The Marauder, in its standard ebony paint, gives the same menacing vibes as a black leather jacket. The black monochrome treatment has even been given to the headlamps with only the reflectors spared the blackout treatment. The taillamp bezels are dark tinted as well for what Mercury calls a "serious, but understated appearance." Up front, Cibie fog lamps are inserted in the front bumper, and the rear bumper has "MARAUDER" embossed in it while big dual 3.5-inch chrome exhaust tips protrude straight out the back. A big car needs big tires, and the Marauder wears P235/50WR18 boots on front with wider, P245/55WR18 rubber at the rear. The larger rear tires give the Marauder a natural slight rake that enhances the performance image. Five-spoke forged aluminum wheels are eight inches wide and have cast into the wheel hubs the bas-relief image of Mercury, the swift messenger of the Roman gods and a Mercury revival from the Fifties. The current Mercury logo is centered on the grille in a bright finish; we think the god's head logo should be here as well, but Mercury did not consult us on this. The exterior, according to Mercury representatives, was purposely kept simple because focus group attendees said they'd rather have it left plain to customize themselves.
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