2010 Mercury Grand Marquis

The Grand Marquis is known as an old-school sedan that combines V8 power with a large interior.  The 2010 Mercury Grand Marquis is a family sedan, with rear wheel drive and plenty of cabin space.  But best of all, it comes with many features of the Lincoln Town Car, but at a much lower price.  The Grand Marquis is offered with a V8, giving it plenty of power for its body-on-frame construction. The 2010 Grand Marquis competes with other full-size sedans such as the Chevrolet Impala, Chrysler 300 and Buick Lucerne.  There are no significant changes for the 2010; it is essentially a carryover from 2010 The Grand Marquis is available in one well-equipped trim level, the LS, as the other trim ,the GS was dropped from the lineup last year. It is powered by a 224-hp 4.6-liter V8 engine with flexible fuel capability, mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission. Every Grand Marquis is outfitted with 17-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, automatic climate control, a power driver's seat, CD player and cruise control; popular options include chrome wheels, heated front seats, a 6-disc CD changer and power adjustable pedals. The Grand Marquis offers cavernous space for people and cargo, and proven reliability. The 2010 Grand Marquis has a starting MSRP of $29,410, and gets an EPA mileage of 16/24 City/Highway.  

Grand Marquis Power

The Grand Marquis is powered by a lone 224-horsepower, 4.6-liter V-8 that makes 275.  It is mated with four-speed automatic transmission. Power rack-and-pinion steering includes speed-dependent variable assistance.

2010 Mercury Design

Measuring 212 inches long overall, the Grand Marquis rides a 114.6-inch wheelbase and stands 56.3 inches tall and 78.3 inches wide. It is the longest and widest of its competitors, and is very similar in height.  Hydroformed steel sections are used for the front rails of the full-perimeter frame. The Grand Marquis comes with standard 17 inch wheels and a full size spare.

Driving a Grand Marquis

While Mercury truthfully advertises the Grand Marquis as the only vehicle in its class to offer a V8, the 224 horsepower produced by the antediluvian 4.6 Liter unit has long been surpassed by other companies' sixes. The Grand Marquis's automatic transmission, while smooth shifting, is down a cog or two from most competitors? units, offering a spread of only four gears to make the most of the engine's 275 lb.-feet of torque. While performance is not the Grand Marquis's strong suits, numerous updates to the chassis over the years have both sharpened the handling and softened the ride. A Watt's linkage in lateral control of the live rear axle hastens ambient responses, as does the Marquis's speed sensitive rack-and-pinion steering. The Grand Marquis suffers from a floaty ride and a size that hampers maneuverability.  Its V8 engine provides enough power for most situations, but is less refined than similar powerplants found in most competitors -- even Mercury builds a full-size sedan with more passing power, the Sable.

Inside the 2010 Sedan

Perhaps the Grand Marquis's greatest asset is its enormous interior, which offers class leading space and can accommodate up to six passengers; the trunk measures a large 20.6 cubic feet, easily enough to hold luggage. The Grand Marquis has a standard front bench seat and a rear bench seat, seating. Eight-way power-adjustable driver and front-passenger seats with leather are standard. A steering-wheel with audio and climate controls is optional. Keyless entry via a keyfob or door keypad is standard. Optional are heated seats The Grand Marquis has a large cabin that is comfortable, but the materials feel a little dated, and the seats are overly soft. Furthermore, numerous hard-plastic surfaces give the cabin a budget-grade feel. The leather upholstery doesn't do much to improve the overall ambiance.

Summary

While the Grand Marquis, now in its third generation, lacks the sophistication of its newer rivals due to its ancient Panther platform it nonetheless offers a spacious interior, comfortable ride, and decent performance at an affordable price. The biggest benefits of the 2010 Grand Marquis are its RWD winter traction, its good city mileage, its maneuverability in tight spaces, its long lasting resale value, and its large cabin. Safety features for 2010 include four-wheel antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, Traction control, Side-impact airbags, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes, dual front airbags and a tire pressure monitor. Mercury has stated the Grand Marquis will remain in production in its current from until 2010; after that, it is rumored that Ford may either develop a new platform or utilize the current DC2 platform, which underpins the Ford Mustang, for a new Grand Marquis. Read more details on the 2010 Grand Marquis for more research.  Mercury offers warranty coverage on all of its cars, including a three-year/36,000-mile new-vehicle limited warranty. Some have always love the Grand Marquis, and probably6 always will.  Still, some consider the Grand Marquis outpaced by newer competitors in almost every way.