Mercury Cougar

Did You Know?

• The Cougar nameplate was used on four-door sedans and five-door station wagons during its mid-size production.
• Mercury dealers promoted the Cougar with the slogan 'The Sign of the Cat,' featuring big cats atop dealer signs.
• The Cougar began development in summer 1962 as part of the T-5 project that produced the Ford Mustang.

First generation (1967–1970)

The Mercury Cougar was released on September 30, 1966, and far exceeded initial sales projections, accounting for nearly 40% of Lincoln-Mercury's 1967 sales. Priced $284 above the equivalent Ford Mustang, the base Cougar started at $2,854, while a fully optioned XR-7 reached $4,500. It received the 1967 Motor Trend Car of the Year award, the only Mercury vehicle to do so. Internally designated T-7, the first-generation Cougar shared its chassis with the 1967 Ford Mustang, riding on a 111-inch wheelbase—three inches longer than the Mustang. Both cars derived from the Ford Falcon unibody compact architecture. The engine lineup was exclusively V8s: a 289 cuin V8 with either 200 or 225 hp, and a 390 cuin Marauder V8 producing 320 hp in the GT. For 1968, the 289 was temporarily replaced by a 302 cuin V8 rated at 210 or 230 hp, and a 427 cuin V8 with 390 hp appeared in the GT-E. The 428 Cobra Jet Ram Air, introduced April 1, 1968, rated at 335 hp, later replaced the 427. For 1969, the 289 was dropped; a 351 cuin Windsor V8 became standard, offering 250 or 290 hp, while the 390 remained at 320 hp and the 428 Cobra Jet at 335 hp.

Second generation (1971–1973)

For 1971, Lincoln-Mercury released the second-generation Cougar, benchmarked against GM A-body coupes such as the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. Sharing much of its bodyshell with the Ford Mustang, the Cougar shifted from a plush pony car toward a blend of sporty and luxury attributes. Its success overshadowed the intermediate Mercury Cyclone, which was integrated into the Montego line and retired during the 1972 model year. To offer a compact sporty car, Ford began selling the imported Capri through Lincoln-Mercury dealers; built in West Germany by Ford of Europe, the Capri was not officially badged as a Mercury. This generation was the final Cougar derived from the Ford Mustang and the last offered as a convertible. A light blue/white 1973 Cougar XR-7 was the last convertible assembled by Ford Motor Company for over a decade. The chassis was a revised version of the first-generation Falcon unibody, with wheelbase increased to 112.1 inches and front track widened to 61.5 inches to accommodate big-block V8s like the 429. Front disc and rear drum brakes were fitted, with power brakes becoming standard in 1973. The 3-speed manual was dropped that year, making an automatic standard; a 4-speed manual was optional on 351 Cobra Jet V8s.

Sixth generation (1983–1988)

For 1983, Mercury introduced the sixth-generation Cougar, derived from the Fox platform and serving as a replacement for the Cougar XR-7. It reverted to the role of a luxury sports coupe, again a counterpart of the Ford Thunderbird. The redesign was part of a broader revision of Ford and Mercury model ranges; the previous Cougar sedan and wagon adopted the Marquis nameplate, while the full-size Grand Marquis became a distinct model line. The sixth-generation Cougar and Thunderbird marked the first large-scale use of aerodynamic design for an American automobile and were the first Ford vehicles developed using computer-aided design. The notchback roofline reduced the drag coefficient from 0.50 to 0.40, and a 1987 mid-cycle revision further lowered it to 0.36. The rear-wheel-drive Fox platform was retained on a 104-inch wheelbase, with MacPherson strut front suspension and a four-link coil-sprung solid rear axle. Standard engines included a 120 hp 3.8L V6 and an optional 130 hp 4.9L V8. For 1986, the V8 received sequential fuel injection, raising output to 150 hp. In 1988, the V6 gained multiport fuel injection for 140 hp, and the V8 was retuned to 155 hp.

Seventh generation (1989–1997)

The seventh-generation Mercury Cougar was introduced on December 26, 1988, for the 1989 model year. Development began in the second quarter of 1984 alongside the tenth-generation Ford Thunderbird, with a $2 billion redesign that benchmarked handling against luxury coupes such as the BMW 6-Series, Mercedes-Benz 560SEC, and Jaguar XJS while maintaining the same price point. In its debut year, 97,246 Cougars were produced, the best model year for the flagship coupe. As market demand shifted away from large two-door coupes, the Cougar became the sole such model offered by Mercury. After a final production run of 35,267 units, the seventh generation ended in late August 1997. Built on the Ford MN12 platform, the Cougar retained rear-wheel drive and gained a 113-inch wheelbase—nine inches longer than before and longer than a Mercedes-Benz 560SEC. The MN12 chassis featured four-wheel independent suspension, a first for a mass-produced front-engine rear-drive American automobile aside from the Chevrolet Corvette. Power came solely from a 3.8L V6, as the lowered hoodline could not accommodate a V8. LS trims used a naturally aspirated 140 hp version, while the XR7 received a 210 hp supercharged variant. The naturally aspirated V6 paired with a 4-speed automatic; the supercharged V6 offered a 5-speed manual or optional automatic.