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79-838: As with the Mark III, the Mark IV shared its chassis with the Ford Thunderbird , with the Mark IV receiving its own bodywork below the windows. Hidden headlights and a faux Rolls-Royce chrome grille were retained, and a Continental spare tire trunklid. For 1976, the Designer Series option package was introduced; in what would become a tradition for the Mark series (and later Lincoln), the option consisted of specially coordinated exterior and interior trims developed between Lincoln and contemporary fashion designers. Ford assembled

158-845: 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

237-416: 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

316-478: 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

395-496: 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

474-534: 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 a pony car , the popularity of the Cougar led it to replace

553-420: 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

632-523: 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,

711-399: 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

790-522: 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

869-437: 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

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948-634: 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

1027-536: The Continental Mark IV , this generation of the Thunderbird was the largest ever produced; weighing in at over 5,000 pounds (2,268 kg), they are also the heaviest coupes ever produced by Ford (aside from its Mark IV sibling car). In terms of styling, the sixth-generation Thunderbird would heavily influence the styling of the 1974–1976 Mercury Cougar XR7 and Ford Elite , the latter of which

1106-625: 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 the Cougar into two model lines, with

1185-587: 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

1264-664: 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

1343-448: The "Designer Series", with flourishes by notable fashion designers ( Bill Blass , Givenchy , and Pucci , and the famed jeweler Cartier . Each package featured an individually coordinated exterior and interior color combination with specific trim and interior fabrics. The opera window was fitted with the signature of the corresponding designer, and the dash was fitted with a 22-karat gold-plated dashboard plaque, which could be engraved with

1422-470: 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

1501-414: 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

1580-417: 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

1659-572: 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

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1738-540: 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

1817-438: The 460 cu in (7.5 L) V8 ($ 76). 1973 was the last year for the 429 and leaded gas. Base price was $ 5,577 ($ 38,278 in 2023 dollars ) early in the model year and $ 6,414 ($ 44,023 in 2023 dollars ) later due to additions to the standard equipment list. A total of 87,269 cars were built, making this the third highest production figure to date. 1974 saw more changes made in response to new federal regulations. Replacing

1896-1005: 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

1975-616: 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

2054-752: The Continental Mark IV at its Wixom Assembly Plant in Michigan ) facility alongside the Ford Thunderbird and the Lincoln Continental . For 1977, the Mark IV underwent a substantial revision, becoming the Continental Mark V . The Continental Mark IV retained the traditional "long-hood, short deck" coupe proportions of the Mark III, retaining its sharp-edged fenders, hidden headlamps, and signature faux Rolls-Royce style grille and decorative Continental spare . (The spare tire

2133-550: 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

2212-665: 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

2291-666: 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

2370-708: 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 the larger Cougar XR7 designed alongside

2449-456: 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

Lincoln Continental Mark IV - Misplaced Pages Continue

2528-425: 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

2607-535: 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

2686-533: 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

2765-540: 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,

2844-504: The Mark VI after 1983. All Mark IVs were equipped with the 460 cu in (7.5 L)-4V Ford 385 series V8 (with two valves per cylinder, "4V" is in reference to the four-venturi Autolite carburetor). Rated at 365 hp SAE gross (272 kW) in the Mark III, the 460 was carried over to the Mark IV. For 1972, rated output fell to 212 hp (158 kW) SAE net due to an industry-wide shift to reporting SAE net horsepower as

2923-464: 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,

3002-404: 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

3081-498: 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,

3160-567: 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

3239-479: 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,

Lincoln Continental Mark IV - Misplaced Pages Continue

3318-402: The addition of 5-mph bumpers . For 1974, a 5-mph bumper was added to the rear body work, moving the taillights from the bumper into the rear bodywork. All Mark IVs were equipped with a vinyl roof . The Mark IV introduced a rear side window, termed an opera window , an almost universally specified option in 1972 that became standard the following year and remained through the discontinuation of

3397-555: 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

3476-417: 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,

3555-415: The dashboard, the interior was also shared with the Mark IV. Instead of the square gauges used by the Mark IV, the Thunderbird used round dials for the speedometer, fuel gauge, and clock. To the driver’s left were the climate control controls and the light controls; to the right were the radio controls, wiper controls, and information center. This dash layout would remain through the 1976 model year. Base price

3634-494: The driver's side rear panel. While looking similar to the 1960s sequential taillights, the new-full width taillights were of a conventional design separated by a central reverse light. 1974 was the first year for special luxury group trim options, the burgundy luxury group ($ 411) and the white and gold luxury group ($ 546). These groups added upgraded paint and exterior and interior trim. Standard equipment remained unchanged but there were several new items listed as optional. Some of

3713-617: 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

3792-490: 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

3871-580: The fender edges. Also new to the exterior were opera windows , first optional, then standard late in the model year. Power windows ($ 129), vinyl roof ($ 141), manual air conditioning ($ 436), and tinted glass ($ 51), were also made standard during the model year. Some new options included AM/FM 8-track tape player ($ 311), remote control right hand outside mirror ($ 26), and an anti-theft system ($ 79). Some optional equipment available included sure-track brakes, an early anti-lock braking system ($ 197), power sunroof ($ 504), power door locks ($ 59), cruise control ($ 103) and

3950-530: 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,

4029-401: 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,

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4108-426: 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

4187-509: 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 the Bobcat and Lynx . During its production, the Cougar

4266-422: 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

4345-453: 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

4424-490: 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 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

4503-521: 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

4582-424: The most notable, and costly, included power moon roof ($ 798), auto lamp for automatic on/off of headlights ($ 34), and power mini-vent windows ($ 70). AM/FM stereo ($ 152) or with tape player ($ 311), power drivers seat ($ 105), dual power front seats ($ 210), rear window defroster ($ 85), power antenna ($ 31), automatic temperature control ($ 74), and front cornering lights ($ 43) also appeared on the option list. Base price

4661-416: The name of the original owner. cream or body-color moldings (cream accents) body-color moldings white or body-color moldings silver or body-color moldings A total of 278,599 Mark IV's were produced: Ford Thunderbird (sixth generation) The sixth generation of the Ford Thunderbird is a large personal luxury coupe that was produced by Ford for the 1972 to 1976 model years. A sibling of

4740-423: The primary differences being the front and rear body panels. The controversial prominent “beak” introduced for the 1970 model year was toned down while the sequential turn signals seen since 1965 were deleted for cost saving reasons. The base engine was the 400 Cleveland engine , though this engine was very uncommon, and most Thunderbirds were instead equipped with the 429-4 (Ford 385 Series) or 460 . Aside from

4819-407: The rear windows became stationary. This move was to keep cost down and was also shared by the 1976 Mark IV. The 1976 luxury groups were crème and gold ($ 793), lipstick ($ 546), and Bordeaux ($ 700). New options included driver's lighted vanity mirror ($ 43), power lumbar drivers seat ($ 86), AM/FM stereo search radio ($ 298), and AM/FM stereo radio with Quadra sonic 8-track tape player ($ 382). An auto dimmer

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4898-455: 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

4977-407: The seatbelt interlock, a buzzer would sound if both front seatbelts weren't buckled; the addition of 5-mph bumpers to the rear added still more curb weight. While the 429 V8 was replaced by the more powerful 460 V8 sourced from Lincoln-Mercury, it now required the use of unleaded gasoline; a low-fuel warning light was added to the dashboard. The gas filler door was moved from behind the license plate to

5056-482: 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

5135-527: The standard for measuring engine output to better reflect real-world engine performance as installed in vehicles. All examples of the Mark IV were equipped with a Ford C6 three-speed automatic transmission, and Lincoln's "Sure-track" brakes. Both front seats were power adjustable. Performance was not quite competitive with contemporary premium personal luxury cars, including the equally large Cadillac Eldorado, its direct competitor. For 1976, Lincoln-Mercury introduced optional appearance packages, marketed as

5214-449: 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

5293-475: The time. Power was still supplied by the 460 cu in (7.5 L) V8 rated at 220 horsepower (160 kW). Base price was $ 7,701 ($ 43,606 in 2023 dollars ) with a production of 42,685. An alarm system became optional. 1976 was the last model year for the sixth generation. Some items that were standard in 1975 were moved to the options list. Some items returning to the option list included, AM/FM stereo, front cornering lights, and tinted glass. Additionally

5372-411: 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,

5451-418: Was US$ 5,293 ($ 38,554 in 2023 dollars ) and a total of 57,814 cars were built for this model year. For 1973, Thunderbird increased both in size and price. To accommodate the larger 5 mph bumpers mandated for all 1973 automobiles, the front was restyled with an egg crate grille, topped by a spring-loaded hood ornament, flanked by the quad headlight in individual nacelles. The turn signals were more prominent at

5530-695: Was US$ 7,221 ($ 44,612 in 2023 dollars ) and 58,443 cars were produced for the model year. Little changed for 1975 save new luxury groups and more items added to the standard equipment list. The widely hated seatbelt alarms were dropped. 1975 had the most extensive list of standard equipment of any year Thunderbird from 1955 to 1997. Some items made standard this year were AM/FM stereo, front cornering lights, and front and rear stabilizer bars. The special editions luxury groups returned, being named copper luxury group ($ 624), silver luxury group ($ 337), and jade luxury group ($ 624). The wide range options available changed little but four wheel disc brakes ($ 184) were available for

5609-412: Was added to the autolamp option. Base price was $ 7,790 ($ 41,711 in 2023 dollars ) with a total of 52,935 cars produced. Mercury Cougar The Mercury Cougar 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,

5688-409: 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

5767-686: 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, the Cougar followed Mercury tradition, serving as

5846-438: Was in fact stored immediately behind the rear seat.) The Mark IV and sixth-generation Ford Thunderbird were closely badge engineered variants of each other, with an increased parts commonality compared to the Mark IV's previous generation. The roofline, doors, and inner body panels were shared, with otherwise different outer body panels below the roofline. In 1973, the Mark IV received revised front bodywork, necessitated by

5925-404: 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

6004-441: 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

6083-573: 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

6162-405: 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

6241-412: Was replaced by the seventh-generation Thunderbird in 1977. Aside from the redesign itself, the 1972 Thunderbird represented a simplification of body styles. Instead of the two body styles (two-door and four-door landau sedan) offered for the 1971 model year, the Thunderbird was pared down to a single two-door hardtop model line. Exterior wise, many components were common with the Continental Mark IV, with

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