Those of us who occasionally drive hot new review cars are
accustomed to getting admiring looksfrom people who appreciate
our wheels. But I wasn't prepared for what happened with the
2003 MercuryMarauder. The black-gloss-finished sedan seemed to
get the most attention from cops!  That'sprobably because the
Marauder, based on the Grand Marquis, takes a few design cues
from its cousin theCrown Vic, a popular police cruiser. Mercury
engineers also blacked-out nonfunctional areas of theheadlamp
units and dark-tinted the taillamp bezels to give the Marauder a
don't-mess-with-meappearance. Three-inch chrome exhaust tips,
18-in. chromed spoke wheels, and fog lamps integrated intothe
fascia further promote this image.  Under the hood is a 302-hp
DOHC V8. The 4.6-literall-aluminum engine is basically the same
one that powers the 2002 Mustang Cobra. Interestinglyenough, the
car is available only with an automatic transmission, though it
targets drivingenthusiasts. The transmission is a four-speed
with overdrive, and Me