1990, and it has turned out to be one of the best engines Ford Motor Company has ever built in terms of quality and

durability. It, too, has been upgraded for 1997, and now makes 200 horsepower with single exhaust and 220 hp with the

optional dual exhaust system, a 10-hp increase over previous calibrations. The engine now has coil-on-plug ignition which

is simpler and more reliable.

Likewise, the 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission designed to mate with the 4.6-liter V8 has been shaped up and

smoothed out for 1998, with 50 percent quicker, smoother, and more positive shifts, and no maintenance required for the

life of the car. With this combination, the Grand Marquis is rated a Class 1 tow vehicle, to tow 2000 pounds

continuously.

And, whether you tow a small trailer or boat and trailer, you might consider that ABS and traction control come as a

single package in 1998, and that traction control has been upgraded from low-speed-only to all-speed, which makes it a

great deal more flexible in many weather conditions. The system can be switched off with a switch hidden in the glovebox.

Wheels have been increased from 15-inch to 16-inch. Steel wheels are standard, aluminum alloy wheels are optional.

Special alloy wheels come with the handling package. Standard tires are P225/60R-16 all-season radials that ride better

and bite better than the smaller tires used last year. Brakes, too, have been enlarged and upgraded, with larger, thicker

rotors and dual-piston calipers on the front discs for better, longer brake performance.

For 1998, the Grand Marquis rear suspension has been altered substantially to get that quiet, smooth and unperturbed

ride. The rear trailing arms, which used to point inward toward the driveshaft, have been reshaped and remounted between

the frame and the rear axle assembly to provide control of the axle's up and down motions. At the same time, the rear axle assembly has been fitted with a Watts linkage, a simple mechanical link between the center of the frame and the axle assembly that locates the axle laterally. Mercury's Precision Trac suspension system with coil springs and relocated shock absorbers controls the ride. With one set of bars for vertical motions and the Watts link for lateral motions, the car is much less susceptible to wallow and is not as affected by crosswinds as it was before. This was clearly the best-handling big Merc we've ever driven, a pleasure on a winding road.