[xr7g428]

Let's imagine a situation like this: The new Mustang is selling as fast as you can build them. It is clear that GM and Chrysler are going to introduce competitive products. The Market is going to get crowded. You know where GM and Chrysler will aim, directly at the Mustang. What do you do? Adding additional models to the Mustang could dilute the brand. You already have Shelby taking the high end performance market.

Does this sound like 2006 or 1966?

History teaches those who pay attention. The original Cougar was a hit. The Camaro was all new in '67 as was the Firebird. But the Car of the Year for '67 was the Cougar, selling 150,893 units. The Camaro sold a little over 220,000 and the Mustang 472,121 units. The Firebird was only good for 82560 and the Barracuda 62,534. Mustang out sold the Camaro by more than two to one, and the Cougar outsold the Firebird by about the same ratio.

The original Cougar created a niche that still sits wide open. It was the luxury sports car. It was almost as compact as the Mustang, but featured the luxury of the Thunderbird. And it was not short on performance. There were no 6 cylinder Cougars, and engine choices ranged up to the mighty 427 side oiler ( a choice never offered in the Mustang!).

In my opinion, the Cougar started to lose its way in only two years. The '69 got longer and heavier, and slower, and the '70 grew longer still. By '71 the car was almost unrecognizable to the original Cougar buyers. It had become a small luxury car, instead of a luxurious sports car.

The Cougar name has been applied to more bastard renditions than Mercury would ever care to admit. but once upon a time it was the basis for the Mercury brand: At The Sign of the Cat! I would suggest that Mercury has not stood for anything since.

The right direction today is the same as it was the first time around. The luxury sports car. Why do I have to buy BMWs to get rear wheel drive performance, decent interior room, and not a lot of extraneous bulk, or gratuitous wings and silly crap? The Mustang is just about right. Put another 3 inches of leg room in the back seat, give me a reasonable rear roof line, and all of the heated, cooled, homelinked, power operated, sunroofed, moonroofed, DVD MP3, Nav, neat stuff that I am used too.

I would like to buy an American car, root for the home team, and stop spending stupid money on German cars. Build something we actually want to buy!

[swenson88]

xr7g428, on Feb 18 2006, 05:04 PM, said:

Let's imagine a situation like this: The new Mustang is selling as fast as you can build them. It is clear that GM and Chrysler are going to introduce competitive products. The Market is going to get crowded. You know where GM and Chrysler will aim, directly at the Mustang. What do you do? Adding additional models to the Mustang could dilute the brand. You already have Shelby taking the high end performance market.

Does this sound like 2006 or 1966?

History teaches those who pay attention. The original Cougar was a hit. The Camaro was all new in '67 as was the Firebird. But the Car of the Year for '67 was the Cougar, selling 150,893 units. The Camaro sold a little over 220,000 and the Mustang 472,121 units. The Firebird was only good for 82560 and the Barracuda 62,534. Mustang out sold the Camaro by more than two to one, and the Cougar outsold the Firebird by about the same ratio.

The original Cougar created a niche that still sits wide open. It was the luxury sports car. It was almost as compact as the Mustang, but featured the luxury of the Thunderbird. And it was not short on performance. There were no 6 cylinder Cougars, and engine choices ranged up to the mighty 427 side oiler ( a choice never offered in the Mustang!).

In my opinion, the Cougar started to lose its way in only two years. The '69 got longer and heavier, and slower, and the '70 grew longer still. By '71 the car was almost unrecognizable to the original Cougar buyers. It had become a small luxury car, instead of a luxurious sports car.

The Cougar name has been applied to more bastard renditions than Mercury would ever care to admit. but once upon a time it was the basis for the Mercury brand: At The Sign of the Cat! I would suggest that Mercury has not stood for anything since.

The right direction today is the same as it was the first time around. The luxury sports car. Why do I have to buy BMWs to get rear wheel drive performance, decent interior room, and not a lot of extraneous bulk, or gratuitous wings and silly crap? The Mustang is just about right. Put another 3 inches of leg room in the back seat, give me a reasonable rear roof line, and all of the heated, cooled, homelinked, power operated, sunroofed, moonroofed, DVD MP3, Nav, neat stuff that I am used too.

I would like to buy an American car, root for the home team, and stop spending stupid money on German cars. Build something we actually want to buy!

I agree. I don't want to see a rebadged Mustang. If Ford does give Mercury a version of the Mustang I think it needs to be markedly different and also aimed at a different buyer altogether.

[sprocket]

Wow,...what a bunch of great artists we have here!! Man you guys should be the ones designing all of our products and we'd be rich! filthy stinkin rich I say!

[timmm55]

XR7G428,

That's been my argument for quite awhile now!
I've made so many photo chops I think it's a real Cougar already LOL (Just kidding I haven't lost my sense of reality)

More stuff, good bad or indifferent..........(fixed headlights here)

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•  06Cougarfront2.jpg (27.9K)
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•  2XCougar.jpg (65.03K)
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•  cbluexllx.jpg (51.73K)
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•  cbluexlx.jpg (52.78K)
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[timmm55]

A kinda 69/Messenger Cougar.......????  1547011_1_.jpg (75.39K)
Number of downloads: 437

Attached File(s)

•  cougcon4534.jpg (72.44K)
  Number of downloads: 236

[ford4v429]

timmm55, on Feb 18 2006, 03:35 PM, said:

I dunno you could ask the people at mercurycougar.net!

A lot of us feel that the 67-73 Cougar was Mercury's Icon. I wasn't just rebadged then. There were significant engineering and completely different sheet metal differences. Although the chassis was similar it was 3" longer. The Cougar was notable for what it didn't have: NO 6 cylinders.

It could be retro and sophisticated and modern.

timmm55, on Feb 19 2006, 03:30 PM, said:

A kinda 69/Messenger Cougar.......???? attachment

I agree on the 'retro' thing. people call the mustang retro(I did too till I saw it sitting next to my 69 fastback) and I can assure you sitting next to an old one, its a different world...I couldnt believe the new one looks much bigger than the 69! I HATE the term 'retro'- prefer to call them 'heritage inspired'...look at a new mustang from 2 blocks away, you know what it is...I look at your chop above and kinda blur my eyes- still see a cougar there, yet looking even a little closer, there aint a line on it from the old one. same with the mustang- hard to describe, but you know it when you see it... I think youve got a target ford should kinda blur their eyes to and aim towards that shape and styling lines. I REALLY like that last one- but still think a little more bumper projection would be needed for 5mph bumper...does the vette have 5mph rating? maybe thats not even an issue anymore...anyway, nice pix dude!

This post has been edited by ford4v429: 21 February 2006 - 01:11 AM

[timmm55]

Thanks ford4V429,

I agree. I have a new Mustang GT and while it does have "heritage" cues it's a completely modern car, AND there's no mistake it's a Mustang, even though it doesn't say M U S T A N G anywhere on the outside. That's a confident design!


Most bumper now are "skins": a flexible molded design that goes over a 5 MPH bumper underneath. They can be pretty much flush with the sheet metal on the sides, like on the Corvette's rear bumper, with a seam that looks kind of awkward. I prefer a more natural break line. They used to be 5 MPH front and rear. I'm not sure if that's changed to 3 MPH in the rear or not.

The 69/Messenger design is based obviously off the 69/70 Cougar side sweep. Other than a period looking hood scoop that's about it for "retro". The headlights aren't really hidden like the early Cougars, but they are more integrated like a Citroen Maserati SM or an early Sable...a design element. Hidden in plain sight and no mechanical issues to fail.

The Corvette bumper/fender seam line:
It looks OK on some angles, other times it looks like a sloppy transition on an otherwise smooth surface. (Don't get me wrong, the Corvette is a GREAT car....nearly perfect!)

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•  15007.jpg (75.12K)
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•  skin2.jpg (31.64K)
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•  CSkin.jpg (40.72K)
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•  vetterear4.jpg (35.14K)
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[syrtran]

Here's a more conservative design. I don't know why the sketch is so fuzzy, it's 1600x1200. I hope it comes through okay.

 TTCougar.jpg (413.13K)
Number of downloads: 226

[2b2]

Timmmm, interesting light'n'grille treatment.
First time I've seen a Messenger adaptation I like -
but needs a
http://www.accmats.com/logos/Images_Logos/88_s.jpg
maybe repeat the center's ribbing on the lens covers,
and oblong or bar-shaped fogs? LED's?


Syrtran, could your re-scan please? (maybe 800-1000 wide)

[timmm55]

I resized and lightened the pic...look good....needs wheels.

Attached File(s)

•  TTCougar.jpg (41.25K)
  Number of downloads: 133

[NickF1011]

timmm55, on Feb 24 2006, 11:27 AM, said:

I resized and lightened the pic...look good....needs wheels.

Wheels?? Who needs wheels?? Didn't you know we'd be driving hover cars by the year 2000?? :lol2:

[timmm55]

A couple more of the Messenger/69 Cougar. Rcontoured the bumper, changed the lights added the "Cat" logo ;-) And made an Eliminator.

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•  15007.jpg (75.59K)
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•  yellow07.jpg (81.34K)
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This post has been edited by timmm55: 25 February 2006 - 09:57 AM

[2b2]

timmm55, on Feb 24 2006, 10:13 AM, said:

A couple more of the Messenger/69 Cougar. Rcontoured the bumper, shanged the lights added the "Cat" logo ;-) And made an Eliminator.

:D & B) best ever!

do you like it better too, timmm?

[timmm55]

do you like it better too, timmm?
[/quote]

It's the one I prefer.......(still working on it though) because I like the 89/70 a bit better. The 67/68 is considered the more "pure" classic Cougar, but the "sweep" has such a strong character line it looks bland without it.

A lot of the classic Cougar folk really REALLY want hidden headlights and sequential tail lights on a new Cougar. But I think "hiding in plain sight" headlights wold be fine too. Plus there would be a connection to the "light bar" of past Merc's like the Sable, not a classic, but when it came out in 86 I thought it was pretty cool.

Here's my interior ideas: wood, leather, NAV, pull straps, full gauges.......a comfy place to be in. I had a Mark VIII before my 05 Mustang GT and included a bit of a swept away dash too.....goes well with the exterior.

Attached File(s)

•  CougInt12.jpg (76.59K)
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This post has been edited by timmm55: 25 February 2006 - 10:17 AM

[DRODMOTORS]

Some good sketches and photoshops here. I've spoken with some Ford execs, there is a desire to put out a new "Cougar." Dealers are asking about it, customers are asking about, and employees are asking. With Mercury's brand recognition being so low, something like this can bring the brand to the public eye. A smaller run, say maybe 20K units. Use the S197 chassis, throw on different sheetmetal, bump up the 4.6 with say 4V heads or a different intake, or put in a 5.4L. Give the some goodies like heated seats, stability control and have the model be a more upscale muscle car. Purists can go for the Mustang, people that want a little bit more to their muscle coupe can spring for the Cougar. With the competition wanting a piece of this pie as was pointed out, here's a way for FoMoCo to to expand their lineup and bring up a brand.

[timmm55]

DRODMOTORS, on Feb 25 2006, 01:57 PM, said:

Some good sketches and photoshops here. I've spoken with some Ford execs, there is a desire to put out a new "Cougar." Dealers are asking about it, customers are asking about, and employees are asking. With Mercury's brand recognition being so low, something like this can bring the brand to the public eye. A smaller run, say maybe 20K units. Use the S197 chassis, throw on different sheetmetal, bump up the 4.6 with say 4V heads or a different intake, or put in a 5.4L. Give the some goodies like heated seats, stability control and have the model be a more upscale muscle car. Purists can go for the Mustang, people that want a little bit more to their muscle coupe can spring for the Cougar. With the competition wanting a piece of this pie as was pointed out, here's a way for FoMoCo to to expand their lineup and bring up a brand.

Well, if they need any help I could use the JOB ;-)

[DRODMOTORS]

timmm55, on Feb 25 2006, 07:23 PM, said:

Well, if they need any help I could use the JOB ;-)

mycareer.ford.com :P

[syrtran]

timmm55, on Feb 24 2006, 11:27 AM, said:

I resized and lightened the pic...look good....needs wheels.

Thanks. The picture wasn't scanned, I had to use a digital camera, and I normally am not allowed near those things. :D

Wheels??? Take a good look at the perspective on the sketch and then tell me you trust me with wheels!
;)

DRODMOTORS, on Feb 25 2006, 01:57 PM, said:

Use the S197 chassis, throw on different sheetmetal, bump up the 4.6 with say 4V heads or a different intake, or put in a 5.4L.

IMO, and I may be in the minority here (*), a Cougar doesn't necessarily need more power than the Mustang, but it -definitely- should have a smoother ride: IRS.



(*) I admit it - I'm not a power-junkie. After all, I drive an SVO. Not now, of course, there's salt on the roads!

[2b2]

thanks to Tony & Timmm for their permission & doing the hard part.

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•  Cougar2.jpg (37.08K)
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[timmm55]

I redid the profile.  cougcon4534.jpg (74.3K)
Number of downloads: 224