Fancy a 1969 Mercury Cougar XR-7 convertible from the House of Ford? There’s a prime example going up on Mecum, as part of its Glendale 2022 auction, housing a 428 Cobra Jet engine, no less.
If a classic with an estimated value of $100,000-$125,000 interests you, then here’s all the bang you could get for your buck if you ace the auction.
The Cougar Was The Lincoln-Mercury Flagship
The muscle car era was mostly dominated by Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge, while Lincoln-Mercury lived under the Ford shadow. That said, a few of its cars made top sales, like the Lincoln Continental, and of course, the Mercury Cougar,
Technically, the Cougar was a spin-off of the Mustang, but it looked and performed differently enough to make a mark on the hearts of the buyers. Of course, the engines were all Ford, like in this 1969 Mercury Cougar XR-7 convertible bearing the mighty R-Code 428 Cobra Jet Ram Air big-block V8. It rides on a C6 Cruise-O-Matic transmission and comes with power steering, power brakes with front discs as well as power windows, and a power convertible top. Finished in Emerald Metallic with a white leather interior, the car also has bucket seats and a center console that bears an in-dash clock and an AM 8-track stereo.
This Stunning Mercury Cougar XR-7 Comes With A History
According to Mecum, this model comes from the Dearborn, Michigan, assembly plant. Born on June 3, 1969, the car went new to Johnny Haas Motors Inc. in Lakewood, Colorado, and sold to its first owner on June 18.
This classic was always an upscale one, and its interiors and features matched the classy price tag. The car rides on factory-correct Firestone Super Sports Wide Oval whitewall tires wrapped around the 5-spoke, Argent, stamped-steel wheels with bright trim rings and center caps.
The car will come with Deluxe Marti Report documents certifying it to be one of the rarest pony cars of the peak muscle car era. This is just one of the 245 1969 Cougar convertibles produced in this trim and paint, and things only get rarer from here.
It’s one of 127 Cougar convertibles with the Ram Air induction and one of 96 that comes with the 428 Cobra Jet engine paired with the C6 Cruise-O-Matic 3-speed automatic transmission.
If you need more reasons to bid on this beauty, here’s the cherry on top. It comes with a 3.00:1 Traction-Lok rear differential, perfect to burn some rubber on the track and drive like a Tornado on the highway.
Source: Mecum