1971 Mercury Cougar

The Mercury catamount could be a plate applied to a various series of vehicles sold-out by Mercury from 1967 to 1997, and once more from 1999 to 2002. 

whereas most examples were made as two-door coupes, at numerous times throughout its production life, the catamount was conjointly sold-out as a convertible, four-door sedan, station waggon, and hatchback.

During its production life, as was common follow among the Mercury division, the catamount shared a lot of of its underpinnings with a Ford counterpart. At the time of its introduction, it had been based mostly upon the Ford pony. because the pony was downsized and redesigned in 1974, the catamount became {based|based mostly|primarily based mostly} upon the intermediate Mercury Montego (itself based upon the Ford Torino), changing into the replacement for the Montego in 1977. because the catamount XR7 became the equivalent of the Ford spirit in 1977, the spirit would function the Ford counterpart of the catamount for 2 decades. once its initial ending, the catamount emerged as a replacement for the Ford Probe sports motorcar, supported the Ford Contour "world car"; intrinsically, it had been sold-out outside of North America because the Ford catamount.

For many years, the catamount was vital to the image of the Mercury division; advertising usually known its dealers as being "at the sign of the cat". within the early Nineteen Seventies as a part of advertising for the catamount and Mercury, feminine models command massive cats on leashes. In production for thirty four years, the catamount plate is second solely to the Grand Marquis in its longevity within the Mercury model line.

The automotive was assembled at the Dearborn Assembly Plant—one of six plants among the Ford stream Rouge Complex—in Dearborn, Michigan, from 1967 to 1973, at the San Jose factory in Milpitas, Calif. from 1968 into early 1969, at the Lorain factory in Lorain, Ohio, from 1974 to 1997, and at the Flat Rock factory in Michigan from 1999 to 2002.

Second generation (1971–1973)

For 1971, the catamount was restyled, weighed less, and had solely a one-inch-longer distance than its predecessors (112 vs. 111 - that was the same as GM's intermediate-sized two-door models, like the Olds Cutlass). The front currently featured four exposed headlights; the disappearing headlights were eliminated. the middle grille piece was currently larger, sharing its look with the 1971 Mercury Cyclone. The rear featured a semifastback with a "flying buttress" sail-panel. The convertible came back, as did the XR-7 and therefore the GT package. The agent package was born, however the Ram Air choice remained. The engine lineup was revised for 1971, as well. currently solely 3 engines were offered—the customary 240 HP (179 kW) 351 Windsor two-barrel V8, the 285 HP (213 kW) 351 Cleveland four-barrel V8, and therefore the 370 HP (276 kW) 429 elapid snake Jet four-barrel V8.
By 1972, the climate had begun to vary because the muscle automotive era complete. now not ready to use gross power numbers, the makers had to use internet power figures, that born the once-mighty figures down considerably. Engines were shuffled around somewhat with the 429 engine choice now not on the market. They were currently the quality 163 HP (122 kW) 351 Cleveland two-barrel V8, or the 266 HP (198 kW) 351C four-barrel elapid snake Jet V8. apart from that, the catamount remained a carryover from 1971. solely minor trim details were modified in 1972. The big-block engines were gone for 1972 and 1973. the times of performance-oriented muscle cars were returning to AN finish.

Aside from minor grille and rear light changes.

1973 would be mostly a carryover year for the catamount, however it might mark the last year of the pony-based catamount and therefore the final run of catamount convertibles; a light-weight blue/white catamount XR-7 convertible was really the "last" convertible designed by Ford Motor Company (the pony convertible was gone upon the '74 model year modification to Mustang II and came back for the 1983 models). AN automatic drive and power front disc brakes became customary, although a 4-speed manual transmission was still on the market as a seldom ordered choice. several changes were scheduled  for the 1973 models. Power figures continuing to vary, as new federal/EPA laws began their stranglehold on the V8 engines. The new figures continuing to fluctuate, however engine choices remained unchanged from 1972. the quality engine continuing to be the 168 HP (125 kW) 351 Cleveland two-barrel V8. optional  was the 264 HP (197 kW) 351 elapid snake Jet V8. the subsequent years modified to the Thunderbird/Torino chassis.

Additionally, AN arguably very little well-known trim vogue and sure obligatory choices (e.g. hardtop) of catamount was the "Bronze Age" edition created by Mercury in 1973 (also created for the models: Mercury Monterey, Mercury Montego flux unit, and Mercury estraterrestrial body of that year). whereas it had been marketed primarily in copper silver colours, it had been conjointly on the market in six alternative colors: Hedera helix glamour silver, inexperienced silver, medium brown silver, saddle bronze, medium yellow gold and white.

Total Production:

    1971: 62,864
    1972: 53,702

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