Mercury Marquis

Mercury Marquis: which version to buy and why

The Mercury Marquis choice set in this catalogue is four generations and eight listed versions, spanning 1967–1986. Body types on the card are Sedan (4 generation, 1983–1986), Sedan 2-doors (3 generation, 1979–1982), Coupe Hardtop (1 generation, 1967–1968), and Cabrio (2 generation, 1969–1978). Every listed gearbox is Automatic.

The Mercury Marquis choice set in this catalogue is four generations and eight listed versions, spanning 1967–1986. Body types on the card are Sedan (4 generation, 1983–1986), Sedan 2-doors (3 generation, 1979–1982), Coupe Hardtop (1 generation, 1967–1968), and Cabrio (2 generation, 1969–1978). Every listed gearbox is Automatic. Drive splits the range in two: FWD on both 4 generation versions, RWD on every earlier one. Horsepower in the data runs from 105 hp on 3.3 AT to 345 hp on 7.0 AT. Kerb weight, gross weight, tank size, wheel size, and mpg are not measured on any version, so a “light vs heavy” ranking cannot be made here; the ranking that can be made is power, torque, litres, drive, body, and (where given) 0–100 and top speed.

If the question is which Mercury Marquis to buy, the data answer is: pick the body and drive first, then pick the engine by horsepower and by litres of displacement, because those are the numbers that actually differ.

Mercury Marquis generations — what actually changes between them

1 generation (1967–1968), Coupe Hardtop, 2 versions. This is the high-output pair. 6.4 AT is 270 hp (198 kW) at 4400 rpm, 544 Nm at 2600 rpm, 6400 cm³, compression 9.5, bore and stroke 102.9 x 96.1, Automatic 3, RWD. 7.0 AT is 345 hp (253 kW) at 4600 rpm, 626 Nm at 2800 rpm, 7000 cm³, compression 10.5, bore and stroke 104.9 x 101.09, Automatic 3, RWD. Cylinder count, cylinder layout, valves per cylinder, boost, engine position, and injection system are not measured on both. Front suspension Independent, spring; rear Dependent, leaf spring; brakes Drum front and Drum rear. Fuel 92. This generation is the only Coupe Hardtop on the card. Buying it means buying RWD, a 3-speed Automatic, drum brakes, and the two largest power figures in the whole Marquis table.

2 generation (1969–1978), Cabrio, 1 version. The generation window is 1969–1978; the only listed version, 6.6 AT, is dated 1975–1978. 6.6 AT is 160 hp (117 kW), 433 Nm, 6555 cm³, Gasoline, 8 cylinders, V-shaped layout, Front, longitudinal, Carburetor, Automatic 3, RWD. Valves per cylinder, boost, compression, and bore and stroke are not measured. Chassis pattern matches 1 generation: Independent, spring front; Dependent, leaf spring rear; Drum / Drum. This is the only Cabrio. Versus 7.0 AT, 6.6 AT has 185 hp less (345 − 160) on 445 cm³ less displacement (7000 − 6555). Versus 6.4 AT, it has 110 hp less on 155 cm³ more. Specific output is 160 / 6.555 ≈ 24.4 hp per litre — the lowest of any listed Marquis engine. Buy 6.6 AT only if the Cabrio body is the point; the engine numbers do not win against 1 generation.

3 generation (1979–1982), Sedan 2-doors, 3 versions. Drive stays RWD. Gears go to Automatic 4. Front brakes go to Disc. Front suspension stays Independent, spring; rear suspension is not measured. Ground clearance is measured here and only here: 130 mm on all three versions. Engine position Front, longitudinal; boost No; fuel 92; Gasoline; 8 cylinders; V-shaped; 2 valves per cylinder; Distributed injection (multi-point). 4.9 AT is 150 hp (110 kW) at 3200 rpm, 366 Nm at 3300 rpm, 4942 cm³, compression 8.9, bore and stroke 101.6 × 76.2. 5.8 AT (210 hp, performance not measured) is 210 hp (154 kW), 427 Nm, 5752 cm³; rpm for power and torque, compression, and bore and stroke are not measured. A second 5.8 AT (210 hp) lists the same 210 hp, 154 kW, 427 Nm, 5752 cm³ and the same layout, but adds 0–100 km/h 11.7 s and top speed 193 km/h. Power gap 5.8 AT versus 4.9 AT is +60 hp and +61 Nm on +810 cm³. Specific output: 4.9 AT 150 / 4.942 ≈ 30.4 hp per litre; 5.8 AT 210 / 5.752 ≈ 36.5 hp per litre. Buy 4.9 AT if you want the smaller V-shaped 8 with a published compression and bore/stroke; buy 5.8 AT if you want the 60 hp step. The two 5.8 AT rows cannot be split by horsepower — both are 210 hp — only by whether 0–100 and top speed are measured.

4 generation (1983–1986), Sedan, 2 versions. This is the FWD sedan pair and the only FWD Marquis in the data. Both are Gasoline, 6 cylinders, 2 valves per cylinder, boost No, Automatic 4, FWD, fuel 92, Independent, spring front, Disc front. Rear suspension, rear brakes, clearance, weight, tank, wheels, 0–100, top speed, and mpg are not measured. 3.3 AT is 105 hp (77 kW), 3300 cm³, Inline, Central injection (single-point or single- point). 3.8 AT is 120 hp (88 kW), 3797 cm³, V-shaped, Distributed injection (multi-point). Torque is not measured on either. The 4 generation step is +15 hp (120 − 105) and +497 cm³ (3797 − 3300) for 3.8 AT over 3.3 AT. Specific output is almost the same: 105 / 3.3 ≈ 31.8 hp per litre versus 120 / 3.797 ≈ 31.6 hp per litre. What 3.8 AT buys is not denser power, it is more litres, V-shaped instead of Inline, and Distributed injection (multi-point) instead of Central injection. Buy 4 generation if FWD Sedan and a 6-cylinder Automatic 4 is the brief; do not buy it expecting the 270–345 hp of 1 generation.

Mercury Marquis specs — engine table

Mercury Marquis horsepower order, lowest to highest: 3.3 AT 105 → 3.8 AT 120 → 4.9 AT 150 → 6.6 AT 160 → 5.8 AT 210 → 6.4 AT 270 → 7.0 AT 345. 7.0 AT is 240 hp above 3.3 AT (345 − 105) and 3.27 times the power (345 / 105). 6.4 AT is 150 hp above 3.8 AT (270 − 120). 5.8 AT sits 90 hp below 6.4 AT (270 − 210) and 135 hp below 7.0 AT (345 − 210).

Displacement order: 3.3 AT 3300 → 3.8 AT 3797 → 4.9 AT 4942 → 5.8 AT 5752 → 6.4 AT 6400 → 6.6 AT 6555 → 7.0 AT 7000. 6.6 AT is not a “small” engine: it is 155 cm³ larger than 6.4 AT and only 445 cm³ smaller than 7.0 AT, yet it is 110 hp and 185 hp down on those two. That is the arithmetic reason 6.6 AT ranks poorly on power per litre.

Torque, where measured: 4.9 AT 366 Nm → 5.8 AT 427 Nm → 6.6 AT 433 Nm → 6.4 AT 544 Nm → 7.0 AT 626 Nm. 3.3 AT and 3.8 AT torque is not measured. 6.6 AT almost matches 5.8 AT on torque (433 vs 427, +6 Nm) while giving up 50 hp (210 − 160). 7.0 AT adds 82 Nm over 6.4 AT (626 − 544).

Mercury Marquis engine — what the extra litres buy

On 4 generation, 3.8 AT versus 3.3 AT: +15 hp, +11 kW, +497 cm³, layout changes from Inline to V-shaped, injection from Central injection (single-point or single- point) to Distributed injection (multi-point). Power per litre does not rise. If the buyer wants FWD Sedan and the smallest listed Marquis engine, 3.3 AT is the match. If the buyer wants the 4 generation 6-cylinder with more litres and multi-point injection, 3.8 AT is the match. There is no third 4 generation engine in the data.

On 3 generation, 5.8 AT versus 4.9 AT: +60 hp, +44 kW, +61 Nm, +810 cm³, same 8, V-shaped, 2 valves, No boost, Front, longitudinal, Distributed injection (multi-point), Automatic 4, RWD, 130 mm clearance. Compression 8.9 and bore/stroke 101.6 × 76.2 are published only on 4.9 AT; both are not measured on 5.8 AT. The two 5.8 AT lines do not differ in hp, Nm, or cm³. The only numeric split is that one 5.8 AT has 0–100 11.7 s and 193 km/h measured, and the other has those not measured.

On 1 generation, 7.0 AT versus 6.4 AT: +75 hp, +55 kW, +82 Nm, +600 cm³, compression 10.5 versus 9.5, peak power 4600 versus 4400 rpm, peak torque 2800 versus 2600 rpm. Specific output 345 / 7.0 = 49.3 hp per litre versus 270 / 6.4 = 42.2 hp per litre. That is the densest power in the Marquis table. Cylinder count is not measured on either, so a cylinder-count comparison with later V-shaped 8s is not available from this card.

6.6 AT versus 4.9 AT: +10 hp, +7 kW, +67 Nm, +1613 cm³, but Carburetor instead of Distributed injection (multi-point), Automatic 3 instead of Automatic 4, Cabrio instead of Sedan 2-doors, and ground clearance not measured versus 130 mm. More litres and more torque, only a small power step, older gear count, different body.

6.6 AT versus 5.8 AT: −50 hp, −37 kW, +6 Nm, +803 cm³. More displacement, almost the same torque, less power.

Boost is No where it is measured (4 generation and 3 generation). On 1 generation and on 6.6 AT, boost is not measured.

Performance and economy (mpg)

0–100 km/h is measured on one row only: 5.8 AT (210 hp) at 11.7 s. Top speed is measured on that same row only: 193 km/h. For 3.3 AT, 3.8 AT, 4.9 AT, the other 5.8 AT, 6.4 AT, 7.0 AT, and 6.6 AT, 0–100 is not measured and top speed is not measured.

City, highway, and combined consumption are not measured on every version. mpg cannot be ranked. CO₂ and eco class are not measured. Fuel grade is 92 on all eight versions, so fuel type is not a differentiator.

A buyer using this card for “which is faster” has a single timed car: 5.8 AT at 11.7 s and 193 km/h. A buyer using this card for “which has more horsepower” has a complete ranking and should not treat the missing 0–100 figures as equal performance.

Mercury Marquis dimensions and weight

Kerb weight is not measured on any version. Gross weight is not measured on any version. Tank size is not measured. Wheel size is not measured. Length is not in the data. Weight-per-horsepower cannot be calculated.

Ground clearance is 130 mm on 4.9 AT and on both 5.8 AT rows (3 generation, Sedan 2-doors). On 3.3 AT, 3.8 AT, 6.4 AT, 7.0 AT, and 6.6 AT, clearance is not measured.

Front suspension Independent, spring is listed on all eight versions. Rear suspension Dependent, leaf spring is listed on 6.4 AT, 7.0 AT, and 6.6 AT; on 3 generation and 4 generation it is not measured. Front brakes Drum on 1 and 2 generation, Disc on 3 and 4 generation. Rear brakes Drum on 1 and 2 generation; not measured on 3 and 4 generation.

Which version to choose

Want maximum horsepower in this catalogue: 7.0 AT, 345 hp, 626 Nm, 7000 cm³, Coupe Hardtop, RWD, Automatic 3, 1967–1968. Next is 6.4 AT at 270 hp / 544 Nm / 6400 cm³, same body and drivetrain. The step from 6.4 AT to 7.0 AT is +75 hp and +82 Nm on +600 cm³ and +1.0 compression (10.5 vs 9.5).

Want a two-door sedan with a measured 8-cylinder and a 4-speed Automatic: 3 generation. 4.9 AT is the smaller of the pair (150 hp, 366 Nm, 4942 cm³, compression 8.9). 5.8 AT is the larger (210 hp, 427 Nm, 5752 cm³). If a timed 0–100 is required, only one 5.8 AT row has 11.7 s and 193 km/h; the other 5.8 AT has those not measured. Both 5.8 AT rows are 210 hp, so they are not split by power.

Want FWD and a 6-cylinder Sedan: 4 generation only. 3.3 AT is 105 hp, 3300 cm³, Inline, Central injection. 3.8 AT is 120 hp, 3797 cm³, V-shaped, Distributed injection. The extra 15 hp is almost exactly the extra 497 cm³; power per litre stays ≈ 32 hp/l. Rear drive is not available in this generation on this card.

Want Cabrio: only 6.6 AT, 160 hp, 433 Nm, 6555 cm³, 8, V-shaped, Carburetor, Automatic 3, RWD, 1975–1978 inside the 1969–1978 generation. Do not buy 6.6 AT for horsepower density: 24.4 hp per litre is the bottom of the table, below 3.3 AT at 31.8 and below 7.0 AT at 49.3.

Want 4 gears rather than 3: 3 generation and 4 generation (3.3 AT, 3.8 AT, 4.9 AT, 5.8 AT). 1 generation and 6.6 AT are Automatic 3.

Want Disc front brakes as listed: 3 and 4 generation. 1 and 2 generation list Drum front and Drum rear.

Cannot be used as a tie-breaker here: weight, length, tank, wheels, mpg, 0–100 (except one 5.8 AT), and kerb-weight-per-hp. Those fields are not measured. Search interest in Mercury Marquis length, weight, and mpg is real; this card does not supply those numbers.

Short map. Coupe Hardtop peak power: 7.0 AT, fallback 6.4 AT. Sedan 2-doors RWD: 5.8 AT for 210 hp, 4.9 AT for 150 hp and the only 3 generation compression/bore figures. FWD Sedan: 3.8 AT for 120 hp and V-shaped 6, 3.3 AT for 105 hp and Inline 6. Cabrio: 6.6 AT only. Those names are the catalogue names: 3.3 AT, 3.8 AT, 4.9 AT, 5.8 AT, 6.4 AT, 7.0 AT, 6.6 AT.