Misplaced Pages

#766233

104-653: For the 1977 model year, Ford revised the intermediate-size product ranges of both its Ford and Mercury divisions; as part of a mid-cycle update, Mercury discontinued the Montego nameplate and expanded the Mercury Cougar line to include a full range of sedans and wagons (with the Ford Gran Torino becoming the Ford LTD II ). After a 28-year absence, the Montego nameplate was revived for the 2005 model year, this time applied to

208-675: A pony car , the popularity of the Cougar led it to replace the Cyclone muscle car in the Mercury model line. The second generation moved its market position closer to the personal luxury car segment. For its third and fourth generations, the Cougar adopted the Ford intermediate chassis. Slotted above the Montego, the model became the counterpart of the Ford (Gran Torino) Elite . For its fourth generation, Mercury split

312-805: A "rim-blow" steering wheel. Package C included the Package A items, as well as the Special Handling Package, featuring improved tires and heavy-duty suspension components. Package D combined all other packages: Package A, the Interior Decor package, and the Special Handling package. The Sports Special could be combined with any available engine. For 1969 and 1970, the Hertz Rental Car Company purchased Cougar Eliminators as part of their "Rent-A-Racer" program. These Eliminators were ordered with

416-416: A 240 hp 351 Cleveland two-barrel V8 was the standard engine with a 351C four-barrel V8 as an option. The Boss 302 and Boss 429 were discontinued, with both Boss engines and the 428 Cobra Jet replaced by a 370 hp 429 Cobra Jet V8 (with or without Ram Air). For 1972, Ford adopted SAE net horsepower ratings, leading to a numerical decrease in advertised engine output. The 429 V8 was dropped, leaving

520-474: A 427 cu in (7.0 L) V8, rated at 390 hp (291 kW; 395 PS). As a mid-year option, a 428 Cobra Jet Ram Air was introduced on April 1, 1968, rated at 335 hp (250 kW; 340 PS). The 428 Cobra Jet engine replaced the 427 in the GT-E. For the 1969 model revision, the engine line underwent further changes. The 289 was dropped entirely; a two-barrel 351 cubic-inch "Windsor" V8 became

624-589: A Five Hundred Limited, the Montego Premier featured leather seats as standard; all-wheel drive and a sunroof were among the few available options. Following a poor critical reception, the Mercury Montego and Ford Five Hundred fell under sales projections from the 2005 to 2007 model years. For the 2008 model year, the Montego and Five Hundred underwent a mid-cycle update, with pre-production prototypes unveiled at 2007 auto shows. Along with evolutionary changes to

728-490: A compact sporty car. The second-generation Cougar is the final version derived from the Ford Mustang and the final version offered as a convertible. A light blue/white 1973 Cougar XR-7 convertible was the "last" convertible assembled by Ford Motor Company; at the time, American manufacturers ended assembly of convertibles during the 1970s in anticipation of increased rollover safety standards. The second-generation Cougar used

832-402: A complete redesign of the exterior, the roofline and all sheet metal from the doors rearward were given an extensive update. Adopting much of the design language of the redesigned Thunderbird, the roofline was given larger, straight-edged windows (including optional opera windows) and a level beltline, while the body retained relatively large fender flares. The LTD II carried over the use of

936-488: A corresponding undercar energy channelling cross-tube — with the front seats mounted above the lower tube, locating them above a side impact energy path. The system derives from a side-impact safety design marketed by Volvo as its Side Impact Protection System (SIPS). As with the Grand Marquis, the 2005 Montego was offered solely as a four-door sedan. The tallest Mercury sedan in over 50 years (over five feet tall),

1040-441: A four-door hardtop added to the model range. An MX Brougham trim was added for all sedans (featuring concealed headlamps), with an equivalent MX Villager station wagon (with exterior wood-panel trim). For 1972, the second-generation Montego was introduced alongside the redesigned Ford Torino. In a major design shift, intermediate-size Ford/Mercury model lines shifted from unibody to body-on-frame construction; similarly to

1144-604: A full-size sedan. Marketed between the Mercury Milan and Grand Marquis , the 2005 Montego, internally code-named D333, was the Mercury counterpart of the Ford Five Hundred (D258). For the 2008 model year, the Montego adopted the nameplate of the car it had replaced, becoming the final generation of the Mercury Sable . For 1968, Mercury introduced the Montego as part of its intermediate Mercury Comet product line. While

SECTION 10

#1732858851767

1248-420: A full-width grille, with the "electric shaver" split grille replaced by a horizontally-slatted grille (with a matching centerpiece); concave taillamp lenses replaced the previous convex design. The hidden headlamps were retained; the mechanism shifted its power from dual vacuum actuators to a single, centrally-located vacuum actuator. The vacuum to operate the headlight doors was provided by the engine and stored in

1352-510: A low-restriction exhaust system. For 1967 and 1968, to commemorate the success of the model line in competition, Mercury offered the Dan Gurney Special appearance option, available on both the Standard and XR-7 models. In addition to a signature decal, the option package included turbine-style wheel covers and a chrome engine dress-up kit. To signify his association with Lincoln-Mercury,

1456-399: A new hood adopting a pronounced body-color center section. As part of the front fascia revision, the Cougar also received a new front bumper and revised front fenders. Concave taillamp lenses remained but with revised trim bezels, in addition to revised side marker lights. A change to the position of the rear axle necessitated a new rocker panel length and rear quarter sheet metal as compared to

1560-522: A performance axle. Interior upgrades included: Hi-Back bucket seats (Eliminator-only for 1969 model year), and unique "black camera case" instrument panels with full instrumentation (including visual warning lights and gauges, tachometer, trip odometer, and rallye clock). Four exterior colors were available: white, bright blue metallic, competition orange, and bright yellow. Optional engines included: 390-4V, 428 Cobra Jet or Super Cobra Jet (both available with or without Ram-Air), and Boss 302 (available only with

1664-437: A reservoir under the fender. The headlight doors use spiral torsion springs to make the headlamp doors stay open in the neutral position. A convertible body style was added to the model line, available for both standard and XR-7 trims; a power-operated top was standard. For 1970, the Cougar underwent an additional revision to the front fascia; the split "electric shaver" grille with vertically slatted trim made its return, with

1768-570: A revised version of the first-generation chassis, again shared with the Ford Mustang; the wheelbase was increased to 112.1 inches. While substantially upgraded, the rear-wheel drive chassis underpinnings remained derived from the Ford Falcon unibody architecture. To better accommodate big-block engines (such as the Ford 429), the Mustang/Cougar chassis was widened 3 inches; the front track was widened from 58.1 to 61.5 inches (only an inch narrower than

1872-620: A single XR-7 trim level, as the GT and Eliminator editions were retired. Ford LTD II The Ford LTD II is an automobile produced and marketed by Ford Motor Company between 1977 and 1979 in the United States and Canada. Deriving its name from the full-sized Ford LTD model line, the intermediate LTD II consolidated the Ford Torino and Gran Torino model lines, with the Ford Elite replaced by

1976-646: A station wagon. Following a substantial exterior revision, the Torino/Gran Torino was rebranded as the Ford LTD II , with the Ford Elite replaced by a downsized Ford Thunderbird (becoming a counterpart of the Cougar XR7). After a 28-year hiatus, Mercury revived the Montego nameplate for 2005, moving it to a full-size sedan. Introduced as the successor of the Mercury Sable (alongside the smaller Mercury Milan),

2080-522: A typical sedan, easing entry and exit. Also, the distance from the H-point to the floor of the vehicle is reflective of more upright seating. At its press launch, Ford said the Five Hundred's H-point is up to four and a half inches higher than its competitors. The Montego also features theater seating, where second row seats are higher: in the front row, the distance between the H-point and the heel point, where

2184-492: Is a series of automobiles that was sold by Mercury from 1967 to 2002. The model line is a diverse series of vehicles; though the Cougar nameplate is most commonly associated with two-door coupes, at various stages in its production, the model also was offered as a convertible and a hatchback. During its production as the mid-size Mercury line, the Cougar was also offered as a four-door sedan and five-door station wagon. In production for 34 years across eight generations (skipping

SECTION 20

#1732858851767

2288-715: The Bobcat and Lynx . During its production, the Cougar was assembled at the Dearborn Assembly Plant (part of the Ford River Rouge Complex ) in Dearborn, Michigan from 1967 until 1973, San Jose Assembly ( Milpitas, California ) from 1968 into early 1969, Lorain Assembly ( Lorain, Ohio ) from 1974 until 1997, and at Flat Rock Assembly ( Flat Rock, Michigan ) from 1999 through 2002. For nearly its entire production,

2392-806: The Chrysler Cordoba , reducing product overlap between the Thunderbird and the Continental Mark V . As Ford discontinued the Torino, Mercury replaced the Montego , as it expanded the Mercury Cougar nameplate to its entire intermediate model line with the Cougar XR7 becoming a direct counterpart of the Thunderbird. The LTD II uses the body-on-frame construction shared with the 1972–1976 Torino/Montego. As with

2496-526: The Coke-bottle styling that dominated the exterior of its Torino/Montego predecessor. All body styles (including wagons) featured frameless door glass; the 4-door models had a thin, fixed "B" pillar. Like the later Torino models, the LTD II coupe lacked a fixed "B" pillar, but the rear quarter windows didn't roll down, making this model a coupe rather than a true 2-door hardtop. Though limited funds precluded

2600-570: The Ford Cougar ). The Mercury Cougar began life in the summer of 1962, as both Ford and Lincoln-Mercury styling teams submitted design proposals for the T-5 project (the 1965 Ford Mustang). Though the Ford design was selected for the vehicle, Lincoln-Mercury retained interest in the T-5 project, seeking to develop its own vehicle from it to compete in a similar market segment as the Ford Thunderbird (at

2704-696: The Ford Thunderbird . Offered in a two-door sedan, four-door sedan, and station wagon, the LTD II also served as a basis for the final generation of the Ford Ranchero coupe utility . During its production, the Lincoln-Mercury Division sold a version of the LTD II under the Mercury Cougar badge, replacing the Mercury Montego . The design of the Ford LTD II is notable as one of

2808-461: The Mercury Cougar XR7 adopted the body of the Montego two-door hardtop, now the counterpart of the Ford Elite , the Cougar was repackaged as an intermediate-size personal luxury car. While the notchback roofline remained for the two-door hardtop (though rear side windows became fixed in place, with an opera window added as an option), the fastback Montego GT hardtop was dropped. For 1975,

2912-465: The 1967 Cougar featured a unique body design while continuing the popular "long-hood, short-deck" proportions of the Mustang. The model line was marketed as having "European" style and features. The first Lincoln-Mercury vehicle with hidden headlamps , Cougar headlight doors were powered by dual vacuum actuators (one for each headlight door), with vacuum provided by the engine and stored in a reservoir under

3016-414: The 1967 revision of the Ford Mustang. The Cougar has a longer wheelbase than the Mustang, extended 3 inches to 111 inches. Both vehicles derive their underpinnings from the rear-wheel drive Ford Falcon unibody compact chassis architecture. At its launch, the first-generation Cougar shared its engine lineup with the Mustang, although offering V8 engines exclusively. A 289 cu in (4.7 L) V8

3120-417: The 1969 model, although these changes are not visually apparent. Cougar also received a special option package (styled by fashion designer Pauline Trigère ), including a houndstooth -patterned vinyl roof and matching upholstery; the roof and upholstery were available together or separately, in either brown-and-black houndstooth or white-and-black houndstooth check patterns. Further safety upgrades included

3224-561: The 1971 model year, Lincoln-Mercury released the second-generation Mercury Cougar. To expand potential competition for the model line, Ford benchmarked the design of the Cougar against the quartet of GM A-body coupes, placing the model line in competition with the Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme . Again sharing much of its bodyshell with the Ford Mustang, the Cougar began to shift away from a "plush pony car", taking on aspects of both sporty cars and luxury cars. The continued success of

Mercury Montego - Misplaced Pages Continue

3328-403: The 1977 model year, Ford Motor Company made substantial revisions to its intermediate-segment product lines involving both the Ford and Mercury brands to help boost sales. As part of the model changes, several product lines were given midcycle updates. To further revive interest, other model lines were consolidated to reduce internal competition and overlap. Central to the model revision

3432-534: The 1997 model year, an eighth-generation Cougar was introduced for 1999, with the nameplate returning as a sports compact hatchback. Originally intended for release as the third-generation Ford Probe , the nearly-completed design was shifted to Mercury following the discontinuation of that model line. Sharing chassis underpinnings with the Ford Contour , the 1999 Cougar is the only generation offered with no divisional counterpart (though export vehicles were badged as

3536-621: The 1998 model year), the Cougar is second only to the Grand Marquis (36 years) in the Mercury line for production longevity. 2,972,784 examples were produced, making it the highest-selling Mercury vehicle. During the 1970s and 1980s, the marketing of the Mercury division was closely associated with the Cougar, with promotional materials advertising Mercury dealers as "The Sign of the Cat" with big cats atop Lincoln-Mercury dealer signs. Cat-related nameplates were adopted by other Mercury lines, including

3640-429: The 302 V8 making its return as the standard engine (outside of California). As options, Ford offered the 351M V8 and the 351 Windsor V8, with a 400-cubic-inch V8 serving as the largest engine offering. For 1979, the 400 V8 was discontinued. Although the transition from the Torino to the LTD II is theoretically a midcycle update, Ford stylists made several styling changes to introduce the new model line, moving away from

3744-957: The Boss 302 engine exclusive to the Eliminator. For 1969, the Eliminator Option consisted of: the Eliminator Equipment Package, the Eliminator Decor Group, and the Performance Tire / Handling Group. These included the 351W-4V engine, a front air dam and body-colored rear spoiler, styled steel wheels (similar to the 1969 Mach 1 wheels), a black-out front grille, body-colored hood scoop (only functional with ram-air 428CJ engine), Eliminator-specific body side stripes in white or black (keyed to paint and trim color), left-hand remote-control racing-style side mirror, heavy-duty suspension, and

3848-595: The Boss 302 engine. Largely a counterpart of the Ford Mustang Mach 1 and Ford Boss 302 Mustang , the Cougar Eliminator replaced the Cougar GT as the performance-trim Cougar on April 1, 1969. Offered solely as a standard Cougar hardtop (not available as convertible nor XR-7), the Eliminator was offered with all available Cougar engines, with the 351-4V as the standard engine (Windsor in 1969 and Cleveland in 1970) and

3952-464: The Cougar followed Mercury tradition, serving as a divisional counterpart of a Ford vehicle. Though sharing a common chassis architecture, the Cougar was visibly distinguished, ranging in degree from distinct grilles, badging, and lighting components to nearly every body panel specific to the model line. For its first two generations, the Cougar was derived from the Ford Mustang . Initially serving as

4056-533: The Cougar included federal safety enhancements that added side marker lights and front outboard shoulder belts (sash belt, shoulder harness) . In a first for Ford Motor Company, the 1968 Cougar offered an electrically operated sunroof as an option. The Bosch-sourced sunroof assemblies were installed by the American Sunroof Corporation in Southgate, Michigan. While available on any Cougar, the sunroof

4160-569: The Cougar into two model lines, with the Cougar replacing the Montego (matching the Ford LTD II ), with the Cougar XR7 becoming the counterpart of the Ford Thunderbird (pairing the two models for 20 years). For its fifth and sixth generations, the Cougar was downsized, adopting the Ford Fox chassis. Replacing the Mercury Monarch, the standard Cougar was the counterpart of the Ford Granada, with

4264-639: The Cougar led to several changes within the Mercury model line. Similar in size and performance, the Mercury Cyclone intermediate (derived from the Mercury Montego) was quickly overshadowed by the Cougar, leading Mercury to end sales of the Cyclone during 1972. Slightly smaller than the 1965 Mustang, the imported Capri (not officially badged as a Mercury) began to succeed the Cougar within Lincoln-Mercury as

Mercury Montego - Misplaced Pages Continue

4368-581: The Cougar name, reviving the nameplate of the Ford T-5 proposal. Rather than serve as a direct counterpart of the Mustang (as the Pontiac Firebird did to the Chevrolet Camaro ), the Mercury Cougar was intended to create its own market segment, combining attributes of both pony cars and personal luxury cars. Slotted between the Mustang and the Thunderbird, the Cougar offered more comfort and features than

4472-408: The Cougar was offered in standard and XR-7 trim. As its Boss Mustang counterpart was dropped, Mercury discontinued the racing-oriented Cougar Eliminator. While de-emphasized as the model line shifted away from high performance, the GT option package remained an option, including upgraded suspension, tires, and engine cooling components. For 1973, the GT option was discontinued. While both trims shared

4576-425: The Cougar with three versions of the 351C V8. A 166 hp two-barrel version was the standard engine, with a 246 hp four-barrel offered as an option. The Cobra Jet version of the 351 made its debut, now producing 266 hp. For 1973, the four-barrel version of the 351 was dropped, leaving the two-barrel 351C (retuned to 168 hp) and the 264 hp 351CJ V8. The second-generation Cougar carried over both

4680-529: The Decor Group, the "Bronze Age" Cougar was distinguished by its copper metallic (officially, saddle bronze ) appearance and a color-coordinated vinyl roof. Alongside its namesake color, the trim package was also offered in six other colors: ivy glamour metallic, green metallic, medium brown metallic, saddle bronze, medium yellow gold, and white. For 1974, Lincoln-Mercury released the third-generation Mercury Cougar, introducing both design and marketing changes to

4784-525: The Eliminator Option). There were 2,250 Eliminators built for 1969. For 1970, the standard engine for Eliminator became the 351C-4V. The Eliminator Option blacked-out exterior trim expanded from the front grille to include the hood scoop and tail light bezels. A Cougar "running cat" badge replaced the Mercury crest emblem on the fuel door, and a passenger-side racing-style mirror was added. The body side stripes (available in black only) were altered to run

4888-534: The Eliminator). A four-barrel "street" version of the Boss 302 produced 290 hp, while a 2x4-barrel "racing" version was rated at the same 290 hp (216 kW; 294 PS). While sales material showed the Boss 429 as an optional engine for the Cougar Eliminator, the Cougar was never offered to the public with the Boss 429 engine; two Boss 429 standard hardtop Cougars were produced as factory drag cars for "Fast Eddie" Schartman and "Dyno Don" Nicholson. For 1970,

4992-463: The Elite's hood and modified front fenders with a restyled front end panel adapting vertically stacked rectangular headlamps and a new grille. The rear end adopted styling elements of the full-sized Ford LTD. Due to the cost of redesigning the rear quarter side panels, the LTD II station wagon was produced with rear doors and rear quarter panels unchanged from the earlier Mercury Montego line; the station wagon

5096-545: The Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar XR7 to the Ford Fox platform (longer-wheelbase versions of the Ford Fairmont). The Ford Ranchero coupe utility was indirectly replaced by the Ford Ranger , as the coupe utility pickup segment was phased out in favor of compact pickup trucks in the United States. After its 1979 discontinuation, the Ford LTD II was never directly replaced in the Ford product line. The original Ford Granada

5200-565: The General Motors A-platform, the Montego adopted a split-wheelbase chassis (114-inch for two-doors, 118-inch for four-doors and station wagons). True four-door hardtops were replaced by "pillared hardtops" (frameless door glass remained, supported by a thin B-pillar), while two-door Montegos retained hardtop roofs, though with much wider C-pillars. The Cyclone had reverted from a stand-alone model line to an option package for 1972 for

5304-892: The Grand Marquis and the Sable, the third-generation Montego was available solely in a five-passenger configuration. As with the Mercury Marauder (and the Grand Marquis LSE), the Montego was fitted with a console-mounted transmission shifter. As with the Milan, the Montego was fitted with a 60/40 fold-down rear seat. Along with expanding the 21 cubic-foot trunk space, the folding rear seats (and optional forward-folding front passenger seatback) allowed for objects up to 10 feet in length to be transported inside. At its launch, two airbags were standard, with four more available as an option (front-seat airbags and side-curtain) A design feature of

SECTION 50

#1732858851767

5408-509: The LTD II), the interior dimensions of the Fairmont bordered the midsize segment as downsizing was expanded to intermediate-size vehicles making it more of a competitor to the downsized 1978 Chevrolet Malibu. In addition to slow sales, potential model overlap with the Fairmont (and LTD) led to the discontinuation of the LTD II station wagon after 1977. For 1979, the LTD II effectively became obsolete upon

5512-423: The LTD, the LTD II used a full perimeter frame; to isolate road shock from the body, the frame was fitted with 14 rubber body mounts and five crossmembers. On the rear suspension, the four-link solid rear axle used coil springs. The LTD II carried over much of its powertrain line from the Torino, with one exception; in the interest of fuel economy, the 460 V8 was dropped from all Ford and Mercury intermediates, with

5616-399: The Mercury Cyclone and Ford Thunderbird) including a waterfall-style grille. In a break from the previous generation, hidden headlamps were abandoned (replaced by four exposed headlamps). The taillights adapted simpler trim, set horizontally within the bumper (in line with full-size Mercury vehicles). For 1972, the Cougar underwent few substantial changes to the interior or exterior. For 1973,

5720-468: The Mercury Montego was available with a 460 V8, shared with the Mercury Marquis/Colony Park. The redesign was initially met with success, as 1972 Montego sales increased 136% over 1971; the MX Brougham saw the largest increases in sales, as the two-door increased its sales by 897% while the four-door increased by 1,021%. Following the 1973 gas crisis, sales of the model line began to trend lower in response to industry-wide fuel economy concerns. For 1974,

5824-435: The Montego includes its overall height to add interior space to the vehicle. To appeal to buyers of both sedans and sport-utility vehicles, Ford raised the viewpoint of the driver. Marketed as Command Seating , the Montego features high H-point seating (the location of the occupants hip-point relative to the road or the vehicle floor); its H-point is closer to the ground than that of a sport utility vehicle, but higher than

5928-402: The Montego saw only nominal changes, centered primarily on improving fuel efficiency of the V8 engines. The Torino-chassis intermediates underwent a mid-cycle redesign for 1977, with Ford shifting several nameplates. Mercury rebranded the Montego as a fourth generation of the Cougar; in addition to the flagship Cougar XR7 personal luxury coupe, the Cougar offered two-door and four-door sedans and

6032-405: The Montego was only two inches lower in height than a Jeep Cherokee SUV. While visibly sharing much of its exterior with its Ford Five Hundred counterpart, the third-generation Montego held several distinct design features. In Mercury design tradition, the Montego was styled with a vertical waterfall-style grille with satin aluminum exterior trim (limiting chrome to the roofline). Exclusive to

6136-461: The Montego was slotted between the Milan and Grand Marquis in size. The divisional counterpart of the Ford Five Hundred , the model line entered production on July 12, 2004. The third-generation Montego was manufactured at the Chicago Assembly facility in Chicago, Illinois alongside the Ford Five Hundred and the Ford Freestyle; the latter was a CUV wagon serving as a replacement for the Taurus/Sable station wagon. The third-generation Montego

6240-441: The Montego, HID headlamps and LED taillamps were standard equipment (the latter, the largest array of LED lights on any Ford vehicle worldwide). Ford chief designer George Bucher said: "it was a challenge to sculpt a Ford-styled body around a Volvo chassis, and added that designers used what he calls plainer surfaces with taut lines to give the car a modern look without losing its passenger-car proportions." Contrasting with both

6344-444: The Montego; only 30 1972 Cyclones would be produced, making it among the rarest Mercury vehicles. As a replacement for the Cyclone, Mercury introduced the Montego GT, a counterpart of the Ford Gran Torino SportsRoof for the first time; the Montego GT was offered from 1972 to 1973. As a standard engine, the Montego was equipped with a 250 cubic-inch inline-six, with five different V8 engines available as options. Starting in 1974,

SECTION 60

#1732858851767

6448-404: The Mustang, but was tuned for better road manners than the Thunderbird. The Mercury Cougar was released by Lincoln-Mercury on September 30, 1966. Far exceeding initial sales projections, the Cougar would account for nearly 40% of the 1967 sales of the entire Lincoln-Mercury division. In contrast to the Mustang, the Cougar was initially released solely as a two-door hardtop. Priced $ 284 more than

6552-414: The Panther-chassis Grand Marquis ). The model line was fitted with front disc and rear drum brakes, with power-assisted brakes becoming standard in 1973. In another change, the 3-speed manual transmission was dropped, leaving all engines paired with a 3-speed automatic; a 4-speed manual was a rarely-specified option. The second-generation Cougar underwent a revision of the powertrain offerings. For 1971,

6656-463: The XR7-G (G=Gurney) was introduced as an option for 1968. Largely a performance-oriented appearance package, the XR-7G project was assigned to Shelby Automotive, with the conversions performed at the A.O. Smith facility. Modifications included unique hood scoop , hood pins, fog lamps , tailpipe tips, special badging and wheels, and unique interior trim components. The option package was offered with any Cougar engine. A total of 619 Cougars were built with

6760-427: The XR7-G package. For 1968, the GT-E was introduced above the Cougar GT. Offering a racing-derived 390 hp 427 V8 (paired solely with a 3-speed automatic ), the GT-E included special badging, quad exhaust, argent lower body paint delineated by chrome trim, and a redesigned grille; power front disc brakes were standard. As a running change in April 1968, the 427 engine was replaced by a 428 Cobra Jet as an option,

6864-504: The addition of locking steering columns and high-backed bucket seats (replacing adjustable head restraints). The first-generation Cougar was offered in two trims, an unnamed Standard trim, and the XR-7 trim (introduced in early 1967). Available for both the standard Cougar and Cougar XR-7, the GT option package was developed as a sportier version of the Cougar. Standard was the a 390 cubic-inch "Marauder GT" V8 (320 hp) as well as upgraded suspension, larger brakes, wheels, and tires, and

6968-417: The automatic transmission was fitted with a T-handle console shifter. The Cougar was offered with nearly every Mercury option (including speed control), with the sole exception of power windows. A "Tilt-Away" steering wheel was also offered, being a power-operated steering column that swung up and out of the way when the driver's door was opened, the transmission in "park", and the ignition was off. For 1968,

7072-407: The body with similar pricing. While eliminating the previous model overlap with the Continental Mark series, the redesigned Thunderbird proved highly popular, reducing sales of the LTD II two-door body style. For 1978, the Ford Fairmont was introduced as the official replacement for the long-running Ford Maverick. While officially rated a compact (nearly two feet shorter and seven inches narrower than

7176-422: The body, the powertrain underwent a series of upgrades, as a 263hp 3.5L V6 became the standard engine; both previous transmissions were replaced by a Ford-sourced 6-speed automatic. The exterior received new bodywork forward of the windshield (to better distinguish the two model lines), with a revised rear fascia (clear-lens taillamps; license plate relocated to rear bumper). The interior saw minor trim revisions;

7280-450: The central CAD database which in turn allows each engineer access to current project data. The system improves part tolerance at the body-in-white stage as well as early cabin integrity testing, via air leakage testing. TVG improved fit and finish at the first prototype stage and decreases pilot manufacturing times. For side impact protection the bodywork is braced at the B-pillar via an energy-channeling structural cross-car roof tube and

7384-461: The electric sunroof option, which was not available on Eliminators sold to the public. All of the Hertz Eliminators were equipped with the 351-4V engine and FMX automatic transmission. They were also identically optioned, except for paint and interior trim colors, and the California Evaporative Emissions equipment required for the 1970 models sent to California. There were 101 Hertz Eliminators built in 1969, and 100 Hertz Eliminators built in 1970. For

7488-453: The engine lineup was revised, as all Ford/Mercury intermediates dropped the inline-6 and 302 V8; a 351 V8 became the standard engine, with optional 400 and 460 V8s. Sales of the Montego dropped further; in addition to the Cougar competing directly against the two-door Montego, the smaller Mercury Monarch attracted buyers shifting away from full-size and intermediate cars towards compact cars offering increased fuel efficiency. For 1976,

7592-486: The equivalent Ford Mustang, the base price of the Cougar was $ 2,854 ($ 26,801 in 2023 dollars ); a fully-optioned Cougar XR-7 was $ 4,500 ($ 42,258 in 2023 dollars ), essentially matching the base price of the Ford Thunderbird. The Cougar received the 1967 Motor Trend Car of the Year award, becoming the first (and only) Mercury-brand vehicle to do so. Internally designated T-7, the first-generation Cougar shared its chassis with

7696-770: The fastback Fairlane body style proved much slicker than other makes, but the nose of the Mercury Cyclone Fastback was the main reason pointed to it being even slightly faster than its Ford counterpart. Cale Yarborough drove a Wood Brothers Cyclone to victory in the Daytona 500, and the Mercury bodies would remain a major force in NASCAR through 2 generations of bodies. The battle over aerodynamics would prompt Chrysler to respond with specialized "winged wonder" Daytona and Superbird bodies after its own fastback bodies proved disappointing. Mercury Cougar The Mercury Cougar

7800-631: The fender. The front fascia was distinguished by a split "electric shaver" grille, featuring vertically slatted chrome trim. The rear fascia was styled similarly, concealing dark-lens taillamps behind vertically-slatted trim; sequential turn signals were standard (adopting the mechanism from the Thunderbird). The $ 185 upgrade to the XR-7 brought further European influence; in addition to a (simulated) wood-trim dashboard, full instrumentation (black-face gauges), toggle switches, and an overhead console; if so equipped,

7904-401: The front fascia underwent an update; to include a 5-mph bumper (required for 1973), the front bumper was reshaped and enlarged, requiring a redesign of the grille. To improve the crashworthiness, the design added three inches to the overall length. As it was the final year of the generation, the rear bumper was largely unchanged, receiving only minor revisions to the taillamp lenses. For 1971,

8008-426: The hardtop and convertible body styles from its predecessor. Sharing its roofline with the Mustang hardtop, the Cougar received a large " flying buttress " C-pillars , extending into the rear fenders. To distinguish the model line from the Mustang, the Cougar adopted multiple design elements from larger Mercury vehicles. In place of a split grille, the front fascia was styled with a prominent center section (in line with

8112-617: The high-performance Comet Cyclone became the distinct Mercury Cyclone , the Montego replaced the Comet Capri and Comet Caliente under a single nameplate. As the Comet became the Mercury counterpart of the Ford Fairlane for 1966, the introduction of the Montego paired it with the Ford Torino . The first-generation Montego was offered as a four-door sedan, two-door hardtop, four-door station wagon, and two-door convertible. The model line

8216-414: The introduction of the downsized Ford LTD. In a similar fashion to the 1977 Chevrolet Impala/Caprice, the full-size LTD was smaller than the intermediate LTD II (11 inches shorter in length, 4 inches shorter in wheelbase, 1 inch narrower, and 500 pounds lighter), yet rivaled its 1978 full-size LTD predecessor in interior space. Following the 1979 model year, Ford ended its use of the Torino chassis, shifting

8320-629: The larger Cougar XR7 designed alongside the Ford Thunderbird (sharing its chassis with the Lincoln Continental and Lincoln Mark VII). The sixth generation Cougar (adopting the lineage of the XR7) reverted the line solely to a two-door coupe. The seventh-generation Cougar introduced the MN12 platform (alongside the Thunderbird). Though again a two-door personal luxury coupe, the model line underwent significant modernization. After its discontinuation following

8424-475: The largest vehicles ever produced as an intermediate, released just as the entire American auto industry began a period of downsizing . In terms of exterior footprint compared to full-sized sedans, the LTD II is longer in length and wheelbase and wider than the later Ford LTD Crown Victoria , Ford Crown Victoria , Ford Five Hundred , and the Ford Taurus ( fifth , sixth , and seventh-generation versions). For

8528-422: The latter was officially rated at 335 hp. A total of 394 GT-Es were manufactured; of which 357 were equipped with the 427 and 37 were built with the 428CJ. With the change to the 428CJ engine for the GT-E, the 4-speed manual transmission was also made available for the GT-E package. As a running change during 1969, the Eliminator was introduced in conjunction with the Boss 302 Mustang as Mercury's showcase for

8632-453: The length of the car along the upper belt line and now included a hood stripe, rear spoiler stripe with "Eliminator" callout, and "Eliminator" callouts on the quarters behind the rear wheel. Exterior paint colors available for the 1970 Eliminator mimicked the "Grabber" colors in the Ford lineup and included: Competition Orange, Competition Yellow, Competition Blue, Competition Gold, Competition Green, and Pastel Blue. The Special Paint Order option

8736-457: The model line. One of the few American model lines that would eschew downsizing during the mid-1970s, the Cougar grew in size, sharing its body with the Mercury Montego and the later introduced Ford (Gran Torino) Elite . Splitting from the Mustang (which became the subcompact Mustang II for 1974), the Cougar adopted a market position closer to the larger Ford Thunderbird . In a model consolidation, all third-generation Cougars were offered under

8840-599: The occupant's foot touches the floor, is 12.7 inches — in the second row the distance between the H-point and the heel point is 15.7 inches. In place of the three trims of the Five Hundred, Mercury marketed two trims of the Montego: Luxury and Premier. Slotted in between the Five Hundred SE and SEL, the Montego Luxury featured cloth seats as standard, with leather seats as optional. The Mercury equivalent of

8944-450: The same powertrain offerings, the XR-7 received its own exterior and interior design, distinguished by a vinyl top (on hardtops); along with standardizing many options, the XR-7 received its own door panels and dashboard. For 1973, Lincoln-Mercury marketed a "Bronze Age" special edition promotion of the Cougar (alongside the Monterey, Montego MX, and Comet). A standard Cougar equipped with

9048-478: The standard engine for the Cougar, producing 250 hp (2-bbl) and 290 hp (4-bbl). The 390 was offered solely as a 320 hp four-barrel. The 428 Cobra Jet was the largest Cougar engine, rated at 335 hp (with or without Ram Air). As a mid-year change, Mercury introduced the Boss 302 V8 on April 1, 1969, in conjunction with the introduction of the Cougar Eliminator (with the Boss 302 engine being exclusive to

9152-446: The time, the latter model line outsold Lincoln by a wide margin). Until the spring of 1964, Ford remained skeptical of the sales potential of the T-5 project or committing to the expansion of the model line. Following the successful release of the Mustang, Ford approved the T-7 project, letting Lincoln-Mercury develop a model line from the planned 1967 update of the Mustang. The T-7 took on

9256-411: The two-barrel 351 remained the base engine, with the four-barrel engine replaced by a 351 cubic-inch "Cleveland" V8, rated at 300 hp (224 kW; 304 PS). While unchanged in displacement, this engine was an all-new design. The 390 was dropped, with the 428 Cobra Jet remaining alongside the Boss 302 as the high-performance engine options. Initially developed as a rebadged version of the Mustang,

9360-434: The windshield wiper controls were moved from their previous stalk to the left-side column stalk. After his installation as Ford CEO, Alan Mulally ordered the model lines renamed before entering production, claiming higher brand value and recognition. [1] For 2008, the Montego was renamed the Sable, taking on the nameplate of the vehicle that it originally replaced. In the 1968 NASCAR Grand National stock car season,

9464-409: Was also available for Eliminators in 1970, producing single-digit examples in colors such as Black, Light Gray Metallic, White, and Red. Optional engines included: 428 Cobra Jet or Super Cobra Jet (both available with or without Ram-Air), and Boss 302 (available only with the Eliminator Option). There were 2,268 Eliminators built for 1970. The Cougar Sports Special package was offered only in 1969, and

9568-527: Was built on the Ford D3 platform . Developed in collaboration with Volvo, the D3 chassis is the first full-size Ford platform to utilize front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive as an option. Shifting away from the body-on-frame Panther platform, the D3 chassis utilizes unibody construction. Only two inches shorter than the Grand Marquis in wheelbase, the Montego was nearly 500 pounds lighter in curb weight. The Montego

9672-469: Was discontinued after 1977. The LTD II was produced in three trim levels, base-trim "S", standard-trim, and the luxury-minded LTD II Brougham. Bucket seats with console and floor shifter were available on base- and Brougham-level coupes. Initially popular at the time of its 1977 debut, sales of the LTD II declined rapidly due to several factors. At the point of its launch, the American car market

9776-646: Was equipped with a single engine, shared with the previous Taurus/Sable, a 203hp version of the 3.0L DOHC Duratec V6. Front-wheel drive versions were equipped with an Aisin 6-speed automatic; AWD versions were equipped with a CVT sourced from a Ford/ZF joint venture . The Montego, Five Hundred and Ford Freestyle were manufactured using a Volvo-derived system called Total Vehicle Geometry (TVG) to ensure fit, finish and craftsmanship — by requiring comprehensive participation by all engineers as well as suppliers and vendors. Heavily using computer-aided design, TVG tracks all design modifications, translating them into

9880-620: Was met with success, with the Chevrolet Impala/Caprice becoming the best-selling 1977 vehicle in the United States. For 1978, GM downsized its intermediates, with the Malibu (the direct competitor of the LTD II) adopting near-compact dimensions. Within Ford Motor Company, the LTD II met a high degree of internal competition from the newly redesigned Thunderbird while sharing the chassis, powertrain, interior and much of

9984-498: Was met with the downsizing of the Chevrolet Impala and Caprice. The LTD II name was a marketing attempt to offer a choice of a downsized LTD model to compete with the downsized Impala and Caprice while still competing directly against the same sized 1977 Chevrolet Malibu. The Impala and Caprice downsizing resulted in the LTD II having a larger exterior footprint with a smaller interior volume. The downsizing of full-sized sedans by GM

10088-404: Was not a popular option. For the 1969 model year, the Cougar underwent a mid-cycle revision alongside its Mustang counterpart. The straight-lined body sides transitioned toward Coke bottle styling , distinguished by a sweeping body crease sloping down from the hood line to the rear wheels; while the roofline saw little change to its design, the vent windows were deleted. The front fascia retained

10192-471: Was offered in base and MX trims (replacing the Comet Capri and Comet Caliente, respectively). For 1970, Mercury intermediates adopted the Montego name entirely. A year later, the Comet name returned for a second time as a compact car, serving as the Mercury version of the Ford Maverick . A mid-cycle redesign added a forward-thrusting hood and grille design. The Montego convertible was discontinued, with

10296-441: Was offered with either a two-barrel 200 hp (149 kW; 203 PS) or a four-barrel carburetor 225 hp (168 kW; 228 PS) version; a 390 cu in (6.4 L) "Marauder" V8 was offered as an option, producing 320 hp (239 kW; 324 PS) (GT). During 1968, the 289 was temporarily substituted with the 302 cu in (4.9 L) V8 designed for the new federal emissions standards. This engine

10400-566: Was only available on the Standard hardtop model Cougar. There were four levels to the Sport Special package, with each adding additional features. Package A included: unique pinstriping, "turbine" style wheel covers, rocker panel moldings with simulated side scoops, and a remote-control racing-style side mirror. Package B included the Package A items, as well as adding the interior Decor Group option, which featured upgraded seating surfaces and interior trim panels with door-mounted courtesy lights, and

10504-405: Was rated at 210 hp (157 kW; 213 PS) with a 2-barrel carburator or 230 hp (172 kW; 233 PS) with four-barrel; with the former standard on the XR-7. At mid-year, a lower compression 289 was again available. A two-barrel "Marauder 390P" was introduced for non-GT Cougars, that was rated at 280 hp (209 kW; 284 PS). The newly introduced GT-E was introduced with

10608-572: Was ready for 1979. A similar practice used by Chrysler moved full size nameplates Dodge Monaco and Plymouth Fury to restyled versions of their intermediate models replacing the Dodge Coronet and Plymouth Satellite . Alongside a massive exterior update, the Ford Elite became the downsized Ford Thunderbird with a reduced price allowing Ford to better compete against the Chevrolet Monte Carlo (and its various General Motors counterparts) and

10712-508: Was replaced for 1981 with a version that was an alternatively styled Ford Fairmont with uplevel trim and continued to serve the mid-sized segment while indirectly replacing the LTD II. As part of a mid-cycle refresh for 1983, the Granada was restyled and renamed LTD. For 1986 the LTD continued production after the introduction of the Ford Taurus which replaced the LTD after the end of the model year. After

10816-497: Was the discontinuation of the Ford Torino, Gran Torino and Elite. While the Torino chassis and body were given an extensive updates to extend the lifespan, the Torino became the Ford LTD II ("II" to distinguish the intermediate model line from the full-sized LTD). In effect, LTD II served as a placeholder downsized LTD model offering to help compete against GM's 1977 downsized full size car lines until an all new downsized full size LTD

#766233