Did you know that the Cougar was Mercury’s first foray into the ‘pony car’ segment? However, rather than competing with its sibling, the Mustang, the Cougar went about carving out its own niche, looking to cater to a more refined audience.
Mercury wanted to emphasize sophistication, which is why the XR-7 trim package offered a blend of European-inspired luxury to go with the vehicle’s American underpinnings. The interior boasted a real walnut veneer, full instrumentation, plus a unique overhead console which really set the Cougar apart from its competitors.
Visually, this was instantly recognizable as a pony car, yet it had a more mature, streamlined aesthetic. The whole point was for the design to hint at the available performance without being overly aggressive, which also explains the hidden headlights – a nice touch of sophistication.
With regards to the XR-7 spec (actually all Cougar specs) it camed with a tuned suspension, offering a more comfortable ride compared to the Mustang, although very few people would have rather purchased a Cougar as opposed to a Mustang back then, and the same can be said today when it comes to used American classics.
Still, these babies remain highly desirable, and the one you’re looking at here (recently up for grabs at auction), was acquired by the seller in 1980 and used as his primary car up until 2003 when it was refurbished. All in all, he kept this car for 44 years before finally letting it go, which was probably not an easy decision. As for how much they got for it, that would be $31,250, which seems like a fair price to me given the spec and the upgrades.
Let’s talk about those – starting with the exterior, which was originally painted Cinnamon Frost Poly before refurbishment. Afterwards, the original hue gave way to the Suzuki Copper Brown Metallic paint.
While there is some corrosion along the rear window, we should note that this Cougar’s headlight vacuum motors were rebuilt, and several exterior bits were replaced, such as the fender-well trim, door handles, emblems, lenses and scuff plates. This also comes with chrome style wheels wearing 205/75 Michelin rubber, power steering and power-assisted front discs, to go with the rear drums.
Meanwhile, the interior boasts black vinyl front bucket seats and rear bench, woodgrain trim, branded floor mats, a custom glove compartment, and a tilting column for the steering wheel.
As for performance, this is powered by a four-barrel 289 ci V8 engine, good for 225 horsepower and 305 lb-ft of torque, with everything going to the rear wheels via a three-speed automatic gearbox. The engine was rebuilt in 1996, and the gearbox in 1998. Even though this was the entry-level V8, it still packs a decent enough punch. Sufficient, at least, for most people.