• Heavy-duty 4R75W transmission with improved shift response
• New exterior colors: Dark Toreador Red and Silver Birch
• New interior color: Light Flint/Dark Charcoal two-tone
• Needle bearings and Teflon seals on torque converter
• Dual knock sensors for improved response at low engine speeds
• Standard traction control
• Standard Audiophile entertainment system

The 2004 Marauder is powered by an all-aluminum 4.6-liter, 302-horsepower V-8 engine. Its chassis highlights include rack-and-pinion steering, hydroformed front frame rails, monotube dampers and 18-inch wheels and tires. The Marauder seats five passengers with generous front and rear seat room.

Marauder is built in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada.

Design and Equipment
Marauder is now available in three exterior monochrome color schemes: Dark Toreador Red and Silver Birch join the original deep-gloss Black. Distinctive yet subtle performance cues include the “Marauder” name embossed on the rear bumper, 3.5-inch polished stainless steel exhaust tips and high-output Cibie fog lamps.

Large 18-inch wheels and tires reinforce Marauder’s aggressive, muscle-car stance, while the image of the Roman god Mercury on the wheel caps reflects its heritage and personality.

Marauder’s interior features a Dark Charcoal and Light Flint two-tone color scheme. Satin-aluminum gauges include a 140-mph speedometer and a 7,000-rpm tachometer, plus voltmeter and oil pressure gauges at the base of the center stack.

Dual eight-way power-reclining, heated bucket seats in rich Dark Charcoal or Light Flint leather are amply padded for better thigh, lumbar and shoulder support. The leather has classic French seam stitching and the front seat backs are embossed with the Mercury god’s-head logo.

Powertrain and Driving Dynamics
The heart and soul of the Marauder is its naturally aspirated all-aluminum, 4.6-liter DOHC engine, with 302 horsepower at 5,750 rpm and 318 foot-pounds of torque at 4,300 rpm.

Powertrain refinements for 2004 include a new heavy-duty transmission and torque converter, plus dual knock sensors. The dual sensors provide for a more precise spark advance and a corresponding improvement to the engine’s overall performance and low-end acceleration.

The 2004 Marauder also gets a new 4R75W heavy-duty, four-speed automatic transmission for greater efficiency and low-end torque. Other refinements include the addition of needle bearings and Teflon seals to a new 11.25-inch high-stall-speed torque converter with a one-inch one-way clutch. The new transmission provides quicker upshifts and downshifts, and lets the driver “kick down” into first gear at a higher speed.

The Marauder chassis provides a combination of ride, handling, braking and safety performance unattainable in the muscle car era. The full-perimeter frame of strong, lightweight hydroformed steel resists bending and twisting.

The number two crossmember is aluminum, allowing more precisely aligned engine mounts, steering and suspension parts. A strong steel crossmember behind the A-pillar improves the frame’s stiffness and dissipates energy in a side-impact collision.

The independent front suspension uses a short- and long-arm design, Tokico monotube dampers and a heavy-duty stabilizer bar. The live-axle rear suspension has a stabilizer bar and lateral Watt’s linkage, plus monotube dampers and load-leveling, performance-tuned air springs.

The Marauder power steering is a variable-ratio rack-and-pinion design with speed-sensitive variable assist, further enhanced by the ultra high-performance all-season BF Goodrich g-Force T/A tires.

The Marauder runs P235/50WR18s on the front wheels and P245/55WR18s on the rear, for maximum traction and a muscle car rake.

Marauder features twin-piston calipers and a 12-inch ventilated rotor on the front, with a single-piston caliper and vented 11.5-inch rotors on the rear.

Safety
Along with anti-lock brakes, Marauder safety features include side-impact air bags, the Personal Safety System^™, BeltMinder^™ and the LATCH system, along with the SecuriLock^™ anti-theft system.

Major Equipment and Options
Standard features include: Cibie fog lamps, tinted glass, 18-inch forged aluminum five-spoke aluminum wheels, center and overhead consoles, illuminated visor mirrors, dual heated fold-away mirrors, leather-wrapped console shifter, leather-wrapped steering wheel with climate and audio controls, floor mats, power steering/brakes/windows/locks, adjustable pedals, rear reading lamps, map/courtesy/glove box/trunk lights, electronic clock, automatic climate control, Audiophile AM/FM/cassette/CD stereo with equalizer and sub-woofer, speed control, traction control, tilt steering column, remote keyless entry and rear load-leveling performance air springs and suspension.

Options include a six-disc trunk-mounted CD changer, heated seats, engine block heater and trunk organizer.