February 9, 2001

Ford's St. Thomas, Ontario plant to build new Mercury Marauder

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Ford of Canada's St. Thomas Assembly Plant near London, Ontario has been selected to build the Mercury Marauder - a high performance sedan based on the Mercury Grand Marquis.

The Marauder will go on sale in the U.S. during the summer of 2002. It may be sold in Canada as well, but that decision has not yet been made.

The 300-plus horsepower Marauder, described as Mercury's "rebel with a cause", was unveiled by Lincoln Mercury at the Chicago Auto Show. Production at St. Thomas Assembly Plant is slated to begin in spring of 2002.

"As the company's exclusive maker of Mercury Grand Marquis and Ford Crown Victoria, St. Thomas Assembly Plant has an impressive track record for quality and operating efficiency. We build customer satisfaction through manufacturing superiority," said Ken Ward, Plant Manager.

In recent years St. Thomas Assembly Plant has been recognized as North America's leading auto assembly plant for quality (1998 J.D. Power's "Gold" Award) and large-car productivity (2000 Harbour Report).

"St. Thomas Assembly employees have the special skills - and commitment to quality - that are necessary to meet very specific consumer expectations for the exciting new Mercury Marauder," Ward added.

St. Thomas Assembly Plant is a two-shift facility that employs more than 2,800 people. In 2000, it built 236,000 Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis sedans.

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