NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Mercury Cougar

The Mercury Cougar was an automobile sold under the Mercury brand of the Ford Motor Company's Lincoln-Mercury Division. The name was first used in 1967 and was carried by a diverse series of cars over the next three decades. As is common with Mercury vehicles, the Cougar shared basic platforms with Ford models. Originally this was the Mustang, but later versions of the Cougar were based on the Thunderbird, and the last was a version of the Contour. The Cougar was important to Mercury's image for many years, and advertising often identified its dealers as being "at the sign of the cat." Glamorous models leading big cats on leashes were a feature of Cougar and Mercury ads. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... 1967 Mercury Cougar. ... Automakers, also known as carmakers, automobile manufacturers, motor manufacturers, or the automobile industry are companies that design and manufacture automobiles. ... â€œFordâ€ redirects here. ... AutoAlliance International (AAI) is the name of a joint venture automobile assembly firm co-owned by Ford Motor Company and Mazda Motor Corporation. ... Car classification is subjective since many vehicles fall into multiple categories. ... A pony car is a class of automobile. ... Ford Thunderbird A personal luxury car is a highly styled, luxurious automobile intended for the comfort and satisfaction of its owner/driver, sacrificing passenger space, cargo capacity, and other practical concerns for the sake of style. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Hot hatch. ... â€œCarâ€ and â€œCarsâ€ redirect here. ... Mercury is an automobile marque of the Ford Motor Company founded in 1939 to market near-luxury cars slotted between entry-level Ford and luxury Lincoln models, similar to General Motors Buick (and former Oldsmobile) brand and Chryslers Chrysler brand. ... â€œFordâ€ redirects here. ... For other Ford Mustang models and concepts, see Ford Mustang Variants. ... The Ford Thunderbird was a car manufactured in the United States by the Ford Motor Company. ... The Ford Contour is a North American variant of the European Ford Mondeo sedan previously sold by Ford Motor Company. ... Photograph of the once famous model Dovima A model is a person who poses or displays for purposes of art, fashion, or other products and advertising. ... For people nicknamed The Big Cat, see The Big Cat. ...

1967–1973

The 1967 Cougar was based on that year's new second-generation Mustang, but with a 3 inch (76 mm) longer wheelbase and new sheet metal. A full-width divided grille with hidden headlamps and vertical bars defined the front fascia—it was sometimes called the electric shaver grille. At the rear, a similar treatment saw the license plate surrounded on both sides with vertically slatted grillework concealing sequential taillights, a styling touch taken from the Thunderbird. A deliberate effort was made to give the car a more "European" flavor than the Mustang, at least to American buyers' eyes. Aside from the base model and the luxurious XR-7, only one trim package was available for either model: the sporty GT. The XR-7 model brought a wood-grained steering wheel, a simulated wood-grained dashboard with a full set of black-faced competition instruments and toggle switches, an overhead console, a T-type center automatic transmission shifter, and leather or vinyl seats. The GT package, meanwhile, supplied a much larger engine, Ford's 390 in³ (6.4 L) FE-series big block to replace the small-block 289 in³ (4.7 L) standard powerplant. Along with this came an upgraded suspension to handle the extra weight of the big engine and give better handling, more powerful brakes, better tires and a low-restriction exhaust system. The Cougar was Motor Trend magazine's Car of the Year for 1967. // Introduction A license plate, number plate or registration plate (often referred to simply as a plate, or colloquially tag) is a small metal or plastic plate attached to a motor vehicle for official identification purposes. ... Sequential signal retrofitted to a Pontiac Fiero by www. ... A dashboard from a 1940s car The dashboard of a modern car, a Bentley Continental GT A Hayabusas dash A modern Formula 1 car has all its gauges mounted on the steering wheel A dashboard or dash board in an automobile is a panel located under the windscreen and... The Ford FE engine was a Ford V8 engine used in vehicles sold in the North American market between 1958 and 1976. ... Motor Trend is one of the oldest automotive magazines still publishing. ... Car of the Year is a phrase usually considered to have been invented by Motor Trend magazine in the 1950s for their annual award for best automobile. ...

The Cougar continued to be a Mustang twin for seven years, and could be optioned as a genuine muscle car. Nevertheless, it gradually tended to shift away from performance and toward luxury, evolving into something new in the market—a plush pony car. The signs were becoming clear as early as 1970, when a special edition styled by fashion designer Pauline Trigere appeared, complete with a hound's-tooth pattern vinyl roof. A reskinning in 1971 saw the hidden headlights vanish for good, although hidden wipers were adopted. Between 1969 and 1973, Cougar convertibles were offered. The Pontiac GTO is a classic example of the muscle car. ... A pony car is a class of automobile. ... Pauline TrigÃ¨re (1909 - 2002) was a French-born fashion designer, known for her crisp, tailored cuts and innovative ideas. ... Vinyl roof refers to a vinyl covering for an automobiles top. ... Saab 900 Convertible 1962 Rambler American 1981 AMC Eagle 4-WD convertible Convertible can also refer to a convertible security A convertible (sometimes called cabriolet in British English) is a car body style with a folding or retracting roof (aka soft top or top in USA, hood in UK). ...

1967–1970

The introduction of the Cougar finally gave Mercury its own pony car. Slotted between the Ford Mustang and the Ford Thunderbird, the Cougar would be the performance icon and eventually the icon for the Mercury name for several decades. The Cougar was available in two models (base and XR-7) and only came in one body style (a two door hardtop). Engine choices ranged from the 200 hp (168 kW) 289 in³ 2-barrel V8 to the 335 hp (250 kW) 390 in³ 4-barrel V8. A notable performance package called the GT was available on both the base and XR-7 Cougars. This included the 390 in³ V8 as well as a performance handling package and other performance goodies. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... 1967 Mercury Cougar. ... Location in Michigan Coordinates: , Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Government - Mayor John B. Oâ€™Reilly, Jr. ... Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. ... A hardtop is a term for a rigid, rather than canvas, automobile roof. ... 1995 Buick Riviera coupe A coupÃ© (from the French for cut) or coupe is a two or four-seater car with a fixed roof and two doors. ... In automobile design layout is the place where both the engine and driven wheels are. ... In automobile design, an FR, or front-engine, rear wheel drive means a layout where the engine is in the front of the vehicle and drive wheels at the rear. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For other Ford Mustang models and concepts, see Ford Mustang Variants. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ...

Not much changed for the Cougar in its second year. The addition of federally mandated side marker lights was the major change. But the biggest changes were under the hood and performance-wise for the XR-7 model. Three new engines were added to the option list this year—the 230 hp (172 kW) 302 in³, 4-barrel V8; the 335 hp (250 kW) 428 in³, 4-barrel V8; and the 390 hp (291 kW) 427 in³, 4-barrel V8. Mercury was serious about the Cougar being the performance icon for the company. The XR-7G, named for Mercury road racer Dan Gurney, came with all sorts of performance add-ons, including a hood scoop, Lucas fog lamps and hood pins. Engine selection was limited only to the 302, 390 and the 428 V8, a grand total of 619 XR-7G's were produced, and only 14 G's were produced with the 428 CJ. The mid-year 7.0 L GT-E package was available on both the standard and XR-7 Cougars and came with the 427 V8. The 428 Cobra Jet Ram Air was available in limited numbers on the GT-E towards the end of the model year. Conservatively rated at 335 hp (250 kW), the 428 Cobra Jet could produce much more (306 kW) from the factory. Daniel Sexton Gurney (born April 13, 1931) is one of the most important figures in the history of American auto racing. ... A hood scoop is an air vent on a car hood which usually sends air over an intercooler. ...

The third year of production saw several new additions to the Cougar lineup. A convertible model was now available. Exterior-wise, the grille switched from vertical bars to horizontal bars, and a spoiler and a Ram Air induction hood scoop were added as options. A new performance package appeared and several disappeared. The XR-7G and the 7.0 L GT-E disappeared, but the 390 and 428 V8s remained. The 290 hp (216 kW) 351 Windsor V8 was added to the engine lineup. The Eliminator performance package appeared for the first time. A standard 351 in 4-barrel V8 under the hood, with the 390 4-barrel V8, the 428CJ and the Boss 302 available as an option. The Eliminator was the new top of the line performance model of the Cougar lineup. It also featured a blacked-out grille, special side stripes, front and rear spoilers, optional Ram Air induction system, and a more performance tuned suspension and handling package. It also came in a variety of vibrant colors like Grabber Blue and Grabber Yellow. Only 2 Cougars came with the Boss 429 V8, making them the rarest Cougars as well as Boss powered cars ever built.

The 1970 Cougar appearance wise was similar to the 1969 model, however there were numerous changes inside and out. It now sported a new front end which featured a pronounced center hood extension and electric shaver grill similar to the 1967 and 1968 Cougars. Federally mandated locking steering columns took place on the inside, and the aforementioned new nose and taillight bezels updated the look on the outside. The 300 hp 351 "Cleveland" V8 was now available for the first time though both the Cleveland and Windsor engines were available if you took the base model 2-barrel motor. The 390 Ford FE engine was now dropped from the lineup, and the Boss 302 and 428CJ engines soldiered along.

1971–1973

For 1971, the Cougar was completely restyled. Starting to move upmarket as a near-personal luxury car much like the intermediate-sized Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme coupe, the Cougar looked bigger, but actually weighed less and had only a one-inch-longer wheelbase than its predecessors (112 vs. 111 - which was similar to GM's intermediate-sized two-door models such as the Olds Cutlass). The front end now featured four exposed headlights; the disappearing headlights were gone for good. The center grill piece, or cat's nose, was now larger and more noticeable than ever. The rear featured a semi-fastback with a "flying buttress" sail-panel. However, the convertible returned as did the XR-7 as well as the GT package. The Eliminator package was gone forever, but the Ram Air option remained. The engine lineup was shuffled slightly for 1971 as well. Now only three engines were offered—the standard 240 hp (179 kW) 351 Windsor 2-barrel V8, the 285 hp (213 kW) 351 Cleveland 4-barrel V8 and the 370 hp (276 kW) 429 Super Cobra Jet 4-barrel V8. However, the end of the muscle car era, which was caused by high insurance rates and rising gas prices, would spell the end of these high power engines. Location in Michigan Coordinates: , Country United States State Michigan County Wayne County Government - Mayor John B. Oâ€™Reilly, Jr. ... Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. ... 1995 Buick Riviera coupe A coupÃ© (from the French for cut) or coupe is a two or four-seater car with a fixed roof and two doors. ... In automobile design layout is the place where both the engine and driven wheels are. ... In automobile design, an FR, or front-engine, rear wheel drive means a layout where the engine is in the front of the vehicle and drive wheels at the rear. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... For other Ford Mustang models and concepts, see Ford Mustang Variants. ... The Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme was a mid-size car produced by General Motors for the American market. ...

The climate had begun to change as the muscle car era ended. No longer able to use gross power numbers, the manufacturers had to use net power figures which dropped the once mighty figures down substantially. Engines were shuffled around a bit. They were now the standard 163 hp 351 Cleveland 2-barrel V8, 262 hp 351 Cleveland 4-barrel V8, 266 hp 351 4-barrel Cobra Jet V8. Other than that, the Cougar remained a carryover from 1971. Only minor trim details were changed in 1972. The big blocks were gone for 1972 and 1973. The days of the performance oriented muscle car were coming to an end. The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ...

Aside from minor grille and taillight changes, 1973 would be largely a carryover year for the Cougar, but it would mark the last year of the Mustang-based Cougar. In 1974, everything would change for the cat. Power figures continued to change as new federal/EPA regulations began their stranglehold on the V8 engines. The new figures continued to fluctuate but engine options remained unchanged from 1972. The standard engine continued to be the 168 hp 351 Cleveland 2-barrel V8. Optional was the 264 hp 351 Cobra Jet V8. The following years changed to the Thunderbird/Torino chassis. EPA redirects here. ...

1974–1979

For 1974, the Cougar was shifted onto a new platform and into a new market as a personal luxury car. It now shared a chassis with the larger Mercury Montego/Ford Torino intermediates and was twinned up with the new Ford Elite. The Cougar thus became practically the only car to be upsized during the downsizing decade of the 1970s. These years marked the end of the "luxurious Mustang", and the beginning of the Cougar's move towards becoming a "junior Thunderbird" and eventually a sibling of the Thunderbird. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x653, 173 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Mercury Cougar Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... Location within the state of Ohio Coordinates: , Country State County Lorain Founded 1807 Government - Mayor John Romoser (R) Area - City 24. ... Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. ... 1995 Buick Riviera coupe A coupÃ© (from the French for cut) or coupe is a two or four-seater car with a fixed roof and two doors. ... In automobile design layout is the place where both the engine and driven wheels are. ... In automobile design, an FR, or front-engine, rear wheel drive means a layout where the engine is in the front of the vehicle and drive wheels at the rear. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Ford Torino was an intermediate sized car produced by the Ford Motor Company for the North American market between 1968 and 1976. ... The Ford Thunderbird was a car manufactured in the United States by the Ford Motor Company. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mercury Montego The Mercury Montego, (presumably derived from Montego Bay, Jamaica) was a mid-size vehicle in Fords Mercury line. ... Image File history File links CougarHoodOrnament. ... Image File history File links CougarHoodOrnament. ... Ford Thunderbird A personal luxury car is a highly styled, luxurious automobile intended for the comfort and satisfaction of its owner/driver, sacrificing passenger space, cargo capacity, and other practical concerns for the sake of style. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mercury Montego The Mercury Montego, (presumably derived from Montego Bay, Jamaica) was a mid-size vehicle in Fords Mercury line. ... The Ford Torino was an intermediate sized car produced by the Ford Motor Company for the North American market between 1968 and 1976. ... Ford Elite. ...

The move was also a sign that Ford was getting serious about the intermediate personal luxury market, which Pontiac had created in 1969 with its radical smaller Grand Prix. Every GM division had an entry in this market by '74 and the market was too large to ignore. The new Cougar paid homage to its smaller predecessor with a three-piece grille up front, topped by a new hood ornament which featured a side profile of a cougar's head. This was a touch which would last until 1983. The car's Montego heritage was fairly evident from the back, however. In between, it had acquired the sine qua non of the personal luxury car in the 1970s: opera windows. This body ran unchanged for three years, and during this period all Cougars were XR-7s. The Pontiac Grand Prix is an automobile produced by the Pontiac division of General Motors. ... Sine qua non or condicio sine qua non was originally a Latin legal term for without which it could not be (but for). It refers to an indispensable and essential action, condition, or ingredient. ... Opera Windows were small porthole sized side windows in the C-pillar of cars. ...

In 1977, radical marketing changes came to Ford's intermediate lineup, although under the skin, mechanical changes were few. The Montego name was discontinued, and all the intermediate Mercury vehicles became Cougars (Ford renamed its Torino line the LTD II). There were now Cougar sedans, complete with opera windows, a lower-line coupe, and even a station wagon, which lasted only one year. The top of the line XR-7 continued as a separate model, with unusual simulated louvers applied in front of its opera windows and a new rear style that was meant to evoke the larger Lincoln Mark coupe. This year, the Elite name vanished from the Ford lineup and the Thunderbird was downsized onto its chassis to become the XR-7's corporate twin. This association between the two cars would continue for two decades. In keeping with the general trend of the times, the old Torino chassis was discontinued after 1979 and all Ford and Mercury intermediates went over to the smaller, lighter Ford Fox platform for 1980. Estate car body style (Saab 95) A station wagon (United States usage), wagon (Australian usage, though station wagon is widely used) or estate car (United Kingdom usage) is a car body style similar to a sedan car but with an extended rear cargo area. ... View from the rear. ... The Ford Fox platform was a rear wheel drive, unibody automobile architecture that Ford used for over 25 years in the North American market. ...

1974–1976

For 1974, the Cougar had evolved from its Mustang, ponycar origins. The wheelbase grew to 114 inches and was now shared by the Torino/Montego twins, being marketed as an intermediate-sized personal-luxury car to compete against GM's hot selling Chevrolet Monte Carlo and Pontiac Grand Prix. The Cougar was also restyled inside due to the switch to the larger intermediate body but maintained the front fascia look from 1973 with a new styling feature including a rectangular opera window in the rear c-pillars. The Cougar also began to share the look of the Thunderbird and Continental Mark IV as the years progressed. The base model and convertible were dropped this year, but the XR-7 moniker soldiered on as the only model in the Cougar lineup. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... The Chevrolet Monte Carlo was an American mid-size car. ... The Pontiac Grand Prix is an automobile produced by the Pontiac division of General Motors. ...

Engine offerings from 1974 to 1976 included a standard 351 in³ V8 and optional power plants included the very rare Q-code 351 Cobra Jet V8(1974), plus 400 and 460 in³ V8s. The manual transmission was dropped in favor of the automatic. A manual transmission (also known as a stick shift, straight drive, or standard transmission) is a type of transmission used in automotive applications. ...

Interior offerings during these three years included a standard bench seat with cloth or vinyl upholstery, an optional Twin-Comfort Lounge 60/40 bench seat with center armrest and cloth, vinyl or optional leather trim; or all-vinyl bucket seats with center console.

In 1975 the Cougar XR-7 continued to add more luxury features as it moved upscale. But with more features, the Cougar was gaining in weight as well. Compared to the 1967 version, the 1975 version weighed a full 1,000 lb (450 kg) more. Despite the added weight the buying public wanted the Cougar and sales figures reflected that fact. However for the performance fans, a high-performance rear axle and Traction-Lok differential continued to be on the option sheet. The standard engine continued to be the 148 hp 351 Windsor 2-barrel V8 with the 158 hp 400 2-barrel V8 and 216 hp 460 4-barrel V8 optional.

This Cougar entered its last year largely unchanged from 1975. There was a new body for the Cougar in 1977, so nothing else major was done to the Cougar this year. Only some minor trim pieces served to differentiate this year from last. Engines continued unchanged as well. The high performance axle and Traction-Lok differential were dropped this year. Twin Comfort Lounge reclining seats, with or without velour cloth trim, were the only major change for the interior, but it also showed how much the performance aspect of the Cougar had disappeared. Velour is a textile, a knitted counterpart of velvet. ...

1977–1979

Customers to Lincoln-Mercury showrooms were surprised by the all-new Cougar this year. New sharper and straighter styling that mimicked the Ford Thunderbird and Lincoln Continental Mark V replaced the "fuselage look" of earlier Cougars. The Cougar now shared its body with the Thunderbird, which was downsized to the intermediate bodyshell this year from that of the Continental Mark IV and shared the Cougar's 114-inch wheelbase, putting the T-Bird squarely in the intermediate personal-luxury car market as opposed to its previous higher-priced segment of that market shared with the Buick Riviera and Oldsmobile Toronado. This move would join the Thunderbird and Cougar together and would last until their demise in 1997. The lineup was also expanded to include a sedan and station wagon. This was because the Mercury Montego had been discontinued and its models were absorbed into the Cougar lineup as a result while Ford Division renamed the Torino as LTD II. The base Cougar returned as well for all three models. But the XR-7 came only as a coupe. The Cougar Brougham was available as a coupe or sedan and the Cougar Villager was available as a station wagon only. The engine lineup changed for this year as well. The base engine was the 137 hp 302 2-barrel V8 on all coupes and sedans. The station wagons had the 161 hp 351 2-barrel V8 standard. The 149 hp 351 2-barrel V8 and 173 hp 400 2-barrel V8 were optional on all models. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Location within the state of Ohio Coordinates: , Country State County Lorain Founded 1807 Government - Mayor John Romoser (R) Area - City 24. ... Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. ... A notchback full-size luxury sedan. ... Estate car body style (Saab 95) A station wagon (United States usage), wagon (Australian usage, though station wagon is widely used) or estate car (United Kingdom usage) is a car body style similar to a sedan car but with an extended rear cargo area. ... 1995 Buick Riviera coupe A coupÃ© (from the French for cut) or coupe is a two or four-seater car with a fixed roof and two doors. ... In automobile design layout is the place where both the engine and driven wheels are. ... In automobile design, an FR, or front-engine, rear wheel drive means a layout where the engine is in the front of the vehicle and drive wheels at the rear. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Ford LTD II was a mid-size car built by the Ford Motor Company between 1977 and 1979 for the North American market. ... The Ford Thunderbird was a car manufactured in the United States by the Ford Motor Company. ... A Lincoln Versailles. ... Categories: Stub | Lincoln vehicles ... The Buick Riviera was an automobile produced by Buick in the United States from the 1963 to 1999 model years, with 1,127,261 produced. ... The Toronado was produced by the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors from 1966 to 1992. ... A notchback full-size luxury sedan. ... Estate car body style (Saab 95) A station wagon (United States usage), wagon (Australian usage, though station wagon is widely used) or estate car (United Kingdom usage) is a car body style similar to a sedan car but with an extended rear cargo area. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mercury Montego The Mercury Montego, (presumably derived from Montego Bay, Jamaica) was a mid-size vehicle in Fords Mercury line. ...

But the station wagon would prove to be a one year wonder, perhaps not keeping with the Cougar's heritage, and was dropped for 1978. But the real reason was that the new Mercury Zephyr came in station wagon form and Mercury decided that it would take the place of the Cougar station wagon. The Brougham was discontinued as a model and became an option package on the base model. But the sedan would carry on. Since the Cougar XR-7 sales continued to skyrocket, Mercury wisely didn't change much his year. Two new decor packages became available this year- XR-7 Decour Option and Midnight/Chamois Decour Option. This latter package came with a half-vinyl roof, padded "Continental" type rear deck, and Midnight Blue ad Chamois interior with Tiffany carpeting. This was Mercury's take on the special designer decour options used in the Lincoln Continental Mark VI. Engines continued unchanged as well. The Cougar XR-7 would set an all time sales record this year. The Mercury Zephyr was a compact car sold by the Lincoln-Mercury division of Ford Motor Company in the North American market from 1978 to 1983. ... Lincoln Continental is a model name that has been used several times by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company for a line of luxury cars. ...

1979 would be the last year of the big Cougars. Detroit's downsizing would now affect Mercury's biggest seller. But for this year, nothing major happened. A new electronic voltage regulator, and plastic battery tray would be the biggest mechanical changes for the Cougar. The standard engine continued to be the 302 V8 with the 351 the only optional engine available as the 400 was discontinued.

The Cougar, and indeed the whole Mercury mid-size line found itself restyled for 1977. The new skin was just that though, and the old Montego/Torino chassis design (which dated back to 1972) continued under the new body. These cars were basically identical to the '77-'79 Ford LTD II, so see that entry for comments. The XR-7 specialty coupe, hier to the previous Cougar's legacy of add-ons, was based on the Ford Thunderbird, itself an outgrowth of the LTD II. These are great looking cars, and tend to be more reliable and less rusty than the previous version. See the LTD II and '77-'79 Thunderbird for a full evaluation.

1980–1988

For 1980, the XR-7 was again the only Cougar. Now on the Fox chassis, shared by the Zephyr, the Cougar was still a copy of the Thunderbird. The 1980–88 Cougars were nicknamed the "Fox Cougars" because of the new chassis. Opera windows became optional, although the louvered style of the old opera windows were applied to the standard-window coupes. Wipers were no longer hidden, and for the first time, the Cougar had sedan frames around its windows. Inside, there was a turn to flashy electronics, considered ultramodern at the time, with digital instrumentation and trip computer functions available. A smaller 255 in³ (4.2 L) V8 was the base engine, but this engine was considered weak and did not last long, and the 302 V8 was optional along with a newly-introduced four-speed automatic overdrive transmission. Like the downsized Thunderbird, this generation of the XR-7 was poorly received by the public. For 1981, the line broadened again, with a Cougar sedan, which was now a twin to the newly redesigned Ford Granada (itself now merely a modified Fairmont). Six cylinder engines appeared for the first time, and then in 1982, another Cougar station wagon appeared but, just like 1977, lasted for only one year. With all these changes in such a short period, the Cougar had quickly become one confused kitty. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (2762x1224, 258 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Mercury Cougar Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used to... Location within the state of Ohio Coordinates: , Country State County Lorain Founded 1807 Government - Mayor John Romoser (R) Area - City 24. ... Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. ... A notchback full-size luxury sedan. ... 1995 Buick Riviera coupe A coupÃ© (from the French for cut) or coupe is a two or four-seater car with a fixed roof and two doors. ... Estate car body style (Saab 95) A station wagon (United States usage), wagon (Australian usage, though station wagon is widely used) or estate car (United Kingdom usage) is a car body style similar to a sedan car but with an extended rear cargo area. ... In automobile design layout is the place where both the engine and driven wheels are. ... In automobile design, an FR, or front-engine, rear wheel drive means a layout where the engine is in the front of the vehicle and drive wheels at the rear. ... An automobile platform is a shared set of components common to a number of different automobiles. ... The Ford Fox platform was a rear wheel drive, unibody automobile architecture that Ford used for over 25 years in the North American market. ... The Windsor engine is a 90-degree small-block V8 from Ford Motor Company. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... The Windsor engine is a 90-degree small-block V8 from Ford Motor Company. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... The Ford Pinto engine is the unofficial but ubiquitous nickname for a 4 cylinder internal combustion engine built by the Ford Motor Company in Europe. ... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... The Canadian Essex (90 Degree V) engine was a V6 engine family built by Ford Motor Company in Windsor, Ontario. ... The Ford Essex V6 engine V6 and V-6 redirect here. ... The Ford Pinto engine is the unofficial but ubiquitous nickname for a 4 cylinder internal combustion engine built by the Ford Motor Company in Europe. ... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... â€œGearboxâ€ redirects here. ... The TREMEC T-5 is a 5-speed manual transmission for longitudinal engine automobiles. ... A manual transmission (also known as a stick shift, straight drive, or standard transmission) is a type of transmission used in automotive applications. ... The Ford C4 was a three-speed, light-duty automatic transmission introduced in the 1964 model year and produced through 1986. ... The AOD (for automatic overdrive) was a four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive. ... The automatic gear selector in a Ford Five Hundred vehicle An automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, thus freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually (similar but larger devices are also used for railroad locomotives). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Kerb (sometimes mis-spelled as curb by Americans) weight is the total weight of a vehicle with standard equipment, all necessary operating consumables (such as motor oil and coolant), a full tank of fuel and not loaded with either passengers or cargo. ... The Lincoln Continental, an automobile produced by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company, began for the 1939 model year. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... The Ford Thunderbird was a car manufactured in the United States by the Ford Motor Company. ... Ford Fairmont is a name that has been used for two unrelated models of automobile; one in Australia and one in North America. ... Categories: Possible copyright violations ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... The Mercury Zephyr was a compact car sold by the Lincoln-Mercury division of Ford Motor Company in the North American market from 1978 to 1983. ... A trip computer is an onboard computer device fitted to cars which can generally record distance travelled, average speed, average fuel consumption, and display real time fuel consumption information. ... The Ford Thunderbird was a car manufactured in the United States by the Ford Motor Company. ... It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... Ford Fairmont is a name that has been used for two unrelated models of automobile; one in Australia and one in North America. ...

1983 brought substantial change. Lower-line intermediate Mercury models were now under the downsized Mercury Marquis badge, leaving the Cougar once again as a coupe only. This was in contrast to General Motors, whose personal-luxury coupes (Cutlass, Regal, and Monte Carlo) were on the same chassis and had the same design as the mid-size sedans and wagons. The XR-7 badge went away for this year (temporarily). The car was completely rebodied, along with the Thunderbird, with the two becoming the first examples of the new flowing "aero-look" design, which would eventually spread throughout the Ford line and influence the entire industry. Wipers were hidden again, and the Cougar differed from the Thunderbird mainly in having a very sharply-raked, almost vertical rear window similar to that on GM coupes such as the Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Some critics considered that this, along with its AMC Gremlin-style rear quarter window, went oddly with the smooth organic curves of the rest of the car, but buyers nonetheless responded positively and this Cougar was a success. Categories: Possible copyright violations ... General Motors Corporation, also known as GM or The General, an American multinational corporation, is the worlds largest auto company. ... The Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme was a mid-size car produced by General Motors for the American market. ... The Buick Regal was a mid-size car produced by General Motors Buick division from 1973 through 2004, during which Buick also used the Century name on mid-size models; the two frequently shared bodies and powertrains. ... The Chevrolet Monte Carlo was an American mid-size car. ... The 1987 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe Ford Motor Company, like the Chrysler Corporation was hit hard by the recession in the late 1970s and early 1980s. ... The Chevrolet Monte Carlo was an American mid-size car. ... The AMC Gremlin was the first American subcompact car. ...

Power options were very diverse in this generation, ranging from a turbocharged 2.3 L I4 to a 3.8 L V6 and the perennial 302 in³ (5.0 L) V8. Oddly, the revived XR-7 was now only available with the turbocharged four-cylinder engine and was trimmed more to suggest performance than its traditional luxury image. In 1984, the new Lincoln Mark VII adopted this body shell and for the first time, became a cousin of the Cougar. For 1987, a partial reskinning of the Cougar occurred, bringing flush headlamps and better aerodynamics. The turbocharged motor disappeared, and two models were sold, the LS with V6 or a V8, and the XR-7 with a standard V8 and luxury amenities as of old. â€œTurboâ€ redirects here. ... The Ford Essex V6 engine V6 and V-6 redirect here. ... The Continental Mark VII, later called just Mark VII, was a large luxurious coupe from Lincoln. ...

1980–1982

An all-new Cougar greeted car buyers in 1980 as the Cougar moved to the smaller 108 inch wheelbase Fox platform. The car was now even more similar to its Ford Thunderbird relative. The sedan and base Cougar were dropped this year. The XR-7 was once again the only Cougar model. Many Cougar fans refer to the 1980 to 1982 models as the "lost years," as sales declined substantially. Engines were reduced to just two and for the first time, a six-cylinder engine was available. The standard engine was now a 119 hp 255 in³ V8 and the 134 hp 302 V8 was optional. A new four-speed automatic overdrive transmission became standard to replace the old SelectShift three-speed automatic. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... The Ford Fox platform was a rear wheel drive, unibody automobile architecture that Ford used for over 25 years in the North American market. ...

In 1981 the return of the base Cougar along with a sedan greeted Cougar buyers; the sedan replaced the Mercury Monarch. The engine lineup grew as a 94 hp 200 in³ I6 became the standard engine in the XR-7 and an 88 hp 140 in³ I4 became the standard engine on the base Cougar. This marked the first time that a four-cylinder engine was available on the Cougar as well as a V8 no longer standard on the XR-7. These changes would foreshadow the changes made to the Cougar in the future. Appearance carried over as well, but two new trim lines were added to the Cougars—GS and LS. Both packages were similar in both models, but the base Cougar's LS package only came on the sedan. The GS package focused on appearance, while the LS package offered luxury touches such as power windows and other luxury trim touches. The Monarch was a retrimmed version of the Mercury for the Canadian market, produced from 1949-57 and 1959-61. ...

The Cougar lineup continued to expand in 1982 as the station wagon returned for another appearance in the Cougar lineup. It was only available in GS or Villager trim lines. The Villager trim added the fake rosewood bodyside panels. Another engine was added, the all-new 112 hp 232 in³ V6, but the stalwart engine of the Cougar XR-7 line, the 302 V8, was dropped. The GS and LS trim lines continued to be optional on both Cougar models.

1983–1986

An all-new Cougar greeted buyers in 1983; gone were the sedan and station wagon models. The Cougar sported a completely new aerodynamic body, but retained the same chassis. This restyle was shared with its sister car, the Thunderbird. The only major difference was the side window treatments; the Cougar used a more formal notchback along with upswept quarter windows. This made the Cougar look more aerodynamic as well as more exciting when compared to previous Cougars. The new look was such a hit that it outsold the Thunderbird for 1983. But due to the amount of money spent in restyling both models, the interiors were left unchanged from 1982. Also, the XR-7 model was dropped. The GS and LS models carried over from the previous year. Interestingly, no 1983 to 1986 Cougar wore any GS badging, but the Cougar LS did. The engine lineup changed as the only two engines offered were the 232 in³ (3.8 L) V6 and the 302 in³ (5.0 L) V8. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... The Ford Thunderbird was a car manufactured in the United States by the Ford Motor Company. ...

After its redesign in 1983, the Cougar remained mostly unchanged for 1984. The XR-7 returned and for the first time, its standard engine wasn't a V8 or V6, but a turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Similar to the Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, the XR-7 came only with the 145 hp 140 in³ turbocharged I4. The XR-7 also featured blacked-out window trim, wide body side mouldings and charcoal grey lower half with tri-band striping to separate it from the base Cougars. A performance suspension was also standard as well. A three-speed automatic or a five speed manual were offered on the XR-7. â€œTurboâ€ redirects here. ...

Subtle exterior changes such as a new Mercedes-Benz-esque grille and new taillights were just a few of the many changes as a whole new interior greeted buyers for 1985. This new interior featured a digital instrument cluster which lent a futuristic touch to the Cougar; but it was only available on base Cougars. This page is about the Mercedes-Benz brand of automobiles and trucks from the DaimlerChrysler automobile manufacturer. ...

1986 was the carryover year for the Cougar. The Cougar was supposed to be redesigned this year, but with sales continuing to be strong, Ford decided to push it ahead to 1987. The biggest changes this year were under the hood as the 302 V8 received new sequential electronic fuel injection (SEFI) which boosted power to 150 hp; a 30 hp improvement versus the previous year. However, the Cougar didn't receive the High Output option from the Mustang which boosted hp to 225 hp. The Cougar XR-7 continued to offer only the turbocharged I4, but it got a power increase to 155 hp. // Fuel injection is a means of metering fuel into an internal combustion engine. ...

1987–1988

The Cougar received a complete restyle for its 20th anniversary. Much smoother than the previous Cougar, it featured flush-mounted headlights and grille. The side quarter glass retained its upswept design, but it was stretched more to the rear of the car. The interior remained unchanged for the most part. The GS was dropped, leaving the LS and XR-7 models. The XR-7 changed by dropping the turbocharged I4, which Mercury felt was not keeping with the Cougar's heritage. Instead, the 302 V8 became the standard engine. The manual transmission was also dropped this year. The digital instrument cluster, previously optional on the GS/LS models, became standard on the XR-7 as well. The special lower tri-stripes and blacked out window trim continued to set apart the XR-7 from the LS. Mercury also took note of the Cougar's 20th anniversary by creating a limited edition Cougar to celebrate. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ...

20th Anniversary Cougar

1987 was the Cougar's twentieth anniversary and a limited edition Cougar was produced to celebrate. The car went on sale in February 1987. The Cougar LS was the starting point for this special model. All of these special Cougars featured these standard items to set them apart from the regular production Cougars:

The only options available were power moonroof, power antenna, illuminated entry, keyless entry, automatic climate control, engine block heater and the Traction-Lok axle with 3.08 gear ratio. Carat is a measure of the purity of gold and platinum alloys. ... GOLD refers to one of the following: GOLD (IEEE) is an IEEE program designed to garner more student members at the university level (Graduates of the Last Decade). ... For the song by Matthew Sweet, see Son of Altered Beast. ...

With the new MN-12 chassis and new body style coming up in 1989, the 1988 Cougar barely changed from the previous year. Outside, the biggest change was that the XR-7 now came in a new monochromatic color scheme. Only available in three colors (black, red, and white) with body colored or optional argent color wheels set this Cougar apart from its brethren. The base 232 in³ (3.8 L) V6 had multi-port fuel injection and an internal balance shaft that increased power to 140 hp. The 302 V8 received a dual exhaust system which added 5 hp. The analog gauge cluster returned as standard on the XR-7, but the digital cluster remained as an option on both the LS and XR-7. The MN12 was a Mid-size North America Project #12, a car platform formerly used by the Ford Motor Company from 1989 to 1997 for the Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar. ... // Fuel injection is a means of metering fuel into an internal combustion engine. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ...

1989–1997

The Cougar entered its seventh generation with a completely new body and chassis. Nothing carried over from the previous Cougar except for badging and an engine. In fact, only six parts were carried over from 1988. The biggest change was the switch to the larger MN12 chassis which was shared with the Ford Thunderbird. The chassis featured a fully independent rear suspension, a first for the Cougar. It was also nine inches longer (104.2" vs. 113") for better rear leg room.The flowing lines and extreme notchback roofline were still there, but this generation integrated the two much more successfully. To the surprise of fans, the car had no V8 engine available when introduced. Instead, the base LS had a naturally aspirated 140 hp (104 kW) 3.8 L V6, backed by a 4 speed automatic transmission which had a hard time moving the nearly 3,800 lb (1700 kg) Cougar. The XR-7 had a 210hp supercharged version of the same engine, a manual transmission was available with this engine only . Mercury spared no expense in making the XR-7 the performance model; giving it 4 wheel anti-lock disc brakes, an electronically adjustable sport-tuned suspension, monochromatic paint scheme in red, white, and black, and 16" wheels. The LS being more luxury oriented featured a fully digital instrument cluster and chrome trim on the outside. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Location within the state of Ohio Coordinates: , Country State County Lorain Founded 1807 Government - Mayor John Romoser (R) Area - City 24. ... Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. ... 1995 Buick Riviera coupe A coupÃ© (from the French for cut) or coupe is a two or four-seater car with a fixed roof and two doors. ... In automobile design layout is the place where both the engine and driven wheels are. ... In automobile design, an FR, or front-engine, rear wheel drive means a layout where the engine is in the front of the vehicle and drive wheels at the rear. ... An automobile platform is a shared set of components common to a number of different automobiles. ... The MN12 was a Mid-size North America Project #12, a car platform formerly used by the Ford Motor Company from 1989 to 1997 for the Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar. ... The Canadian Essex (90 Degree V) engine was a V6 engine family built by Ford Motor Company in Windsor, Ontario. ... The Ford Essex V6 engine V6 and V-6 redirect here. ... The Windsor engine is a 90-degree small-block V8 from Ford Motor Company. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... The Modular engine, or mod motor as it is often referred to, is Ford Motor Companys modern overhead camshaft (OHC) V8 and V10 engine family. ... The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ... â€œGearboxâ€ redirects here. ... The AOD (for automatic overdrive) was a four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive. ... The AOD (for automatic overdrive) was a four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive. ... The M5OD is a line of transmissions produced by Mazda and used in Mazda and Ford trucks. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Kerb (sometimes mis-spelled as curb by Americans) weight is the total weight of a vehicle with standard equipment, all necessary operating consumables (such as motor oil and coolant), a full tank of fuel and not loaded with either passengers or cargo. ... The Ford Thunderbird was a car manufactured in the United States by the Ford Motor Company. ... The MN12 was a Mid-size North America Project #12, a car platform formerly used by the Ford Motor Company from 1989 to 1997 for the Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar. ... The Ford Thunderbird was a car manufactured in the United States by the Ford Motor Company. ... A naturally-aspirated engine (NA - aspiration meaning breathing) refers to an internal combustion engine (normally petrol or diesel powered) that is neither turbocharged nor supercharged. ... The AOD (for automatic overdrive) was a four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive. ... The Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe production numbers were: Production Year, Automatic, Manual 1989 4,768 8,041 1989 XR7 2,225 2,238 1990 15,742 6,067 35th Anniversary Edition 3,371 1990 XR7 3,288 841 1991 5,134 1,905 1992 2,956 1,256 1993 2... For other meanings, see supercharger (disambiguation) A supercharger (sometimes called a blower), a positive displacement or centrifugal pump, is a gas compressor used to pump air into the cylinders of an internal combustion engine. ... The M5OD is a line of transmissions produced by Mazda and used in Mazda and Ford trucks. ... An anti-lock braking system (commonly known as ABS, from the German name Antiblockiersystem given to it by its inventors at Bosch) is a system on motor vehicles which prevents the wheels from locking while braking. ...

The supercharged engine did not find favor with buyers, and the 200 hp (149 kW) 5.0 L V8 came back to replace it in 1991. A special edition was built in 1992 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Cougar. In 1993, the LS disappeared and the XR-7 nomenclature was changed to XR7 and became the only model available.

For 1994, the Cougar received an all new interior, updated tail lights, grill, body side molding, and the AOD transmission was replaced by the 4R70W in both the V6 and V8 versions of the car. Ford's new OHC 205 hp (153 kW) 4.6L V8 replaced the old OHV 302 as the optional engine. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1951x1104, 295 KB) Author: vvvkillervvv Source: My 5Mp Mustek camera | I own this car. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1951x1104, 295 KB) Author: vvvkillervvv Source: My 5Mp Mustek camera | I own this car. ... The AOD (for automatic overdrive) was a four-speed automatic transmission with overdrive. ... Overhead cam (OHC) piston engines place the camshaft above the cylinder heads and drive the valves or lifters directly instead of using pushrods. ... The Modular engine, or mod motor as it is often referred to, is Ford Motor Companys modern overhead camshaft (OHC) V8 and V10 engine family. ... A pushrod engine or overhead valve (OHV) engine is a type of piston engine that places the camshaft below the pistons (usually beside and slightly above the crankshaft in a straight engine or directly above the crankshaft in the V of a V engine) and uses pushrods or rods to...

For the 1996 model year the exterior was given a significant face lift. The front and rear bumper covers, headlights, grill, and molding were updated giving the car a more modern look. The 4.6L engine received an updated intake manifold giving the car 15ft/lbs additional torque over the 1995 model, and the transmisison was revised for increased reliability. In 1997 Ford begain cutting corners in convenience items like the removal of the light under the hood, and the glove box. The instrument cluser was updated with a changed speedometer and the removal of the tachometer. The Cougar and it's Thunderbird twin finally got a pair of in console cupholders. Another anniversary edition car was built to celebrate 30 years. Unfortunately this was the last year for the MN12 Cougar as Ford ended its trio of personal luxury cars: the Mark VIII, the Cougar, and the Thunderbird due to the growing popularity (and profitability) of SUV's in the American market. Some consider these to be the last true American muscle cars. A 1994 Lincoln Mark VIII(black) and a 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC(Toreador Red). ...

1999–2002

Throughout the early 1990's, sales of large personal luxury coupes were declining. At the same time, small subcompact sport coupes, mainly from Japan were growing in popularity with younger buyers. This prompted Ford to redesign the Cougar as such. Of the three names that had constituted Ford's personal luxury lineup, Mark, Thunderbird, and Cougar, the Cougar returned first and was based on the Ford Mondeo sedan. This Cougar became Mercury's first sport compact since the 1983 Mercury LN7. Image File history File links Mergefrom. ... The Ford Cougar is a mid-sized coupÃ© sold in the European market between 1999 and 2002. ... Image File history File links Mergefrom. ... The Ford Cougar - UK (1998-2001) was a short-lived Ford car project in the UK. The Cougar was a 3-door coupe hatchback built on the reliable Mondeo chassis and running gear. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 506 pixelsFull resolution (1580 Ã— 1000 pixel, file size: 117 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Ford Cougar is a mid-sized coupÃ© sold in the European market between 1999 and 2002. ... Flat Rock is a city located in Wayne County, Michigan. ... Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. ... 1995 Buick Riviera coupe A coupÃ© (from the French for cut) or coupe is a two or four-seater car with a fixed roof and two doors. ... In automobile design layout is the place where both the engine and driven wheels are. ... In automobile design, an FF, or Front-engine, Front wheel drive, layout places both the engine and driven wheels at the front of the vehicle. ... An automobile platform is a shared set of components common to a number of different automobiles. ... The CDW27 Platform was Fords midsize car automobile platform from the late 1990s. ... The Ford Zetec is a name used on many inline 4 cylinder automobile engines. ... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... Duratec is a range of 4, 6 cylinder (V6) and 12 cylinder (V12) petrol engines used in Ford cars. ... The Ford Essex V6 engine V6 and V-6 redirect here. ... â€œGearboxâ€ redirects here. ... The MTX-75 (Manual TransaXle), is a 5-speed transmission developed by Ford for its larger engined front wheel drive models. ... A manual transmission (also known as a stick shift, straight drive, or standard transmission) is a type of transmission used in automotive applications. ... The CD4E was a 4-speed automatic transaxle for front wheel drive cars in the 1990s. ... The automatic gear selector in a Ford Five Hundred vehicle An automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, thus freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually (similar but larger devices are also used for railroad locomotives). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Kerb (sometimes mis-spelled as curb by Americans) weight is the total weight of a vehicle with standard equipment, all necessary operating consumables (such as motor oil and coolant), a full tank of fuel and not loaded with either passengers or cargo. ... The Ford Mondeo is a large family car sold by the Ford Motor Company in various markets throughout the world. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Hot hatch. ... 1982 Ford EXP 1984 Ford EXP Turbo Coupe, from a Ford brochure 1986 Ford Escort EXP See also Ford Escort The Ford EXP and similar Mercury LN7 were two-door coupes based on the Ford Escort and Mercury Lynx. ...

This generation of Cougar had a far more contemporary package, with modern DOHC 4-valve engines, a fully independent multilink suspension, and front-wheel drive. This was also the first hatchback Cougar, and the first to have its own body, unshared by any Ford. The body design used a philosophy Ford dubbed "New Edge" design: a combination of organic upper body lines with sharp, concave creases in the lower areas. The Cougar's body, and the New Edge idea in general, was introduced as a concept called the Mercury MC2 in 1997. Front-wheel drive is the most common form of engine/transmission layout used in modern passenger cars, where the engine drives the front wheels. ... New Edge was the name given to a style of automobile design used by Ford Motor Company for many of its passenger vehicles in the late 1990s and early 2000s. ...

The 1999–2002 Cougars were available with two engine options, the 2.0 L Zetec 4-cylinder engine with 130 horsepower, and the 2.5 L Duratec V6 with 170 horsepower. Also, two transaxle options were available: the manual Ford MTX-75 transmission or the automatic Ford CD4E transmission (available in the U.S. with either engine, although the I4/Automatic combo was extremely rare; supposedly only 500 Cougars were built with the I4/Auto combination) The Ford Zetec is a name used on many inline 4 cylinder automobile engines. ... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... This article is about a unit of measurement. ... Duratec is a range of 4, 6 cylinder (V6) and 12 cylinder (V12) petrol engines used in Ford cars. ... The Ford Essex V6 engine V6 and V-6 redirect here. ... A manual transmission (also known as a stick shift, straight drive, or standard transmission) is a type of transmission used in automotive applications. ... The MTX-75 (Manual TransaXle), is a 5-speed transmission developed by Ford for its larger engined front wheel drive models. ... The automatic gear selector in a Ford Five Hundred vehicle An automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, thus freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually (similar but larger devices are also used for railroad locomotives). ... The CD4E was a 4-speed automatic transaxle for front wheel drive cars in the 1990s. ...

"Sport Package" models with the V6 featured 4-wheel vented disc brakes (from the Contour SVT), 16" alloy wheels, and a higher speed governor installed. Contrary to popular belief, the speed governor was not removed, but simply raised as a result of high speed rated tires with the 16" wheels. The top speed of the manual transmission car was 153mph in top gear at redline. While this was considered attainable given enough road, the automatic transmission version could not reach this speed without significant engine modification. With the sport package, the speed governor was raised to just higher than 153mph so, essentially, it was never seen. Without the sport package, the speed governor was set at 115 mph.

Ford also prepared two high performance concept-only versions dubbed the "Eliminator", which was a supercharged version built with aftermarket available parts, and the "Cougar S", which featured new body work, all-wheel drive and a 3.0 L Duratec engine. Four wheel drive or 4x4, is a type of four wheeled vehicle drivetrain configuration that enables all four wheels to receive power from the engine simultaneously in order to provide maximum traction. ...

Interestingly, Ford also sold this generation of Cougar in Europe and Australia as the Ford Cougar, but was not a sales success—surprising given that the Mondeo sold well in many countries outside North America. For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... The Ford Cougar is a mid-sized coupÃ© sold in the European market between 1999 and 2002. ...

This generation never sold well. In North America, the Cougar was sold at Mercury dealerships along side of several cars marketed to a generally older buyer. Salesmen unfamiliar in selling a car aimed at a younger and or female buyer had trouble selling the new Cougar. Many feel that had this car been called a Ford (as it was in Europe) and marketed as such at a Ford dealer, it would have sold better. Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 519 pixelsFull resolution (1830 Ã— 1188 pixel, file size: 649 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 519 pixelsFull resolution (1830 Ã— 1188 pixel, file size: 649 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ...

Admittedly, demand for all coupes continued to dwindle, but the sedan versions also languished in North America, suggesting that the Mondeo platform was simply not well suited there—though there is a theory that Ford did not market the Contour and its Mercury Mystique twin properly while the market for the similarly sized BMW 3 Series grew. A high-performance Cougar S (not to be confused with the concept) was discussed in the press, which was essentially a Cougar with a Contour SVT engine; however, this version never made it into production. The Cougar S was so close to production that many of its parts are still available to order from the dealership. It is listed in many parts catalogs and insurance databases. It was also to be sold in Europe as the Ford Cougar ST200. The Mercury Mystique was a compact car produced by the Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company from 1995 to 2000. ... The BMW 3 Series is an entry-level luxury car / compact executive car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. ...

In order to help create excitement for the Cougar, Mercury created several paint and trim packages called:

Special Edition (2000 model year) available in Zinc Yellow, leather interior with yellow stitiching on the seats Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 414 pixelsFull resolution (2128 Ã— 1100 pixel, file size: 123 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 414 pixelsFull resolution (2128 Ã— 1100 pixel, file size: 123 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

C2 (2001-2002 model years) available in either French Blue, Silver Frost, or Vibrant White, along with special blue interior accents

Zn (2001 model year) available with special Zinc Yellow, special Visteon hood scoop and spoiler

XR (2002 model year) available in either Black or XR Racing Red, with special black and red seats and interior trim. Also came with 17" silver wheels with black accents on the inner spokes.

35th Anniversary (2002 model year) Available in Laser Red, Satin Silver, and Black. Most came with leather interiors with silver center sections on the seats. They also came with 17" machined wheels, the same as the XR's without the black paint on the center spokes

Roush Edition (1999-2000 model year) Available mostely in white and silver color choices, this car was built under the roush name with body work done to the front bumper,back,side skirts and more. Considered the rarest of all cougars since only 112 were ever made during its 2 year production.

For the 2001 model year, the Cougar was "updated" as the Cougar2 with new headlights, front and rear facsias, and updated interior trim.

Ford's restructuring plan in 2002 sadly saw them phase out the Cougar (along with the Ford Escort, Lincoln Continental and Mercury Villager) to concentrate on the family market, however according to their official website they will in fact be continuing the name with the 'Ford Kuga' in 2008. It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Ford Escort (European). ... The Lincoln Continental, an automobile produced by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company, began for the 1939 model year. ... Black 2002 Mercury Villager This picture was taken in front of Northville Highschool in Northville, Michigan. ... The Ford Kuga is an upcoming passenger vehicle from Ford Motor Company of Europe. ...

Racing

From 1968-69 the Cougar was used in Trans Am. After the Cougar changed to the Thunderbird platform, it was transferred to NASCAR, and was eventually dropped from NASCAR. From 1989 to 1990, Lincoln-Mercury Motorsport fielded Cougars of the new body style in IMSA GTO. The cars collected the championship both years, and continued the teams streak to 7 manufacturers championships.

External links

Categories: Cleanup from July 2007 | Articles in need of internal merging | Articles to be merged since August 2007 | Mercury vehicles | Coupes | Hatchbacks | Sedans | Station wagons | Mid-size cars | Sports cars | Front wheel drive vehicles | Rear wheel drive vehicles | 1960s automobiles | 1970s automobiles | 1980s automobiles | 1990s automobiles | 2000s automobiles | 1967 introductions Mercury is an automobile marque of the Ford Motor Company founded in 1939 to market near-luxury cars slotted between entry-level Ford and luxury Lincoln models, similar to General Motors Buick (and former Oldsmobile) brand and Chryslers Chrysler brand. ... AMC Gremlin A subcompact car is an automobile in a vehicle size class smaller than a compact car but larger than a city car (and known as superminis in Europe). ... The Ford Pinto was a subcompact car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company for the North American market, first introduced in 1971, and built through the 1980 model year. ... The Mercury Lynx is the name of a compact car produced by Ford Motor Company for its Mercury division. ... The Mercury Tracer was a compact Mercury car. ... The Mercury Tracer was a compact Mercury car. ... The Mercury Tracer was a compact Mercury car. ... The Rambler American introduced in the late 1950s was an early compact car. ... The Mercury Zephyr was a compact car sold by the Lincoln-Mercury division of Ford Motor Company in the North American market from 1978 to 1983. ... The Topaz was the Mercury version of the Ford Tempo. ... The Topaz was the Mercury version of the Ford Tempo. ... The Topaz was the Mercury version of the Ford Tempo. ... The Mercury Mystique was a compact car produced by the Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company from 1995 to 2000. ... A mid-size car, frequently referred to as an intermediate, is an automobile with a size between that of a compact and a full-size or standard-size car. ... Categories: Possible copyright violations ... The Mercury Sable was originally a mid-size car, and is now a full-size car created by the Ford Motor Company and sold under the semi-luxury Mercury brand. ... The Mercury Sable was originally a mid-size car, and is now a full-size car created by the Ford Motor Company and sold under the semi-luxury Mercury brand. ... The Mercury Sable was originally a mid-size car, and is now a full-size car created by the Ford Motor Company and sold under the semi-luxury Mercury brand. ... The Mercury Sable was originally a mid-size car, and is now a full-size car created by the Ford Motor Company and sold under the semi-luxury Mercury brand. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mercury Milan The Mercury Milan is a front-wheel drive mid-size sedan based on the Ford CD3 platform built by Ford Motor Company and distributed by the Lincoln-Mercury division. ... 2001 BMW 750iL The Ford Falcon, a popular Australian full-size car A full-size car is a marketing term used in North America for an automobile larger than a mid-size car. ... Categories: Possible copyright violations ... The Mercury Grand Marquis is a full-size rear wheel drive sedan branded by the Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company and manufactured at the St. ... The Mercury Grand Marquis is a full-size rear wheel drive sedan branded by the Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company and manufactured at the St. ... The Mercury Grand Marquis is a full-size rear wheel drive sedan branded by the Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company and manufactured at the St. ... 1965 Mercury Colony Park. ... The Mercury Marauder was the name of different automobiles made by the Mercury division of Ford Motor Company. ... Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mercury Montego The Mercury Montego, (presumably derived from Montego Bay, Jamaica) was a mid-size vehicle in Fords Mercury line. ... The Mercury Sable was originally a mid-size car, and is now a full-size car created by the Ford Motor Company and sold under the semi-luxury Mercury brand. ... 1963 Jaguar E-Type, a classic sports car 1963 Chevrolet Corvette was based upon European sports cars A sports car is an automobile designed for performance driving. ... A fourth-generation (2006-) Ford Explorer, the best-selling mid-size SUV in the United States. ... The Mercury Mariner compact SUV was introduced in 2005. ... The Mercury Mariner compact SUV was introduced in 2005. ... The Mercury Mountaineer is a luxury SUV manufauctured by the Mercury brand name, owned by the Ford Motor Company. ... The Mercury Mountaineer is a luxury SUV manufauctured by the Mercury brand name, owned by the Ford Motor Company. ... The Mercury Mountaineer is a luxury SUV manufauctured by the Mercury brand name, owned by the Ford Motor Company. ... It has been suggested that Mini MPV be merged into this article or section. ... Black 2002 Mercury Villager This picture was taken in front of Northville Highschool in Northville, Michigan. ... Black 2002 Mercury Villager This picture was taken in front of Northville Highschool in Northville, Michigan. ... The Ford Freestar was a minivan made by the Ford Motor Company, manufactured until November 2006. ...

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1967–1973 GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");