Mercury Cougar

The Mercury Cougar was a car that was built by the fall of 1966 until the summer of 2002 by Mercury, a brand of Ford Motor Company in North America. During this time there were a number of model generations, who belonged to different market segments.

The model name Cougar, which had attained a certain establishment by the first model, which was a counterpart to the Ford Mustang, was in the 1970s and 1980s, the subject of a Badge shifting process, ie the transmission of a model designation on vehicles of different classes. Such was the Cougar, after he had been initially a sports car from 1976 to 1982, produced in two generations of middle-class sedan and the Mercury Cougar XR- 7, a luxury coupe which was a counterpart to the Ford Thunderbird until the 1990s into it. From 1998 to 2002, finally wore a slightly smaller coupe based on the Mercury Mystique and Ford Contour of the European market, the name Ford Cougar.

Cougar (1966-1973)

Mercury Cougar (1966-1970)

The 1964 Ford Mustang was presented a sales success, which showed how greatly the market opportunities for sporty cars in America were put up. General Motors, the largest American car company, had this trend initially overlooked and it took two and a half years until he was able to introduce in the autumn of 1966, the Chevrolet Camaro as a competitor. As was to be expected that the sales of the Mustang would reduce by the Camaro, Ford was planning one step ahead and brought out simultaneously with the Camaro the Mercury Cougar. Designed this was as a luxury variant of the Mustang for customers who wanted to drive a sporty car, but at the same time put higher demands on comfort and exclusivity.

The Cougar there was therefore only with V8 engines from 4700 cc to 6400 cc, while the Mustang was available with six-cylinder engines. For the model year 1968, the Cougar received minor changes ( side repeaters ) and more powerful engines ( 5.8 to 7.0 liters displacement). In 1969, the body grew significantly and the Cougar was available as a convertible. The Cougar was therefore still competitive.

Rear view

In the fall of 1970, the Cougar was the model 1971, a completely new, over 5 meters long, body and was still available as a coupe and convertible.

The Cougar design proved to be successful, even in terms of sales figures. However, General Motors introduced in the spring of 1967 Pontiac Firebird out, which was set up similar to the model range of General Motors Chevrolet Camaro as the Cougar to the Mustang.

From 1970 decreased sales of the Ford Mustang, as the attractiveness of the pony cars generally subsided. This also the Cougar was affected. 1973, the Mustang was set in its current form and replaced by the much smaller model Mustang II. Also, the Cougar had then to be redefined in the model range of Mercury.

Numbers (model years):

Cougar XR- 7 (1974-1976)

Mercury Cougar

Mercury completed the reduction of the Mustang not after. The Mercury division therefore offered from 1974 to not have their own version of the Mustang II more; the role of the Mustang counterparts took over instead of the Mercury Capri, an Americanized version of the Ford Capri II made ​​in Germany

The Cougar was repositioned for the 1974 model year. Instead of the previous sporty coupes from the Cougar was now a model of human -Luxury- class, in which the emphasis was on comfort.

At the same time the model name changed, because from 1974 to 1976 were the names of vehicles without exception Cougar XR- seventh The term XR- 7, which had previously only referred to in the years a certain trim level, thus became an integral part of the model name.

Technically, the Cougar XR -7 was closely related from 1974 to the mid-range models of the Ford group. He now based on the Montego Coupe, which was in turn the Mercury version of the Ford Torino. His parallel model at Ford was the Ford Elite. The competition of General Motors now formed the models Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Pontiac Grand Prix, he also ran against the Chrysler Cordoba and its twin Dodge Charger SE.

The idea of the Cougar came shortly before the outbreak of the first oil crisis. Regardless of the results from their gasoline shortages and the emerging interest of American buyers of small, fuel-efficient models of large and heavy Cougar reached this model generation considerable sales figures, while the little Mustang II had it not hit the taste of the American public.

From this generation Cougar total of 299 050 pieces were manufactured.

From model year 1977, the Cougar model name was transferred to Mercury's middle class, which had previously made ​​the designation Montego. From the new Cougar so there was sedans, coupes and station wagons. The Cougar of the previous role as an exclusive luxury coupe, took over in 1977 the Mercury Cougar XR- seventh He was in the years 1977-1982 Mercury's counterpart to the Ford Thunderbird.

Cougar (1976-1979)

Mercury Cougar (1976-1979)

With the completed in the fall of 1976 model changes the Ford mid-sized car not only received new bodies, even the model names were duly thrown into turmoil. From the Ford Torino was the LTD II; Thunderbird has been significantly reduced, paving the elite superfluous.

At Mercury, the name " Montego " was abandoned. The whole series was now called Cougar, so other than the coupe and the sedan and the wagon. The former Cougar, the luxury coupe version was called from the Model 1977 Cougar XR- seventh

The third series of the Cougar was a stylistically slightly revised version of the Ford LTD II technology, drive and body concept corresponded to the LTD II, only the front and the rear end was redesigned. Thus, the Cougar had four juxtaposed rectangular headlights, while the lights of the LTD II were each vertical line. Contrary to the usual practice of the 1970s, the Cougar had not been reduced in size compared to its predecessor Montego, still the car was well over 5 meters long and had only eight-cylinder engines with a displacement of at least 4942 cc.

On the size of the car, there was criticism that it no longer fits the times. Nevertheless, the Cougar sold in considerable quantities. However, this series was built for only three years. Thereafter, the trend towards downsizing of American cars could no longer stay.

Only in model year 1977, the station wagon version called Cougar Villager was produced. Notwithstanding the sedan and the coupe of the combination had a hip movement that ran from the rear door through to the rear side windows. This feature also had the LTD II station wagon of its sister brand Ford was unchanged from the previous model, the Ford Torino station wagon adopted. The Villager there were like all other models in different trim levels, including as Brougham. As motorization served as standard a 5.8 liter ( 351 cubic inch ) large eight-cylinder engine with dual carburetors, either a 6.6 liter version (400 cubic inches ) was available. The production of the Villager amounted to only 8569 pieces. The price was a little higher than the sedan version and stood at U.S. $ 5363.

From this Cougar - generation model 554 907 pieces were made ​​in total, of which 455 023 XR- seventh

Cougar (1979-1982)

Mercury Cougar Coupe (1979-1982)

The end of 1979 the Ford LTD II and Cougar sedan were abandoned without replacement. Only the Thunderbird and the Cougar Coupe received a model change. The new model was significantly reduced and was based on the Ford Fairmont, which catered to the lower middle class in the American Ford model range.

The body was edgy and very spectacular, the motors disappointing performance weak. Although there were V8 engines with a displacement of 4200 cc and 5000, but these contributed a maximum of 110 kW ( 150 hp). Among them there was a copied from the Fairmont old-fashioned six-cylinder in-line engine, which pulled out of 3300 cc 66 kW (90 hp).

This series could not inspire the existing clientele of Thunderbird and Cougar. Declining sales figures were the result.

In 1980 the offer was again extended by a sedan and a station wagon. These were the Mercury version of the American Ford Granada second generation, ie the successor to the original Mercury Monarch. This model offered the first four-cylinder engine that has ever been offered in a cougar. It was the 2300 cc, " Pinto " engine, which was also built in Europe in the Taunus and Granada models.

The Cougar sedan was not a sales success. In 1982, this series, which represents a low point in the history of the Cougar, is set.

From the first time reduced Cougar 169 120 units were built in three years, of which 112 170 XR- seventh

Cougar (1983-1988)

Mercury Cougar (1985-1986)

For the model year 1983, the Cougar was repositioned again. Now the series revealed no longer the market for mid-size sedans from, but was upgraded. Under the name of the Mercury Cougar version of the new Ford Thunderbird was sold in the future, which also had technical resemblance to the Lincoln Continental Mark VII.

The Cougar was released in February 1983. It was based as the Thunderbird on the introduced in 1977 with the so-called Ford Fairmont Fox platform with rear-wheel drive, but its body differed significantly from Thunderbird. Essential distinguishing feature was a different front end and a roof with wide, steeply angled C-pillar, called " Formal Roof".

The equipped as a base model and a rich LS model available Cougar was powered by a 3.8-liter V6 or an injected 4.9 -liter V8 and proved by the numbers here as much more successful than its direct predecessor. From model year 1984, the Cougar was also available with turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder. In 1985, a small facelift with a new, Mercedes -like grille.

In the fall of 1986 was the model year 1987, another facelift that was recognized by a newly amended grill and flush with the body final headlights. At the same time accounted for the turbo engine. 1988 was the V6 a balance shaft and more power.

From this generation Cougar 683 804 units have been sold in nearly six years.

Cougar (1988-1997)

Mercury Cougar (1996-1997)

The end of 1988 launched Mercury, alongside the new Ford Thunderbird, again a completely new Cougar with rear wheel drive.

The wheelbase has increased by more than 20 cm, while the length of a few centimeters shorter failed. The design was less steeply angled C-pillars and the renunciation of the raised rear side windows held conventional than its predecessor. The drive took over the well-known from the previous 3.8-liter V6, the there were aspirated and new as a compressor variant, while the V8 was no longer available. For model year 1991, a small facelift and the supercharged V6 was replaced by a high- performance version of the 4.9 -liter V8.

Starting in 1994, came instead of the 4.9 - liter version of a new " modular " 4.6-liter V8 used. Mid-1996 was followed by a last small facelift with a smaller grille and detail retouching.

Until the cessation of production in the summer of 1997 emerged from this generation Cougar 561 838 pieces.

In the 1990s, the Personal Luxury Cars went out of fashion. The sales figures were down, a model after another was set. Due to the reduced market opportunities the Cougar and the Thunderbird in 1997 were abandoned. The luxurious Lincoln Mark VIII was built one more year. Since 1998, the Ford Motor Company does not offer a large coupe more.

Cougar (1998-2002)

Mercury Cougar (1998-2002)

In mid-1998 appeared on the basis of a completely new Mercury Mystique Cougar sports coupe with front wheel drive in the so-called New Edge design. This much smaller and lighter vehicle was offered in Europe as the Ford Cougar. The car was driven either by a two-liter four-cylinder or a 2.5-liter V6 engine with 24 valves.

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