Ford Cougar (affectionately called the “cougar” in the USA) is the designation used to sell the American sports car Mercury Cougar in Europe, a car that was produced by the famous Ford company from 1998 to 2001. Over the four-year history of this model, 34,000 copies have been produced. It was a three-door hatchback coupe, built on the platform of the large family sedan Ford Mondeo and made in the controversial New Edge style. The Ford Cougar turned out to be quite long, its dimensions turned out to be larger than that of its predecessor wagon, which improved the comfort for passengers in the back seat. Due to the length and wide wheelbase, the car looks a little low.
This was Ford's second attempt to reintroduce the sports coupe in Europe, in the same vein as the successful but long-absent Capri - the company's first attempt. The 1998 premiere of Ford Cougar reviews was mixed, partly due to the new and controversial New Edge styling - a clear style that is later applied to most Ford models. Its sales have never been lively, despite the good reviews that characterized Cougar as an efficient, comfortable and easily driven car.
Like its predecessor,
Ford Probe, the Ford Cougar was sold and manufactured in the United States. Although cars intended for sale in Europe and the UK were assembled at a Ford plant in Germany.
In the United Kingdom, Ford introduced the car at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone in 1998.
The Cougar was equipped with a 2 liter or 2.5 liter engine with two levels of specification. Mechanical and automatic transmissions were available. All options were equipped with 16-inch drives as standard. The 2-liter version had a capacity of 128 hp. as standard, while the 2.5-liter was rated at 170 hp. Critics described the car as efficient and confidently driven even on difficult roads. This was facilitated by wheels with tires 215 mm wide, which greatly improved its turning ability.
The model with improvements was equipped with a large engine. It also had soft leather and heated front seats, 6 radio speakers. For an additional fee it was possible to install a heated windshield, electric sunroof opening and metallic color.
For its time, the Ford Cougar had a fairly spacious and well-equipped interior. Adjustment of the driver's seat is carried out by means of an electric drive, the control of which is placed on the base of the seat cushion, near the left hand. Adjustment is carried out up and down, back and forth, the angle of inclination of its back also changes. The Cougar could accommodate four people and had 0.4 cubic meters of luggage space. Such dimensions are not often found in a hatchback coupe.
The standard equipment includes seat belts for the driver, passenger and side airbags, as well as ABS brakes. Ford Cougar is well protected against theft and burglary thanks to the engine immobilizer, remote control, central and dual locking systems, as well as alarms.
In general, this is a pretty decent sports car, which has much more features than one hundred percent coupes. In 2001, Cougar was discontinued.