2000 Mercury Grand Marquis Limousine luxury at a bargain price. By Jim McCraw, New Car Test Drive .com

Price-conscious shoppers who do their research will learn that the Mercury Grand Marquis is one of the great full-size sedan bargains on the American market. It offers rear-wheel drive, lots of interior space, five-star crash performance, strength and durability, along with almost all the comfort and convenience features of the Lincoln Town Car -- at a much more affordable price.

The Grand Marquis competes against the Pontiac Bonneville, Buick LeSabre, Chrysler Concorde, and Toyota Avalon.

The Grand Marquis comes in GS ($22,415) and LS ($24,315) trim levels.

Both are powered by a 4.6-liter V8 coupled to a 4-speed automatic overdrive transmission. Buyers have the option of either a single-exhaust system that makes 200 horsepower, or a dual-exhaust system that bumps power output to 215 horsepower.

The better-breathing system is standard on the LS version, which comes with more standard equipment than the GS, including cruise control, power door locks, an illuminated keyless entry system, chrome wheel covers, a light group, and pinstripes.