Mercury Cougar in Context
Mercury sat above Ford in the corporate hierarchy, and the Cougar was created to give the division a share of the youthful performance market without simply rebadging the Mustang. Any Mercury Cougar overview highlights the hidden headlamps, sequential rear turn signals and formal roofline that set the car apart from its sibling. Within Mercury Cougar generations, this first design is the most Mustang-related and the most celebrated by enthusiasts. Mercury Cougar body styles in the catalog cover the hardtop coupe and the convertible, with the coupe representing the original form and the open car joining later in the generation's run.
Understanding 1 generation
The first generation is best understood as a stretched-wheelbase relative of the Mustang with its own sheet metal and a more comfort-oriented tuning philosophy. Mercury Cougar dimensions were larger than the Ford's, giving a longer bonnet and a smoother ride that appealed to buyers wanting a personal luxury car rather than a raw sports coupe. Over its four model years the car gained revised styling and additional trim and performance packages, which will be reflected in the individual modification entries once listed. Collectors today value the generation for its balance of pony-car engineering and Mercury's traditional emphasis on refinement.