Photo: budman59/eBay
Mercury had been planning to sell its own version of the Ford Mustang before the pony car debuted in 1964. However, Ford didn't give its premium division the green light until more than two years later. The Cougar eventually arrived for the 1967 model year.
Essentially a more upscale and V8-exclusive version of the Mustang, the Cougar had unique front and rear fascias and was slotted right under the Thunderbird. The plush pony car became more popular than Ford had anticipated. The nameplate sold 150,893 units in its first year on the market and moved more than 100K examples annually through 1969.
1970 was the Cougar's final year on the pony car market. Starting in 1971, the division re-assigned the Cougar to the personal luxury car segment. This Raven Black example is among the Cougars that left the assembly a few months before that shift. And it's quite the special pony car, thanks to a one-year-only option.
While it may look like a regular Cougar at first glance, this two-door hardtop packs a rarely seen houndstooth-pattern vinyl top. The same pattern adorns the seats, and both features are part of the Houndstooth Edition package. Designed by Pauline Trigere, who famously created the jumpsuit and the sleeveless coat, the Houndstooth Edition bundle was offered in two colors.
Options included Charcoal Black vinyl with black cloth and a Medium Ginger top with a matching interior. The optional appearance package was selected by 7,544 customers, which means that it was used on only 10.4% of the Cougars produced in 1970.
It's not impressively rare at first glance, but that number drops a lot when we consider certain features. For starters, just 5,066 Houndstooth Edition Cougars left the factory as standard (non-XR7) models. Of these, only 3,294 were specified with the Medium Ginger hue. And according to the Cougar Club of America, which put together a detailed Houndstooth Edition statistic, only seven units had the Raven Black/Medium Ginger combo. This Cougar is one of those rigs.
Hailing from Elyria, Ohio, the one-of-seven Mercury comes with next to no information about its history, but it appears to have been restored in the past. The Raven Black still shines, and the body panels are as straight as they get. There's no info on whether the Houndstooth top is original, but it looks great from every angle.
The interior is far from perfect, but it's in excellent condition. The wear on the carpets, center console, and sides of the front seats suggests that this Cougar may still have its original upholstery.
The sole photo of the engine compartment isn't entirely revealing, but it looks like the bay is pretty clean and that the engine may have gotten a makeover at some point. Performance-wise, there's nothing to write home about because this Cougar packs an entry-level 351-cubic-inch (5.8-liter) Windsor V8. When it was new, the unit delivered 250 horsepower and 355 pound-feet (481 Nm) of torque. The car "runs and drives great," per the seller.
Auctioned off with no reserve, the limited-edition Cougar received a high bid of $14,300 as of this writing. The listing ends Monday, May 27, so it's safe to say that the price will go higher. How much is this one-of-seven pony car worth? Also, how do you feel about the brownish Medium Ginger top on a black body? Quirky or bold?
1970 was the Cougar's final year on the pony car market. Starting in 1971, the division re-assigned the Cougar to the personal luxury car segment. This Raven Black example is among the Cougars that left the assembly a few months before that shift. And it's quite the special pony car, thanks to a one-year-only option.
While it may look like a regular Cougar at first glance, this two-door hardtop packs a rarely seen houndstooth-pattern vinyl top. The same pattern adorns the seats, and both features are part of the Houndstooth Edition package. Designed by Pauline Trigere, who famously created the jumpsuit and the sleeveless coat, the Houndstooth Edition bundle was offered in two colors.
Options included Charcoal Black vinyl with black cloth and a Medium Ginger top with a matching interior. The optional appearance package was selected by 7,544 customers, which means that it was used on only 10.4% of the Cougars produced in 1970.
It's not impressively rare at first glance, but that number drops a lot when we consider certain features. For starters, just 5,066 Houndstooth Edition Cougars left the factory as standard (non-XR7) models. Of these, only 3,294 were specified with the Medium Ginger hue. And according to the Cougar Club of America, which put together a detailed Houndstooth Edition statistic, only seven units had the Raven Black/Medium Ginger combo. This Cougar is one of those rigs.
Hailing from Elyria, Ohio, the one-of-seven Mercury comes with next to no information about its history, but it appears to have been restored in the past. The Raven Black still shines, and the body panels are as straight as they get. There's no info on whether the Houndstooth top is original, but it looks great from every angle.
The interior is far from perfect, but it's in excellent condition. The wear on the carpets, center console, and sides of the front seats suggests that this Cougar may still have its original upholstery.
The sole photo of the engine compartment isn't entirely revealing, but it looks like the bay is pretty clean and that the engine may have gotten a makeover at some point. Performance-wise, there's nothing to write home about because this Cougar packs an entry-level 351-cubic-inch (5.8-liter) Windsor V8. When it was new, the unit delivered 250 horsepower and 355 pound-feet (481 Nm) of torque. The car "runs and drives great," per the seller.
Auctioned off with no reserve, the limited-edition Cougar received a high bid of $14,300 as of this writing. The listing ends Monday, May 27, so it's safe to say that the price will go higher. How much is this one-of-seven pony car worth? Also, how do you feel about the brownish Medium Ginger top on a black body? Quirky or bold?
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