Amidst a quasi-renaissance of large, rear-drive V8-powered sedans, the Mercury Grand Marquis is, for its fans anyway, an example of “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” The big Mercury, a slightly fancier twin of the Ford Crown Victoria, exhibits old-school automotive design with its stout but heavy body-on-frame construction, solid rear axle and softly tuned suspension calibrations. Its American and Japanese peers, by comparison, feature lighter unibody architecture and fully independent suspensions.

The ride and handling envelope suffers somewhat as a result because while the Mercury Grand Marquis handles respectably for a large car, it’s not as athletic as more modern rivals. But folks prize this Mercury for its roomy cabin, plush, quiet ride and bulletproof construction, not its ability to tear through a winding road at breakneck speed. It’s no wonder that for decades its plainer relative has been the favorite of cab companies, police departments and fleet operators everywhere. The Grand Marquis name dates back to the mid-’70s, when it signified the top trim level of the Mercury Marquis rear air suspension. The Marquis shared its basic platform with the full-size Ford LTD, which was later renamed the Crown Victoria. Unlike today’s version, which is identical in nearly every way to the Crown Vic, the older Grand Marquis looked more like a Lincoln and had a more luxurious cabin.

In essence, the Mercury Grand Marquis air bags bridged the gap between the workaday Ford and expensive Lincoln sedans. With hidden headlights and chrome trim that accented the massive, stately body, the Grand Marquis floated down the road propelled by V8 engines ranging up to 460 cubic inches (7.5 liters) in displacement. A serious downsizing took place in 1979 that saw weight drop by 700 pounds, the wheelbase shrink by 7 inches and the big V8s replaced by a 302-cubic-inch (5.0-liter) mill. The boxy-looking Grand Marquis continued like this until a major revamp for ‘92, which is covered in more detail below.

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