The Grand Marquis is America ’s favorite six-passenger, body-on-frame, rear-wheel-drive, V-8 powered large sedan. It is the longest-running, best-selling Mercury ever, with more than 2.7 million sold since 1975.
Improvements for 2006 include updated front and rear styling, new paint and interior colors and new 16-inch wheels and multi-function overhead console on LS models.
The six-passenger Grand Marquis offers 107.4 cubic feet of passenger volume. The spacious trunk holds 20.6 cubic feet of luggage, while its low liftover height of 26.8 inches makes loading and unloading easy. A trunk organizer is available.
The Grand Marquis was redesigned for the 2003 model year. It received new frame, suspension and steering systems for enhanced safety, ride and h and ling. With styling enhancements this year, Grand Marquis continues to offer a superior ride, roominess, safety, outstanding value and a taste of luxury.
Grand Marquis is built in St. Thomas , Ontario , and is available in GS, GS Convenience, LS Premium and LS Ultimate trims.
Design and Equipment
The classic Grand Marquis design sees minor changes for 2006. Upgrades and refinements include a new grille, front fascia and headlamps, (with available fog lamps) restyled tail-lamp appliqué and , on LS models, new 16-inch machined-aluminum wheels. Two new paint colors are also available, as are four new two-tone paint schemes. Light Camel is a new interior color this year.
Inside, Grand Marquis LS will now have a standard overhead console with integrated compass, map light and universal garage-door opener.
The Handling package, optional on the LS series, includes 16-inch styled aluminum wheels and P225/60TR16 Michelin All-Season BSW tires, along with a 3.27 axle, rear stabilizer bar and rear air suspension with unique springs. Dual exhausts boost engine output to 239 horsepower.
The Limited package, available on LS Premium models, includes two-tone leather-trimmed seats, myrtlewood woodgrain trim, body-color door h and les, chrome-trimmed heated power mirrors and 16-inch nine-spoke chrome wheels.
Powertrain and Chassis
The Grand Marquis is the only vehicle in its class with a standard V-8 engine – the 4.6-liter SOHC V-8, which produces 224 horsepower at 4,800 rpm and 272 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. Dual exhausts on the optional h and ling package raise the engine’s output to 239 horsepower at 4,900 rpm and peak torque of 287 pound-feet at 4,100 rpm.
All Grand Marquis models use a four-speed automatic transmission with electronic automatic overdrive. A 2.73:1 axle for good fuel economy is standard. The h and ling package includes a 3.27 axle for better acceleration. All-speed traction control, which uses ABS and throttle intervention to manage wheelspin, is standard on the GS Convenience, LS Premium and LS Ultimate.
Safety and Security
Safety has long been a hallmark of the Grand Marquis, which is the only car in its class to earn the U.S. government’s highest crashtest rating – five stars for driver and front passenger – for frontal crash protection 10 years in a row. When equipped with side air bags, it is the only vehicle in its class to earn five-star ratings in all five crash categories.
Major safety features include the robust frame, further strengthened with the addition of hydroformed front rails and redesigned crossmembers in 2003. In side tests, the Grand Marquis received five stars for rear-seat passengers and four stars for front-seat occupants in models tested without the optional side air bags.
Four-wheel disc ABS is st and ard, as is Ford’s Personal Safety System™. Other safety and security features include a valet key, remote keyless entry, illuminated entry system, child safety latches for the rear doors and the Securilock™ anti-theft system.
Major Features and Options
GS: 4.6-liter V-8 engine, four-speed automatic transmission, anti-lock disc brakes, speed control, speed-sensitive power steering, power mirrors/windows/locks, anti-theft system, air conditioning, AM/FM/CD stereo, cloth upholstery, eight-way power driver’s seat with lumbar support, front and rear mats, entry lights, illuminated visor mirrors and chromed wheel covers.
GS Convenience adds: All-speed traction control, keyless entry via key fob and driver’s side door keypad, paint stripe, rear-seat reading lights and power-adjustable pedals.
LS Premium adds: Power-heated side mirrors with color-keyed caps, 16-inch, 18-spoke alloy wheels, fold-down rear seat center arm rest with cup holders, electronic temperature control, overhead console with compass and universal garage door opener, auto-dimming interior mirror, eight-way power passenger seat, passenger lumbar support and leather-wrapped steering wheel.
LS Ultimate adds: Unique exterior and interior badging, air suspension with rear stabilizer bar, dual-media audio system, remote audio and climate controls and wood and leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Options include a six-disc CD changer, side air bags, power moonroof, leather-trimmed seats, heated front seats, dual media audio system, 16-inch chrome wheels, trunk organizer, full-size spare tire, fog lamps, security glass, power heated color-keyed mirrors, h and ling package and Limited Package.
