Luxury Isn’t Enough: 1969 Mercury Marauder X-100
Here’s a face you don’t see every day! Normally this stern-looking mug is followed by the body of the barge-like Mercury Marquis sedan, but this 1969 Mercury Marauder X-100 model turns up the “Interesting” dial to eleven. Mercury billed the X-100 as a car built “in case just luxury isn’t enough.” If you believe that and need a classic to compliment your Bi-turbo Mercedes-Benz CL600, maybe this Williston, Florida beauty is the luxo-muscle-barge for you! Take a virtual walk to the listing here on eBay and make an offer or click Buy It Now for $9000, which I’m guessing will net the seller $5000 profit.
The X-100 sales brochure describes the “tunnel fastback with complimentary sports-tone matte finish,” meaning this chrome-trim bounded rear deck came in black from the factory. Below that, the recessed tail-lights and “Marauder” script communicate luxury with a hint of naughtiness.
Though buyers could upgrade the X-100 with bucket seats and a sports console, this car’s standard bench seat better suits the driver for whom luxury, at least sometimes, is enough.
Vintage muscle-car horsepower numbers typically peaked in 1969 and 1970, and luxury cars benefited from the exploits of their lighter, flashier brethren. Mercury said the 429 cid V8 “puts out 360 authoritative horsepower,” and a burly 480 lb-ft of torque (thanks to mustangandfords.com for some details). What do you think of this muscle-bound land yacht?
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Comments
The next owner might want to rethink those bumper guards, work on the rough spots and cruse around in something unique. My wife snagged us a 70 model some years back, drove it home and put it in the “barn”,calf feeder shed. Recently decided to pull it out and get it drive able again. Bucket seats and floor shift with console . Working on carb. on rain days .91 hundredths in the last 8 months ,yes its very dry out here, worse than the dirty thirties according to the weather man.
Those bumper guards were a common dealer option. They were aftermarket, the Buick dealer I worked for in the 70s 80s sold thousands.
Here’s our ’70 marauder X100 coming out of the barn.
He is asking $9000 for this car?
We have seen them offered for not much more in nice condition.
It is too bad these types of cars from these types of sellers will never be sold to somebody that will put it back on the road.
@Miguel – As usual, you are right on point.
Sadly, true. But like the housing bubble of the mid-00’s, this bubble shall also burst. This is one of my bucket list cars, but not in this condition at this price.
We put ours in the creek behind the barn to start a new trend. I am sure the 429 will be okay ok and fire back up !
This should clean the interior buckets!
If I were to get one of these, I would wait and get one with the buckets/console like KS’s….and I think you are about right on the profit margin for this flipper, Todd…
That’s not a bench seat,if you blow the picture up you can see that they are buckets (really big ones) the passenger side is up further to the front
Thanks @Doug,
I was going to comment earlier about this car not having a bench seat, you beat me to it.
That backseat is bigger than my couch!
And that’s how some families in this country got started. And I say that with a very big smile. :)
Why are ambitious project cars priced so high? Almost anybody can see that the high price is just the price of admission. To make it nice is going to cost a mint and surely the total price will be more than a nice turn key car.
I just don’t get it.
I think it’s the auction show effect. They see one in nice driver condition with everything working that sells in Scottsdale for umpteen thousand, then figure, “I gots one-a them,” and never reason any further than that, certain that their example is worth at least as much as that one they saw on that one website or whatever.
These big barges were ugly when new and are still ugly today. Up here in Alberta Canada we are paying $5.02 for a Us gallon. I can’t imagine feeding this thirsty 8 mpg beast up here. I think the owner needs to drop a “0” to be more on point with the value, and even that is being generous. Actually you couldn’t give this car to me I wouldn’t take it. JMO.
“Ugly” is purely subjective. I think they represent their era. If I owned one, would I drive it a lot? No, probably not at $80 or more a tank. Would I drive it on occasion? Absolutely.
Agree 1000% Jett. I love when someone says “these are effing ugly!”. Purely an opinion, which they have the right to have. Personally I think these are awesome and you’d have to have bats in your belfry to daily drive this, or have a 1 mile round trip commute. So I wouldn’t be too concerned about how many MPGs you’re getting out of this one.
The only thing I don’t like about this car is no bucket seats and console,other than that this looks like a nice weekend ride.
Someone will make the seller a offer far below his asking price just to pull the motor and shoehorn it in to a Cougar and if he’s smart he’ll take their offer.
The 429 isn’t rare or valuable enough for that to happen. This engine hasn’t even been rebuilt, they only replaced a few bolt on items and some gaskets, then painted it. It’s a run of the mill passenger car engine, not a performance version such as a CJ or SCJ offered a few years later. A fair price would probably be $750, maybe $1,000 tops, This car is worth more than that, even though the asking price of $9,000 is a joke.
Steve R
Maybe he doesn’t believe in your God. Either way, this is not the venue for those discussions. Lets keep the politics out of it and stick to why we’re here: the love of cars!
Lighten up, Francis.
I’ve always thought it would be nice to complement my ’04 Marauder with a vintage one, especially with the 429.
This needs a bit too much for the $9K price tag, however.
I’m gonna run over your dogma with my karma.
Nine grand for a rough a$$, thousand dollar, grandma green beater! And I’m a fan of this model.
Also noticing the Mopar steelies with no hubcaps. Guess he already hustled off the Magstar wheels!
Originally, you had your choice of Bench, Bucket or “Twin Comfort Lounge” seating. Most of them came with either Bench or the “TCL” seats because they really were “Luxo-Cruisers”, like a Thunderbird or Grand Prix of that era. But their big block 429, 4 bbl, C-6 auto setup does make them “float” along the road. It’s an incredibly smooth riding car, that I think really looks sharp. I can’t wait until mine is finished being restored, it was so much fun to drive.
In ’69 the MagStar wheels were “Standard”, but by ’70, they were “Optional at Extra Cost!” LOL
Sorry.
Mother of Thor, this thing is a friggin’ oil tanker on wheels.
After looking at ones like this, I’ve come to the conclusion I’m never going to be able to afford one, a bucket list car like GasHole. Need to get my stash of parts (including a set of Magstars with the center caps) and get them sold.
What in GODS name was I thinking when I thought that the same era mopar “C” bodied cars were looong? Nice car in any event, maybe a bit pricey tho .
Wow, these seem to have escalated in price, there was one listed on here for $6,700 back in Dec 2017.
https://barnfinds.com/x-marks-spot-1969-mercury-marauder-x-100/
I like these land barges, they were great living rooms on wheels, even if they only get 2mpg. It is not about gas mileage, these cars were not built for gas mileage. It is not ugly…
That car is a much better deal than the one highlighted on this site today. I hope the red car found a nice home. This one will be for sale unti the end of time.
Steve R
Cool car in its day.
Today is not that day.
I’ve owned two. Trust me when I tell you that you better pay the small difference and get the nicest one you can find. The restoration parts for the body and interior are non-existent. There are beautiful #3 Marauders out there for well under 20K. You will have 40K into a #3 car here if you do most of the work yourself.
KSwheatfarmer. COOL, COOL,COOL!!
I always liked these. Mostly the back ends. I like Marlins, Fox body hatchbacks, etc.
I guess that toy 1965 Barracuda (I had 3 of those, the actual cars not the toys) that my grandmother gave me has lasting effects!
Any place and any time is right for a reminder not to take God’s name in vain.
Any one who disagrees will have a meeting with Him sooner than they think.
And likewise, any one who defends Him, will look forward to this meeting. Amen.
@angryjonny – At least you spelled ‘Thor’ with an initial capital… and he’s only a ‘god’.
@Marc G – I dunno; “… this thing is a friggin’ oil tanker on wheels…” Guess I’m not feelin’ the love…
@Geof – Thank you for that, but I have plenty to answer for.
$9K for that barge?? The 429 is a decent motor but isn’t a CJ or SCJ and probably needs rebuilding. Good luck finding bumpers for it or expect to spend a few mortgage payments on re-chroming. Better to spend that kind of money on a 1969 Cougar XR7.
Love the concept of the Marauder….a brutish yet comfortable cruiser, a gentleman’s car. Personally I’m a big fan of them, and really like the colour on this one. The price unfortunately is out of step with the condition, and this one may never see the care it deserves.
sold!
That’s surprising. I wonder how much the offer they accepted was.
Steve R
unfortunatly the pic here, those linked, the fleebay advert 4 this 1 – none of them show the reality of this car.
Now the 12/4/17 listing here @ BF really, really does.
They were shocking in their day.
Would very much like to see one today (even in the condition of this one).
Rare cars even when I was 9 years old in 1970 I rarely saw one of these. I do remember though in 69 or 70 getting a toy plastic Mercury in my box of Honey Comb cereal.
THAT sold for 9K? With that quarter rust and overall rough condition? Bet the deal falls through and it gets relisted. If not, someone got taken…..
I thought 9 Large for a car missing bits made of unobtainum and needing a lot of work inside and out is a bit optimistic. Its not like you are popping down to Pep Boys for some X-100 tail light lenses..But then again it sold for $9k – I hope the new owner has a line on parts.
I just found this in central Arkansas…
2 owner, 87,000 miles and hasn’t been on the road since 1982!…
Cool Steve! You bought it?
If you’re talking about the Maroon 1969 Mercury Marauder X100…. Hell Yes!!