1970 Mercury Cougar XR7 Convertible 351 V8 Cleveland Absolutely Gorgeous

1970 Mercury Cougar XR7 Convertible 351 V8 Cleveland Absolutely Gorgeous Description

One of the most unique automotive markets of the 1960s was the pony car segment. Named for the first of the breed, Ford’s 1964 ½ Mustang, the cars competing for consumer attention all had the same “long hood/short deck” profile established by the Mustang. At the height of the market, the pony car segment accounted for almost 10 percent of automotive sales. It was an important and lucrative part of Detroit’s product lineup. Consequently, every carmaker, except Cadillac and Lincoln, had fielded a... pony car by the late 1960s. It wasn’t only arch rival GM that entered the pony car wars in ’67, Ford management decided that corporate cousin Mercury should get a piece of the action as well. That decision launched the Mercury Cougar – an upscale version of the Mustang that came standard with hidden headlamps and sequential tail lamps, more luxurious interior appointments and styling. Overall, Cougar shared virtually nothing with the Mustang. If the Ford model was the blue-collar sporty car, then Mercury’s pony car was a luxury GT touring machine. Its top of the line XR-7, introduced in mid-1967, offered wood grained instrument panels, upgraded upholstery, and four-speed gearbox. This particular XR-7 Cougar has been stored in the AACA Museum for the last few years. The car is in exceptional condition top to bottom. The exterior is finished in Dark Maroon which is actually the factory color for the car, and it looks amazing. For power, the Cougar is equipped with a strong running 351 Cleveland V8 Engine with an Automatic Transmission, as well as Power Steering, Power Brakes and a Power Top. For more information or to make an offer, give Dan a call at 863-370-6712.