Marauder Production Ends

Saw a clip in a local paper today that the Mercury Marauder will stop production in June of 2004.

I remmeber a Mercury Executive saying in 2002 before the car came out that the Marauder will be around for many years in limited quantity and won't go by the wayside like the shortlived Impala SS ( 92-96 ). Ha !

I guess many years only to come only means 2 model years in Ford's language.

========= Harryface =========

1991 Pontiac Bonneville LE 3800 V6 ( C ), Black/Slate Grey _~_~_~_~278, 900 miles_~_~_

~_~_~_~_U.S.A._~_~_~_~_~_

Reply to
Harry Face
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Reply to
Marky

The one I looked at had a dealer installed moonroof and a $37,000 price tag. I can think of quite a few better vehicles to buy for that price!

Reply to
Dennis Smith

That one was a dud from Day 1. Ford has been hitting a lot of strikes and fouls these past ten years. Ever since they redesigned the Ford Taurus and took it from Best Selling car to ...... Also Ran. Ford has not produced a single hot selling automobile in ten years now. A few hot trucks, but not a single car is hitting sales plan.

John

Reply to
John Horner

Not so, the Marauder was intended to be limited production vehicle, just like the new Chevy convertible truck. Ford has sold every one they built. You are forgetting the Mustang, it has been the number one seller in it market for over 20 years.

mike hunt

John Horner wrote:

Reply to
StonyMason

Funny, my Mercury dealer has ten of them on their lot. Now, if you're saying, Ford has shipped everyone they have built to dealers, then yes, they have. But, that is a far cry from selling them to customers. In the world of automobiles--manufacturing in general--factory inventory is not the same as sales. A true indicator is channel inventory, and if you look at it, you'll notice that Ford sells about 70% of the Marauders they build. As we all know, for a low production car to succeed, they need to have customer orders on hand for every one they build.

To be honest, though, I love the Marauder, but for the money, there are a lot of better alternatives-- the Bonneville and Impala SS come to mind.

In the end, buy whatever will make you happy. Heck, if you like the Marauder, then so be it--I'm not the one spending your coin.

Mike

Reply to
Michael

You are correct it is your money, spend it were you wish. New vehicle sales are counted when the vehicle is sold to a customer, not to the dealer and 2004 sales are not yet complete by any measure. The Bonny is hardly an alternative, since it is FWD and much smaller. A V8 Impala is no longer offered by GM. Nothing available on the market today that comes even close to the Marauder in size at anywhere near the price and that is the point.

mike hunt

Michael wrote:

Reply to
StonyMason

OK, sorry, I didn't know we were using the rear seating size of the vehicle as a factor. I thought we were just comparing performance sedans. Since everyone in my family is rather tall--I'm the shortest, and I'm

Reply to
Michael

I hope you know something about this that I don't know because I find that very hard to believe.

In any event, I sure hope you're right!

Rick

Reply to
Rutger6559

Der Mopar has two RWD, V8 option, cars coming to the market as we speak, the dodge Magnum and the Chrysler 300. GM is scheduled to switch to RWD and offer V8's in 2005. Cadillac will be all RWD by 2006. The luxury and performance market is in AWD/RWD, not FWD. Both Chrysler and GM are going where that market has always been. Eventually only small and intermediate cars will be offered in FWD. Performance cars demand the superior handling of AWD/RWD

mike hunt

Rutger6559 wrote:

Reply to
DustyRhoades

Whether the Deville moves to RWD is up in the air right now. There's a sense that the Deville is selling well enough (better than the Town Car).

Reply to
Levi Ramsey

That may be your opinion but the GM stockholders report says otherwise. The T-Car is not the DeVillle's only competitor, Lexus, BMW, Jag, MB etc., are others, all of which are RWD..

mike hunt

Levi Ramsey wrote:

Reply to
DustyRhoades

However, a large percentage of DeVille sales are *because* it is FWD (especially in certain regions of the country). I have no doubt that there will be a large RWD Cadillac (FTS is my dream nomenclature) in the near future. However, a large number of published media reports have said that the question of the DeVille going RWD is very much unsettled.

Reply to
Levi Ramsey

And unless I'm mistaken, the DeVille outsells the S-class, 7-series, etc.

Reply to
Levi Ramsey

I don't like to repeat myself but the stockholders report says it will switch from FWD to RWD. Like the upcoming Lincoln's in 2005 and 2006 it will offer AWD but it is defiantly getting away from FWD. The RWD cars from the other luxury manufactures outsell any of the FWD luxury cars.

mike hunt

Lei Ramose wrote:

Reply to
DustyRhoades

Hamburger outsells steak, what's your point?

mike hunt

Lei Ramose wrote:

Reply to
DustyRhoades

You don't mess with something that sells well, especially when a large number of the current buyers are buying it because it's FWD.

According to my contacts at GM, it's about 60/40 that the Deville will stay FWD past 2007, with a RWD large luxury sedan likely as a complement.

Reply to
Levi Ramsey

I've no intention of debating, you certainly are entitled to believe whomever you wish. Personally I am more inclined to believe GM's report to us stockholders, but that's your privilege.. I will just point out that there is an article in the current issued of 'Automotive News,' the industry bible, that says your friends are wrong. The article also addresses Cadillacs use of letters rather than names for its vehicles. Seems the buying public is becoming confused by meaningless letters and they may go back to giving the cars names, curious.

mike hunt

Lei Ramose wrote:

Reply to
MikeHunt2

Typo: 60/40 that it goes to RWD. It has not been conclusively decided. Which year's annual report claims that it's been decided?

Reply to
Levi Ramsey

Can you provide a link or copy and paste some text for reference? I found some info talking about moving some models to the Sigma platform (which is RWD or AWD) but nothing saying all FWD would be dropped.

snipped-for-privacy@mailcity.com wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@mailcity.com:

Reply to
Joe Blow

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