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Build a Mustang-based Mercury Cougar now! Mustang has coat tails. Mercury deserves a ride on them


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I like the idea of a new Cougar, but.... Why does it have to be a re-skinned Mustang? Why not build something different for Mercury? How about a true sports car? A two seater, with a convertible hard top, the new 3.5 liter engine with 280HP or more, real wheel or all week drive. Something NOT retro, but that can be competitive in today’s market.

 

Let FORD have the Mustang. It sound like Lincoln will have something like the Mark X concept car (V8), so this high performance V6 would fit well into a line up.

 

I am sure everyone that is looking to the old days of having a Mercury labeled Mustang won’t like it, but its not the 60s and 70s anymore.

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A big brother to the Reflex, or a sister car to the Mustang, anyway you look at it Ford/Mercury should do a Cougar. Not a pure retro either (the Camaro concept was not too bad), something with a lower hood line than the Mustang............perhaps the Messenger (concept car) derived.

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I disagree with the editorial. I don't think this is the right time for Merc to reintroduce the Cougar nameplate. I think Ford needs to get the majority of Mercury's bread-and-butter lineup (Milan, Mariner, crossover SUV, and small car) up and running before they commit to something like a coupe. I think it would be a waste of the beautiful and storied Cougar name to slap it on a Mustang rebadge when the name is becoming increasingly irrelevant to Mercury's apparent new target customer (read: younger women).

 

I say wait until something truly different than the Mustang can be done to use the Cougar name. In the meantime, how about a Mercury IOSIS? :)

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If there is to be a Mustang based Cougar, then Ford needs to totally commit to this. The original Cougar was the "gentleman's sports car", now it should be marketed as the "young professional sports car". The car should be more of a cousin to the Mustang but a sister to the rumored Lincoln coupe sharing the engine of the Mustang but a Lincolnesque interior. Since Mercury is focused on more of an "urban" lifestyle, a Cougar should be equipped with the all-wheel-drive from the Sport Trac Adrenalin and the independent rear suspension and stability control from the LS. Also, the design should evolutionary by using design cues from past Cougars and combining those with the Mercury Messenger and Ford Iosis. Also, something to think about is freestyle doors like the Mazda RX-8. A new Cougar would fit nicely between the Mustang and the rumored Lincoln coupe.

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Edited by joelijoi
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If there is to be a Mustang based Cougar, then Ford needs to totally commit to this.

Hello joelijoi, you have the right idea - and an image that fits right into the thinking/mindset. It's sure to help those with less imagination than yourself.

 

I posted a link to this same article in another car forum, one guy wrote:

 

A month or two ago, the owner of the dealership that I work at (Linc/Merc/Mazda) went to the annual dealer's meeting in Detroit, and from what he heard, they are developing a Lincoln coupe based on the Mustang, but not a Cougar.

 

We will see, not sure with all the recent layoffs who Ford might have left to implement new projects with.

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Most of the readers know very little of the original Cougar.

 

First, it was very successful, selling MUCH better than expected.

 

Although based on the Mustang, there were several distinct differences.

 

Where Mustang offered two 6 cylinder engines, the Cougar came only with a V8. Initially, the 289 in two versions, and the 390 in two versions. In 68 this was expanded to include the 302 in two versions, three versions of the 390, and even the 427 and the 428 Cobra Jet.

 

The Cougar had a 3 inch longer wheel base, putting the three extra inches into rear seat leg room. The rear leaf springs were also longer to improve the ride.

 

No body panels were common between the Mustang and Cougar. The Cougar had four lamp hide away headlights behind a die cast water fall grill, and sequential tail lights. Wouldn't those be cool to see again?

 

The Cougar can in two primary versions, standard, and XR7. the XR7 had full instrumentation, and leather seating standard. Leather was not available in the Mustang.

 

The two cars were different enough to avoid market dilution.

 

I am a Cougar collector, should anyone at Ford wish to discuss or better understand how the two cars were marketed, I would very much like to contribute, and place an order...

 

I know a bit about the new for '05 Mustang. I have purchased two GT's and currently own a Saleen S281SC, probably the closest thing to a Cougar available.

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I am a Cougar collector

Do you currently have an old Cougar?

 

It's been far too long since I've seen 1967-68 Cougar (car of the year).

 

If you live in Metro Detroit all summer long there is a get together in Milford in the parking lot of "Bakers" across from the Dairy Queen. Also Ann Arbor closes it's downtown for the "Rolling Sculpture" show. Of course there is always the Woodward Dream Cruise, but my collector car (1977 Porsche 911) tends to get a little too hot sitting in that kind of traffic, so I stay away.

 

My first car was a 1966 Mustang (new to me in 1980), sold it long ago. I would of jumped on a 67-68 Cougar had I found one back then.

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