joelijoi Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 Found this on autonews.com J Mays being interviewed by Amy Wilson at the NAIAS. http://autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?...4/1011&refsect= "Lincoln Mercury dealers have wanted a sporty coupe. They would love to have a next-generation Cougar. But we've got homework to do with that brand before we get to the recess. I look at a brand as you do your homework and then you have your payoff with something that's a little bit more indulgent. And coupes are very indulgent. We've got a lot of homework to do, and I want to get that out of the way first. We hear you're exploring something off the Mustang platform for Lincoln. Well, we're exploring multiple directions. But Peter knows that Mark (Fields)'s focus and my focus is on getting the homework done. A brand has to have a solid foundation on which to build. And a solid foundation is the slightly higher volume products with more longevity." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2b2 Posted January 11, 2006 Share Posted January 11, 2006 (edited) I figure the Lincoln out around 2011MY - [shouting] it's about time they figured out that lux car brands sell desserts, not bread&butter [/shouting] - and the Cougar in time for its 50th anniv. unless... I got this hunch a "limited time offer" could still show up at Chicago... IF FML want an extra 1.6 BILLION $ in sales... Edited January 11, 2006 by 2b2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kach22i Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 Homework Homework Homework Is this the new Ford corporate speak for we are sitting on our arses pissing on each other and getting nothing done? Here is your bloody HOMEWORK, build the freak'n Cougar already! Don't make me come over there and start kicking some butt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footballfan Posted February 20, 2006 Share Posted February 20, 2006 This management team has been doing its "Homework" for four years and has produced nothing for Mercury and Lincoln aside from badge engineered Fords. How much more time do they need? This management team is stuck in the 1970s and 1980s in terms of styling and management. Let's analyze things to death, and then when the project finally gets approval, it is stale. Honda is talking about bringing a car from concept to production within a year, and this management team can't decide anything in two years. Ultimately, I think one or both of the brands are going to die from starvation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevinb120 Posted February 26, 2006 Share Posted February 26, 2006 (edited) Well the Cougar has shown a complete sense of sheer stupidity with its 'evolution' into the friggin hatchback in its last attempts. Now that car was not bad at all, and had one of the most 'modern' interiors at the time bar none. THAT car should of been sold as a FORD FRIGGIN PROBE! what a blunder. I don't know there are any less Cougar fans waiting in the wings as there are now Mustang fans who waited out the near 30 year not-quite-right mustangs untill 2005 rolled around. Its simple math, going back to its orignal roots=big bang with mustang, cougar would have the exact same effect. Add a few parts above the mustang(IRS, HID's, NAV option, soft trim, heated seats, etc) and away we go.. If only somone had the balls to bring back hidden headlights as well just ONE more time on a car that never made them look bad B) Hell, it even works with the waterfall, matching led insert taillights with sequentails anyone? Anyway, I see NO confusion where to go looking here: But see TONS of confusion here: That car even had a ford of europe style grill, how could they miss the probe opportunity? That was another good car that suffered from wrongnameitis just like the GTO. Just like the original, there are quite a few sucessful people that still pass on the mustang only due to a few upscale goodies not available on the 'stang...There's definately a place for a 28-38k cougar. Use the 6 speed auto for the 8(from the Explorer) with a massaged 4.63v, and the D35 tweaked for the 6. I wouldn't change the 8 because the huge aftermarket for the stang will play to that car's advantage. Edited February 26, 2006 by kevinb120 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Footballfan Posted February 27, 2006 Share Posted February 27, 2006 The last Cougar- or a car like it- would be very successful today. Look at the Scion coupe. Bland, 1980's like styling, but it sells. The last Cougar blows the Scion out of the water in terms of styling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Kolman Posted March 1, 2006 Share Posted March 1, 2006 My personal problem with the Cougar was that it only had the 2.5L... And a complete lack of improvements after its introduciton (it became an orfan as soon as it appeared). Even though the 3.0L is the same size M-L never did around to giving it power to compete with other sporty coupes. But I liked the car none the less... I came very close to buying one when my Ranger lease came up, test drove one worked out the price with the dealer... I wanted a hatchback to makeup for the loss of the truck bed and the Cougar fit the bill. But then heard about the plan to produce one powered by the SVT Countor's engine, so put it on hold. Ford abandoned that quick dropin and I decided not to buy car that the company was abandoning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swenson88 Posted March 4, 2006 Share Posted March 4, 2006 A new Mercury Cougar wouldn't be any more of a success than the Mercury Mountaineer is compared to the Explorer or the Milan is to the Fusion. It would be a small seller and would probably be cross-shopped by people who would buy a Mustang anyways if the Cougar didn't exist. The only way to do it right would be to make it an upscale near-luxury coupe, but we all know that if Mercury got a Mustang-clone it would be almost exactly the same just like every other clone. Like J is saying, there's a lot more products that will come before low-selling coupes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kach22i Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 The only way to do it right would be to make it an upscale near-luxury coupe, but we all know that if Mercury got a Mustang-clone it would be almost exactly the same just like every other clone. Can they do it the right way? That would be nice..........................for a change. :happy feet: Just kidding, but it would not work as a rebadge that's for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Kolman Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 A new Mercury Cougar wouldn't be any more of a success than the Mercury Mountaineer is compared to the Explorer or the Milan is to the Fusion. It would be a small seller and would probably be cross-shopped by people who would buy a Mustang anyways if the Cougar didn't exist. The only way to do it right would be to make it an upscale near-luxury coupe, but we all know that if Mercury got a Mustang-clone it would be almost exactly the same just like every other clone. Like J is saying, there's a lot more products that will come before low-selling coupes. I don't get this... If it was as successful as the Mountaineer is to the Explorer we're talking about 30,000 sales. Which would increase Mercury's sales by ~10%... And what "core" products is Mercury missing? They already have two mid-sized sedans, a large sedan, two SUVs, and a minivan... What other segment is Mercury not competing in? The simply fact is with Mercury's limited market penitration, and pairing with Lincoln the only move left is a highend compact and a "lifestyle" car. The Focus C-Max or CC, a 2-door Milan, or S197 Cougar... The Focus doesn't have a donor that fits well in the showroom with Lincoln, a 2-door FWD midsized car reminds of the abismal Solara, leaving only the Mustang dirived Cougar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mettech Posted April 12, 2006 Share Posted April 12, 2006 I would like to see the Volvo C70 as the new Cougar. Hard top convertable. I would hope that Mercury would use diffrent models in the line up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzhead Posted April 12, 2006 Share Posted April 12, 2006 (edited) The current Stang comes in a fastback and a vert. Missing is the notchback, which suggests a perfect approach for a new Cougar that wouldn't cannibalize sales. Both GM and Ford had success when they engineered very different rooflines for otherwise badge-engineered cars. Think of the 80s T-bird and Cougar, with the latter and its unique "formal" roofline. The two vehicles were identical under the skin, but appealed to quite different buyers. I remember buying a '90 Olds Cutlass Supreme 4-door the first year it came out, in part because I loved the unique wrap-around back glass, which was used in no comparable GM product. Changing the roofline would far more effectively differentiate a Ford from a Mercury than merely changing the grill and tails. Think of the 500 and Montego, stone identical in profile - of course these cars cannibalize sales from each other. Even a simple fix like using "four-light" windows for the Montego while retaining the six-light look for the 500 would help. I saw a Montego with a cheesy aftermarket fabric roof recently. Cheesy because of the fake carriage fabric. But the roof closed off the rear quarter windows and dramatically changed the profile of the car. I remember thinking that, done as a "clean" roof, that look would be an easy way to make the Montego stand out. Edited April 12, 2006 by Jazzhead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrlandoGuy80 Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 Regardless, I think it's safe to say we're not going to see a new Cougar concept for at least a year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-point-0L Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 One would think a decent product development team wouldn't have to do much homework other than lolling ideas around in their head as to what would be a cool product to make, and then working it out from there. Badge-engineered cars for Mercury sell in low volumes because someone could by the Ford for $2000 less, and for that much more all the Mercury has is a new grille, different taillights, and a slightly different interior. The original Cougar was quite different from the Mustang, if the same was done with a new Cougar, it would not be crossed-shopped. A new Cougar shouldn't have a 6-cylinder, the V6 coupe/convertible market is taken by the Mustang. A Cougar should have a V8 standard, as well as 6-speed automatic and manual transmissions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvrsvt Posted April 28, 2006 Share Posted April 28, 2006 The current Stang comes in a fastback and a vert. Missing is the notchback, which suggests a perfect approach for a new Cougar that wouldn't cannibalize sales. The Notchback is dead as the Station Wagon Personally I rather see a Lincoln Mustang with IRS (to offset the development costs), so that higher End Mustangs can offer IRS or as an option in a handling pack. There really isnt a need for a Mustang based Cougar right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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