People who buy full-size, rear-wheel drive sedans such as the
Mercury Grand Marquis are probably not looking for breakthrough styling and innovation. They tend to be older owners who have settled comfortably into their lives and who want roomy, traditional cars to match their laid-back lifestyles. The 1994
Mercury Grand Marquis LS fits the bill, competing for these buyers with other full-size sedans such as the
Chevrolet Caprice,
Ford Crown Victoria and
Buick Roadmaster.
The Mercury Grand Marquis has been a quiet, solid sales performer for a number of years. Lincoln-Mercury has used it successfully as a niche car, offering buyers Lincoln-like room, comfort and luxury for a reduced price. Our test Grand Marquis LS was a contemporary example of this philosophy. Completely equipped with a variety of comfort and convenience options, it had a sticker price of $24,685, including destination charges, minus $1,755 in special discounts. Not bad, and very comparable to the 1994 Chevrolet Caprice LS. In fact, after our evaluation of the Mercury, we'll give a quick apples-to-apples comparison of these two luxury sedans.
The sharp-cornered boxy shape that carried
Mercury cars through the 1970s and 1980s has been fully rounded off. The hood and front fenders have been drawn down to give the Grand Marquis less frontal mass and a leaner, more aerodynamic look. This "leaning out" has been applied to a lesser extent along the bodysides, into the quarter panels and around the rear.
The aerodynamic look extends into the cabin. The windshield has been raked back at a sharper angle, and the doors, with their flush-mounted side glass, are curved into a rounded roofline. Even the door handles are recessed into the body. These changes are more subtle than those of many other comparable cars, because the task was for gradual evolution, not revolution. Considerations for room, comfort and mass were given highest priority.
Nevertheless, the styling is attractive. Composite front and rear fascias and bumpers are finished in the body color-China Blue, in our case-for a monochromatic look. This is broken only by the grille and bright molding surrounding the Grand Marquis over the bumpers, rocker panels and door sills. Extending the subtle styling theme, decorative hardware is kept to a minimum.
In addition to being stylish, the Grand Marquis is safe. The vehicle meets 1997 Federal Dynamic Side impact Standards and includes structures in the front and rear that are intended to crumple on impact, thus absorbing a collision before it reaches the passenger compartment. This design, combined with the Grand Marquis' standard dual air bags, gave us a sense of security throughout our test drive.
