, but climbing in as effortless as settling into your favorite arm chair).This lowness also pays a noticeable dividend in ride quality over tall, hobby horse SUVs.This is why the Crown Marquis are so popular as taxi cabs and police cars. The Marquis is popular for its impressive safety ratings, easy entry/exit, big windows, pleasant ride quality, quiet interior, confusion-free controls, and adjustable pedals.

Dual-stage front airbags deploy according to crash severity, and a weight sensor can prevent the front passenger-side airbag from deploying if that seat is unoccupied. Ford’s BeltMinder system now makes use of the weight sensor to remind the front passenger to buckle up. Side-impact airbags are optional. Antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution are standard. A new dual-rate brake booster applies full braking power automatically in a panic stop, even if the driver doesn’t supply enough pedal pressure at first. LATCH child-safety seat tethers are integrated into the outboard rear seats, and the center rear passenger gets a new three-point seat belt. The torsional rigidity of the new frame has been increased by 24 percent and vertical bending by 20 percent. The front suspension has a new steel upper control arm, a new aluminum lower arm and steering knuckle, and monotube shock absorbers. The rear shock absorbers are now mounted outboard of the frame rails. Automatic-leveling air springs are optional on some models. All sedans are manufactured in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada, The Great Mercury Grand Marquis.