For 2003, Mountaineer offers even more value and convenience with more standard features, options, functional improvements, interior and exterior changes.

The 2003 Mercury Mountaineer combines individualistic design with packaging, convenience and performance qualities that reinforce its distinctive position in the sport- utility market. Mountaineer is designed from the ground up to satisfy both its driver and passengers with exceptional performance and comfort in a refined, sophisticated package.

In 2002 the Mercury Mountaineer won MotorWeek magazine's Driver's Choice Award. In addition to this award, the 2002 Mercury Mountaineer also received R.L. Polk's Automotive Loyalty Award, Sport Truck Connection's Annual Light Truck and SUV Award for top mid-size SUV and was named "Best Pick" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for frontal offset crash performance testing. The 2003 Mercury Mountaineer continues to build on these successes.

Mountaineer is available in 4x2 and all-wheel-drive configurations. It is built in Louisville, Kentucky and St. Louis, Missouri.

Expressive Design
Contemporary architecture was one of the inspirations behind Mountaineer's unique exterior and interior styling. Mountaineer features highly geometric, machined surfaces and bold-edged curves. The use of satin-aluminum finishes creates a modern, technical theme.

Designers considered great contemporary buildings and other structures as a theme for creating Mountaineer's look. The architectural design is intended to reflect the target buyers' cosmopolitan tastes and preferences.

The styling is forward-looking and expressive, keeping with Mercury's brand identity. The vehicle stance is wide and purposeful. The beltline flows toward the back and is slightly higher in the rear - 15 millimeters - just enough to be noticeable.

The technical, geometric theme continues into Mountaineer's wide lower-body cladding, standard roof rack and optional running boards that are now standard on Luxury and Premier editions.

Front and rear fascias are integrated to complement each other. Tighter manufacturing tolerances help these elements flow visually into the fenders for a more finished appearance than bolt-on bumper units. A new bright friction finish appears on the front/rear door trim spears.

Satin-aluminum accents are carried through to the inside, particularly around the instrument panel. The instrument cluster features white analog dials highlighted with satin-aluminum pointers edged in red.

Functionality also was an important factor when designing the Mountaineer. The innovative rear liftgate is designed to be easy to use. Body-color grip-through door handles add a robust appearance while offering greater ease of use, as well as a quality and more comfortable feel.

For 2003, Harvest Gold, Ceramic White Tri-Coat and True Blue join the exterior color palette.

Unique Driving Character
An optional all-wheel-drive system is the foundation for Mountaineer's distinctive driving character on and off the pavement. Under normal driving conditions, torque is distributed 35 percent to the front and 65 percent to the rear.

Mountaineer benefits from a short- and long-arm independent rear suspension (IRS) and independent front suspension design. IRS is very stiff against lateral forces Ð eight times stiffer laterally than comparable solid-axle, leaf-spring designs.

Mountaineer is fitted with 16-inch P245/70 all-season road tires. The tires are mounted on 16- by 7-inch machined aluminum wheels. The lightweight wheels help reduce Mountaineer's unsprung weight and enhance suspension response.

Mountaineer comes with a choice of two engines, both meeting Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) standards. The standard engine is an improved 4.0-liter SOHC V-6, which generates 210 horsepower and 254 foot-pounds of peak torque. A more powerful 4.6-liter V-8, with all-aluminum construction and overhead-cam design, is optional. The sophisticated 4.6-liter engine, with coil-on-plug design, offers 239 horsepower and 282 foot-pounds of torque - and will go 100,000 miles before its first scheduled tune-up under normal driving conditions with routine fluid and filter changes.

Mountaineer offers flexible fuel capability with the standard 4.0-liter V-6 engine. The Mountaineer Flexible Fuel Vehicle (FFV) can operate on gasoline or a blend of gasoline and ethanol. The use of E85 fuel reduces carbon dioxide emissions by as much as 20 percent, compared with gasoline.

Mountaineer offers impressive standard towing capability. The receiver hitch is built into the frame and has a Class II towing capacity of 3,300 pounds. An upgraded towing package, which includes a limited slip rear differential, provides Class III/IV towing capability of up to 7,040 pounds.

Package and Ergonomics
Mountaineer's second-row seat is split 40/20/40, which offers ease of access to the third row and the ability to customize the storage area for long or odd-sized cargo. Both the second- and third-row seats fold down to create a flat-floored cargo area. One-handed controls fold the second-row seat completely out of the way for entering or exiting the third row. New for this year is an articulating second row seat latch and on Premier and Luxury models an easy entry/exit system.

In addition, small items easily can be loaded through a rear liftglass that has been designed to allow a liftover height virtually identical to that of a shopping cart for loading groceries and cargo. The liftglass section also no longer needs a handle to open it. It opens with a touch of a dedicated button on the key fob; the passenger doors can remain locked.

Ergonomics and functionality are at the heart of many of the vehicle's design features. For example, the most frequently used controls, such as radio buttons, are in the driver's line of sight. Likewise, the optional electronic message center is mounted high, for ease of use. Even the coat hooks have been redesigned to accommodate wider, plastic clothes hangers.

A new option package for 2003 is the rear seat entertainment system, that includes an overhead DVD player and pull-down 7-inch color screen. The system also contains two wireless headphones, remote control and a universal jack. For better driver comfort Ð particularly for very tall or short drivers Ð power adjustable accelerator and brake pedals are standard, while an available Reverse Sensing System serves as a parking aid.

The front seats offer a wide range of adjustment, including manual lumbar and optional power controls for both the driver and front passenger. Dual-zone climate controls are available, and an auxiliary climate control system is available for the rear seating area.

Refinement
Mountaineer's body shape, coupled with improved sealing and literally thousands of noise-control measures, result in a substantially quieter passenger cabin. Key to the improved sound quality is the fully boxed frame, that improves rigidity, noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels and vehicle responsiveness.

Mountaineer's stiff frame contributes to the vehicle's low NVH levels. Micro-cellular body mounts, attention to detail on door and liftgate seals, specially tuned engine, transmission and exhaust mounts, added insulation throughout the vehicle and a laminated steel dash with magnesium cross bar combine for luxury-vehicle quietness and NVH levels. The vehicle meets more than 1,000 internal checks for sound quality and NVH.

Safety and Security
Mountaineer and the new Explorer are the first Ford Motor Company SUVs with side-curtain air bags. The side-curtain air bags deploy from the headliner across approximately 75 percent of the side glass area to help protect first- and second-row occupants in the outboard seating positions during a side-impact collision.

An electronic rollover sensor provides further protection by measuring whether the vehicle is tilting, how fast the lean angle is changing and whether the combination means the vehicle might roll over.

If a rollover situation is predicted by the system, it deploys the side-curtain air bags to help prevent passengers from being ejected from the vehicle. The air bags remain inflated for several seconds - far longer than conventional air bags - to provide additional occupant protection. The location of the air bags and the physics of the deployment are designed to help reduce the risk of injury.

The Personal Safety SystemTM uses dual-stage driver- and passenger air bags that deploy differently based on several factors, including crash severity, front row occupant safety belt usage and driver seating position.

Front row occupants benefit from safety belts with pretensioners that tighten the belts in the first moments of a crash and an energy management system that slowly pays out safety belt webbing during an incident to help prevent injuries.

Tethers and anchors in all second- and third-row passenger positions offer secure attachments for child safety seats.

Mountaineer's four-wheel disc brakes have an anti-lock braking system (ABS) with electronic brake force distribution (EBD). It works continuously by measuring braking force versus traction and allocating brake force to the wheels that have the best grip for stopping - even before the ABS system kicks in. The front rotors are ventilated and have stiff calipers for better performance and feel.

These active protection systems augment Mountaineer's robust, fully boxed frame, which was designed with energy absorbing crush zones in the front rails. Steel bars inside the doors provide protection in side impacts. Head restraints in all seating positions help to prevent neck injuries.

At the same time, to be friendlier to other vehicles on the road, Mountaineer's low bumper beam aligns with the structure of most passenger cars.

Security features include the SecuriLockTM engine immobilizer system. Only users with the vehicle's authentic key - which contains a computer chip embedded in it - can start the vehicle.

A battery saver feature automatically turns off interior, courtesy and cargo lights approximately 10 minutes after the ignition key is turned off and the last door is closed.