The Vintage Mercury-Lincoln Cougar - A Nascar Legend

Many have thought of the Mercury Cougar awell as a proven and durable base platform. Even
simply nothing more than a luxo-bloated versionthe dash of the early Mustangs was a direct copy
of a Ford Thunderbird. It may well surprise manyof the Falcons. Underneath all of the glitter of its
Ford, Mercury as well as Ford Mustang andelegant sheet metal the Cougar car was all
Mercury Cougar enthusiasts that 35 years agoMustang, using the exact same Falcon front
that the Cougar "Pony" Car was kicking butt onsuspension and a solid rear axle with four-leaf
the Trans-Am circuit. In its origins, the Cougarsprings. A base 289 cubic inch V-8 made 200 bhp
was an idea that Lincoln-Mercury had been tossing(gross), but the real action came in the guise of a
around, for some time, with the idea of a smaller390 cubic inch V-8 that made 320 bhp. A GT
sporty car. As early as February 1963 this idea ofoption included a performance handling package
a smaller as well as sporty Lincoln-Mercury vehicle,and power disc brakes that replaced more
to be introduced to the North American market,standard front brake drums. Finally special GT
came to emerge within the corporate head office,wheels rounded out the package. It has been said
marketing and design staff. The success of thethat Lincoln Mercury's chief designer had
Ford Mustang was all that was needed to put theenvisioned the Cougar as an elegant European
wheels in motion. Indeed the famous marketingsports car, along the lines of the Jaguar Mark 2.
reference in regards to the product marketHow was it that the Cougar went racing? In 1967
popularity and sales of the Ford Mustang 'Pony"Lincoln Mercury turned to Bud Moore to be the
Car was a sign in a donut shop that "Or donutspoint man for a shot at the SCCA Trans-Am
sell as fast as Mustangs". Nothing drives theChampionship. Team Cougar made up of drivers,
automobile industry more than the potential andDan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Formula 1 driver Peter
promise of fast car sales figures. It is noteworthyRevson and NASCAR driver Dave Pearson came
that even the name of the vehicle productin second in Ford Mustang's team. In 1968 then
"Cougar" can be said to be family line generated.under the aegis of Moore, driver DeWayne "Tiny"
After the name Cougar is not only six letters butLund went on to capture the NASCAR Grand
is another member of a line of fast creatures.Touring Championship. So where and how did the
Both the names of Mustang and Cougar evoke anCougar go wrong. It seemed that Lincoln-Mercury
image of sleekness and fast speed as well aswas never quite sure on how to market the
agility. Built on a 111 inch wheelbase, the CougarCougar. This lack of market focus, as well as not
was three inches and half inches shorter than itsknowing and perceiving the needs and desires of
cousin - the Thunderbird. Underneath the elegantthe potential Cougar customer market proved to
sheetmetal of the Cougar was a Mustang, so tobe the Cougar's undoing. By the 1969 product
speak. In actuality the Cougar shared with itsintroduction the Cougar was a little longer and a
cousins - the sporty Mustang, and the more dourlittle wider. From then on it was only a short
family vehicle - the Ford Falcon (which was alsodecent into landau roofs as well as the opera
known in the Canadian market as the Fordwindow type styling and options of the day. Once
Frontenac product. The Ford Mustang had thestarted this downward trend and spiral of the
greatest fortune of being born from the FordCougar was inevitable. The halcyon years of the
Falcon product line. Mustang enthusiasts owe aearly Cougar - specifically the early Cougar model
great debt of gratitude to a so called compactyears of 1967 - 70 remain a time when the
"Family" car. The Ford Falcon allowed both theCougar's roar boomed out of dual exhausts and
Mustang car project as well as the Cougar carthe sign of a car that had some bite to it.
product a quick to develop, cheap to produce asBuy Car Edmonton Import U.S.