The Mercury Mariner Hybrid applies
both gasoline engine and electric car motor, which gives a 50% gain in driving
efficiency with a much lower emission. All this is achieved by the use of half
dozen powertrain components, which work in perfect unison. Ford motor has 40
patents in hybrid engine technology and 70 pending.
"The greatest appeal of the
Mercury Mariner Hybrid is that it satisfies both your environmental conscience
and sense of style. Mariner Hybrid retains the clean, tailored appearance of
the conventional Mariner," said Peter Horbury, Executive Director, North
American Design.
Being a fully hybrid, the Mercury
Mariner employs both series- and parallel-hybrid characteristics. The gasoline
engine shuts down to conserve fuel during coasting, at stoplight, and at low
speeds. The electric motor, taking up electricity from the battery, is able to
drive the vehicle without assistance up to 25 miles per hour.
It has 2.3-liter DOHC Duratec
four-cylinder engine with 2 ac electric motors with 250 D-size nickel-metal
hydride batteries in a compact, rear-mounted, sealed package. The vehicle could
go up to 25 mph with only electric power. The gas engine automatically shuts
down at traffic light, during coasting or when vehicle is crawling at low
speeds. 2006 Mercury Mariner Hybrid has a groovier fuel economy in city driving
where electric motor runs the vehicle up to as much as 25 mph.
The Mariner hybrid has 16-inch,
five-spoke aluminum wheels wrapped with 235/70R-16 all-season tires and a
discreet air vent in the driver's side rear-quarter window that helps cool the
rear-mounted nickel-metal hydride battery pack. It has an all-new Intelligent
four-wheel drive System, which automatically carry-overs torque from front to
rear as required by road conditions without driver intervention.
Mariner powertrains include a 2.3-liter
16-valve I-4 and a 3.0-liter 24-valve V-6 Duratec engine. Both engines come
with a standard 4-speed automatic transaxle.
It also features a front end with the
vertical, satin-aluminum-finished waterfall grill framing the floating Mercury
emblem. The fascia features a stacked-element theme with complex refractor
headlights over inset fog lamps. A high-impact-plastic (HIP) aluminum-look
bumper insert and U-shaped air intake below the bumper.
Mariner has the latest level of the
Personal Safety SystemTM, one of the most comprehensive and technologically
advanced safety systems available in any vehicle in any class. Seat-mounted
front side air bags and side air curtain air bags are optional.
"Mariner Hybrid fits perfectly
with Mercury's design philosophy," says Richard Gresens, Mariner chief
designer. "It's a stylish, elegant design with clean simple lines. It's an
urban sport-utility, comfortable going to a club downtown, yet still possessing
all of the capability and versatility of a sport-utility. At the same time,
it's environmentally friendly."