The body lines are fantastic for that time period. My 2000 was the 2.5l V6 with 5 speed and thus the sport package. It was my baby as it was the first fun car I bought when I was young. Unfortunately I hydroplaned on a valley road and it was totaled (no injuries luckily). The quad projector lenses were basically unheard of back then, especially in a budget car. I have pictures of it when my buddies and I did "photoshoots". I kept that car clean and polished. I really miss it. Custom Cougars was a website with lots of great parts and mods and there was nobody else focusing on this line at all.
Lexus ES300, Infiniti J30, Toyota Supra, all had quad projectors in the 90s. I'm sure I missed a couple more. Not to say that the Cougar wasn't special IJS the quad projectors wasn't (by 2000) wasn't IMO.
@@byronruffin3026 you're right! That's why I ended that statement referencing them being on a budget car. It only lasted 99-00 then they only had projector low beams for 01-02.
I loved my 2001 5spd, was a great college car! IDK why but I always has females admire it more then dudes which I wasn't mad one bit lol Yep Custom Cougars had lots of goodies for these, Team Neco & New Cougar forums were great for info being smart phones at the time didn't exist.
In grade 7 in vancouver some journalist were testing these in the parking area behind playland. My father being curious drove to where they were. I cant remember exactly how it happend but twenty minutes later a journalist was teaching me to drive stick while trying to keep the car within the cones. I dont remember what the publication they were working for was or the name of the journalist but that is one of the best memories of a less than great childhood.
I used to see TONS of these around in the 2000s/2010. They were that quintessential "college kid" or "first car/teen car." However, like all Fords, they all died off and you rarely ever see them anymore...much like 1st and 2nd gen Tauruses...they were the #1 selling car and millions of them were on the road, now theyre basically unicorns. You'll still see Hondas and old Buicks from the early 90s still roaming around, but all the old Fords took a shit and disappeared off the roads.
I had a 2001 v6 5spd it was a blast to drive , did 220 kph. Sound system was choice too. Mine was silver on black leather and all options. Loved that car I bought it new then. I sold it 6 years later.
I worked for a car rental company in the early 2000's. And one year we got some of these to rent. They were quick and handled well, so they were fun to drive.
I bought in 2003, a 2002 2.5-litre, manual V6 Sport, my first brand-new car. I loved that car! My whole life I wanted one. There were only seven left in all of Manitoba. I called one of the Ford dealerships in Winnipeg where I lived. They found one, forty-five minutes outside the city in a small town. My Ex-Wife, the Salesman, and I drove to the dealership in the Salesman's car. We got to the Cougar and I noticed it had been sitting for a little while and pointed it out. My Ex test drove it and she liked it. Then it was my turn! It was my Ex and I in the front and the Salesman crammed in the backseat, the guy was built like a Fullback. In town, I was nice and calm. As soon as I hit the high-speed road I took it up to 150 Km/h. Then after five or ten minutes on the high-speed road, I took a left going from 150 Km/h to 10 Km/h in about 50 meters almost launching the Salesman into the front seat before turning. I had to test everything out, eh? It was quick and agile. We arrived back at the dealership and the Salesman said, "So, what do you think?". "Love it, but we have to talk price", I said. My Ex went into the lounge in the dealership. He wanted roughly $28,500 CAD. The Salesman and I would spend the next four and a half hours haggling in the lot at the Ford dealership (I smoked in those days). He used the usual different scare tactics that salesmen usually use like, the Dealership is having a promo the coming weekend and if we don't take it then it would be gone; That they have other people interested; putting time limits on my decisions; Using emotional blackmail by saying my Ex with be disappointed if we don't get it; He tried psychologically profiling me but if anything I profiled him on the forty-five-minute trip to the dealership (I asked a lot of questions on the way down); And so on. After about an hour and a half of "negotiating" I told him to smoke 'em if he had 'em because I was not moving on price and he didn't seem to be moving very fast either after the first hour (I had been smoking the whole time and I noticed he was dying for one). Then, in response to all his scare tactics, I just kept saying go for it, or let them have it and reminded him that it had been sitting for at least a little while. After a while I called his bluff and told him there was no one looking at the car, if he wanted to sell it I was his best shot. I told him our price and we were not moving. An hour to get him down from $28,500 to $24,000. It then took three and a half hours to get him from $24,000 to $23,500 and I wasn't the one haggling. In the first hour, I started at 19,000 and went to 23,000. The next three and a half hours I stayed at 23,000 and was not moving. He was at 24,000 and finally caved after all that time. He came down to 23,500 and I knew I couldn't squeeze his head anymore. So I said, "Let me talk to Kat" (not her real name). He said ok and went inside and my Ex came out and I had to sell it to her. It took about fifteen or twenty minutes but I got her onboard and we got to drive it back to the Dealership in Winnipeg and he followed. When we got to the Dealership, we were filling out paperwork with the Manager and I guess the Salesman didn't call ahead and tell her about the price drop because she was quite surprised about the new price. We had a few things going in our favour when we bought. We bought in August (apparently that's when it is slow, I asked if they were busy on the ride to the dealership, and he said it was their slow time of the year) and at the end of the month when they have to fill their numbers, and the last is controlling your/the environment. I would definitely get another Cougar. I loved it!
I bought one of these brand new in the summer of 1998 and I remember the salesman telling me that I was one of the first in the country to get one. The car wasn't the greatest or the worst car I've owned. The rear brakes were a bit of a problem but that was about it and it had a really good transmission and clutch that was made by Mazda. It had the 2.5 V6 with the 5 speed manual and it had an unusually high top speed for what the car was, one night on a lonely highway I nearly pinned the 150 mph speedometer which to this day is the fastest I ever went in a car.
The last generation of the Mercury Cougar was a nice looking vehicle. I especially liked the ones made after the 2000 model year with the updated headlamps. I worked at a Lincoln-Mercury dealership right before the Cougar was discontinued and it was one of my favorite vehicles that we sold. I liked the looks of it and I liked that it had an available V6 engine. The only thing I didn't like about the car were the reliability issues with the car. I think that may have been one of the reasons why it was discontinued in 2002. If I were to give this car a grade or a ranking, I would give it a C.
Last year I sold my 1968 Cougar that I owned for ten years. It had been completely restored with new stock OEM parts and interior. I loved the car but found myself using it less and less and it was just sitting in the garage. Before I purchased this one, I owned a 1969 XR-7 and it was a nice car as well. My best friends mother purchased a brand new two tone 1967 Cougar when we were about 11. I loved that car and to this day have never seen another factory two tone. (Not a vinyl roof, that doesn't count.) It was Turquoise on the bottom and the roof was Trafalgar Blue Poly and it came from the factory that way.
I just saw one on cargurus with the v6 and 5mt for $4200, want the link man? Edit: nvm it's an auto sorry about that listing says 5 speed manul but the image has a auto rip
What i found plenty and my brother has one for sell here in texas. Manual. Gray. Smooth af. Only thing we been fixing was the power steering rack cause its really obscure but car is pretty cool tho
The same time period toyota celica is a way better car for the money. If you get the vvtli engine its a real ripper of a car. 180 horsepower and only 2500lb
I had the 2002 XR. Loved it, even when the car suffered from the typical Ford problems. The fuel pump died at 30k and there were a couple of electrical issues. I used to have to drive it across I4 from Tampa to Daytona every weekend, and it made for a comfortable ride.
Absolutely. I owned a ‘67 Cougar XR7. Light green metallic, black vinyl top, white letter tires, rally wheels, console, floor shifter. It was a “Euro-Mustang” with class. I still miss it.
It’s interesting that ford did the SVT treatment for the contour of that era but not the cougar . It could of used that extra 25 ponies and been more competitive to imports
@@FuckTrumpFuckYouIfYouVoted4Him That sales trend really scared the daylights out of Ford/Mercury back then, to lose 50% after 1 year just to say goodbye to ANOTHER 50% the next year? They should've listened to their customers better, it needed more power BADLY. The previous generation had the XR7 with it's Supercharged V6 and was a beast. To have this as it's replacement with just 170HP-180HP was a slap in the face to the Cougar nameplate. The truth of the matter though was that Ford didn't really have a transaxle strong enough yet small enough to fit into the Cougar's packaging. At least, that's what I was told.
@@ftffighter The power output wasn't really the issue. The issue was the automatic CD4E transmission which accounted for 70% of sales wasn't geared for 16"-17" wheels. Remember, that same transmission was designed for the Contour/Mystique with 14"-15" wheels. Those larger wheels made the car slower which was most noticeable with the automatic. The Duratec is a strong performer otherwise. Could it have used another 30hp? Sure. Like I said, the S had the Contour SVT drive line in it and it was axed right before dealers could start placing orders for no good reason. A 3.0 Duratec V6 swap from a Sable is the most common way to remedy that and you get an extra 35 ft/lbs of torque to go with it. The 3.0 is what the car should have gotten as a top dog option with the 2.5 Duratec as standard. But when does Ford ever listen to its customers?
I had a friend who owned a 2000. I myself wanted one as well at the time. I was 27 years old in 2000 and it did bring me into the Mercury Dealership (in my town different dealers sold the Fords from the Lincoln/Mercury's.) I absolutely would have bought one had my friend not bought the exact version of this Cougar that I wanted. He really enjoyed his 5 speed. I think he had it for at least six or seven years and it never game him trouble. I have to give credit to Mercury for trying. It was kind of their last attempt at luring in younger buyers to the brand. Ten years later the whole brand was gone.
I worked at a Lincoln-Mercury car dealership for about 3 1/2 years in the early 2000s, so I remember these Cougars well. In my view, this car is a mixed a bag and to me was he answer to a question no one asked. I can see why they decided to put these out, The Mitsubishi Eclipse was still kind of a popular car at the time and Mercury needed something to bring young buyers into the dealers, that otherwise had more established and more affluent buyers. I found the car to be uncomfortable myself and it really didn't stand out much in terms of performance from everyone else. The quality was so-so as well as the reliability. When they pulled the plug on this car, it was honestly for the best.
I absolutely love your channel and seriously relate to your content. I was born in 03 and never got to experience 90% of the cars on the channel but love them all the same. I just recently bought my dream car a 1978 new yorker brougham. I'd love to see some more content on the luxury cars of the 70s. Thanks for the content
I remember walking into a dealer when they came out - only about 25 at the time, looking at the one on the floor. The dealer rushed over and asked what he could do to get me in that car today! I said, "put a V8 back in it and make it rear wheel drive again." He just stopped...looked at me, and said, "I don't think they're going to be doing that." I said, "Then I don't think I'll be buying one." He walked away... lol
You are the type of a client this car wasnt made for😅 Sadly cars that fill these preferences are then bought and mainly crashed somewhere in the hillbilly land lol
Yet two years prior when they still had the V8 RWD Cougar you people didn't buy them, so what was the point in saying that? That's what I fired back with when I came across a smartazz like you when I was selling them b
@@FuckTrumpFuckYouIfYouVoted4Him Oof... you need a nap or something. Someone's hiney is still a bit chapped from...35 years ago (you gotta let it go man). Just FYI - at that time, and 2 years prior to that - I was coming out of high school and into college. As much as I would have loved a candy-apple red, V8 powered, RWD XR7 - "someone" didn't have the scratch to buy one. But to your point - the dealer came up to ME and asked ME what it would take to put me in that Cougar. I didn't seek him out, I didn't offer an unsolicited comment. I simply answered his question with complete honesty - that's quite literally what it would have taken. Not sure what you're so pissy about. And my guess is that if you were coming back with snarky quips AS A SALESMAN, word got around pretty quickly about your specific kind of "customer service".
@@danerwin731 🐂💩 dude, don't blow smoke up my arse. You said so yourself "I WALKED INTO A DEALER....". Now you're saying "the dealer came to you".....I think you're the one that needs a nap. You can't even tell a good lie, let alone remember it. 😂😂😂😂😂
I just got my first Thundercat Tuesday. It's the '95 XR7 with the 281 (4.6L) At the time of this...O.o...Typing, I call it my "Brain-Dead Thundercat" because I'm getting the ECU replaced shortly The 7th gen Cougar (No pun intended) left a mark on me from when I was a teenage; my dad owned the '89 LS model year and that thing was indeed a beast that lasted forever. Ever since, that generation has been my personal favorite out of all the generations. I might get some push back...probably...When I first saw the 8th Gen. Cougar, a girl from church showed up one Sunday...It was yellow and she was thrilled. I wasn't too impressed and somewhat disappointed at the new look and FWD layout. I mean, she loved it and drove it to her heart's content, and that's all that matters. Honestly, the '96-'97 Cougar were the best looking for that Gen. but I still favor the black and woodgrain interior with the digital gauges from '89. Honestly, from '94-97 the interior seems bland and reminds me of the Mustang (Not a issue) It's slowly growing on me but I do wish Ford-Mercury thought it out a little more back then. That's just my opinion
That disaster for Mercury worked out fine for me, I got a '99 v6 automatic in 2005 for only $3,500 and it ran until 2012, although it was pretty shot the last year or two! I put a super nice audio system in it and the car got the attention of the ladies back then. I smoked an early 2000s white w/ red Monte Carlo SS in it and another time i got it up to over 120 but less than 125 mph on an old country road i know of.
i had a 1988 Cougar that I bought after graduating High School in 1995. It was my second car. It was fairly low mileage and in excellent condition inside and out. I loved that car. It was so nice compared to the beat up Ford Escort EXP I was driving before. It's digital dash felt so futuristic to me. I really liked the eighth gen. In 2001 I test drove one and a Grand Am GT. I ended up getting the Grand Am.
Your story sounds just like mine. I bought an 88 Thunderbird when I graduated in 98. In 2000 I test drove both a 2000 Cougar and a 99 Grand Am SE Coupe. Wound up buying the Grand Am.
I had the 25th Anniversary with the 5.0 and it was awesome! It was my first car, and I always regretted not heing able to take as good of care of it like the previous owner.
In Europe, we didn't have the Mercury brand, so there was no legacy brand/model to compare it against. The Ford Cougar was a nice coupe, the bigger brother to the Ford Puma at the time. They were pretty rare, so they stood out. I always thought they looked cool.
The 7th gen mercury cougar XR7 actually only had the 5.0L V8 for a few years from 91-93. Before that they had a supercharged V6 that replaced the turbo 4 from previous generation. In 1994 they switch to the same 4.6L 2v that they were using in the Crown Vic and Mercury Grand Marquis. Love the 96 my grandfather had it was fun to play around with, just wished they kept the 5 speed manual to the end of the gen. They turned to manual only when they went to the 5.0.
These came out right around when me and all my buddies were hooking up our cars, just preceding the F+F craze. One of my buddies grabbed a brand new 2000, V6, in yellow with black leather interior. The color scheme really worked. I did a pretty stout audio system in it so I got pretty intimate with the car. I liked it. The price was really decent, performance was decent etc. I'd read that this was essentially the 3rd gen Probe rebranded as a Mercury. Odd choice by Ford, but at that point, they might have just been throwing shit at the wall hoping something stuck. Also I remember reading that Ford was talking about throwing the 200hp Contour SVT engine in these, but I think it was too late.
I bought a 2000 Cougar in 2002. It was a great car! Never had any problems with it. Handled great and moved out. It didn't have a lot of horses but it was quick. Maybe the drag coefficient was really good, not sure. The styling was ahead of it's time sporting projector beam headlights! I really liked it overall.
I had a 2000 Cougar my first few years of collage. I liked it, it was defiantly unique. The styling was completely different from any other domestic manufacture. The 4 cylinder wasn't fast but it had some decent pick up and handled decently. If I remember correctly i did have some issues with the pressure sensor. The interior was decent, I'm 6'2" and it was surprisingly roomy inside. Although back seats were awful, not much room and the shape of the back rest had a huge bulge in the middle for lumbar support that made them really uncomfortable. But all in all it was a decent car and I do wish I still had it. But I very seldomly see them on the road today. I don't think a lot of them were maintained well enough to make it to the roads of today.
I just bought a 2002 Cougar last month. Mine has the V6 with a 5-speed manual. Black leather interior. I LOVE this car. Everything about it. I love its looks, its interior, its handling. It is an absolute PLEASURE and THRILL to drive! Plenty of power, yet good on gas.i’d never even heard of these cars before, much less seen one. Which is another thing I love about it! No one else around has one!!!!
I haven't seen a fifth gen Cougar in ages. As soon as I saw that picture though I remembered it like yesterday. I was born in 1986. Am I that old already? *sigh*
My stepmom had one when I was in my early 20s and me and her swapped cars because she wanted to drive my 99 firebird Formula for a few hours and I remember it to be an ok car, but I liked my firebird better and was happy to be back in my car.
we bought one new in 1999. A Melina Blue V6 auto. Loved that car ! Fun to drive, gorgeous at the time, best halogen headlights I have ever driven with. TONS of room with the seats folded. Sold it when we decided to have kids..
I had a 1998 Mercury Mystic with the V-6 5 speed and I loved it. It also lasted for 315k miles. Original clutch. That’s the reason I got rid of it because it was going to cost $1,800 to replace the clutch
@@brianmoore6306 The 67-70 was also Mustang-based. My grand-uncle (my nana's brother) once had a Fairmont, & I saw one last year believe it or not. But it was raggedy & the trunk was missing. My Grandfather in Atlanta is a retired Relief Worker from Ford Motor Company. Talking about all these old models brings back memories!!!!
I had a 2000 Cougar. It was nice looking and had a nice interior. Didnt love it... didnt hate it. V6 automatic had disk brakes in front and drum in back
My buddy had one briefly around 2004 or so. It was the 4 banger and quite gutless. It broke down after probably 9 months or so of owning it and I don't think he kept it much longer after that.
I bought my third Cougar recently 84,000 miles 24 years old it’s like an old friend… the interior is immaculate just upgraded stereo to a touch screen… 2.5 Duratec engine is smooth… all for £1000 … 👍🏻
Just sold my 99 a few months ago. Bought it for $1200 with 88k on the clock. Made for an awesome little commuter until a fender bender messed up the shift linkage. Amazing freeway cars and good fun with a V6, 5 spd combo
Great video GreenHawk! I had not thought about the Cougar in so long. I really loved the first generation and 6th and 7th were nice. This one never really stood out to me. Anyhow thanks for the great memories!
I used to make interior plastic for this car at Lear Corp in Huron, Ohio.. its a rebadged Ford probe basically. It was a unique ride. Thanks for the video sir
I had a red 2000 it was lower kms but lasted 20 years. It was a nice looking and nice driving car inside and out. had loads of cargo space. The V6 had a nice roar to it
I bought one if these used from a friend. It had been hit on the passenger side rear quarter panel. I only paid $600 for it. It was the 4 cylinder auto. Honestly it was a nice car. Adequate power and handled pretty good. Got decent gas mileage. Hardly see them anymore.
Awwwwsome Episode!!! I learned to drive in a 3rd Generation Cougar! I dated a girl who purchased the last generation and I personally thought it was a piece of Krap!!! Hated that car I would constantly hit my knee on the under portion of the dash when I shifted!!!!
It was insane that the car failed. I owned a 99, and to this day it's one of the best cars I've owned. Particularly your connection with the road. Handling was fantastic. It wasn't 'fast' off the line but smooth and effortless on the freeway. It had real rear seat room. And the cargo space was bonkers. I'd buy another one if I could find one in good condition.
6:50 - this is like Cracker Barrel trying to sell lobster. Doesn't matter how good it is. Few people will look there for the product. *Ford* should have sold it, and it should have worn the Probe name.
These came out when I was in high school and were a worthy replacement for the probe. The styling was pretty far out there for the time and was introduced on the original North American market focus. To say your car was “European inspired” at the time was a big selling feature. This was during the best iteration of the BMW 3 series and European cars handled better and carried some prestige. This was also during the fast and furious era, and a v6 cougar with 170 hp was a leg up on a civic or celica. There was a couple in town that had underglow, tuner rims and body kits. Thanks for another great video. Another idea would be to look at the tuner era (2001 to 2005) and how the car manufacturers tried to cash in on it with fake performance house treatments of econoboxes (I’m looking at your Corolla S and focus zxw with your underbody diffusers)
I have a wall of car badges (only manufacters not sub models) and I pulled a cougar badge because I thought it was cool, but since it didn't fit with my wall I just gave it a chuck at the salvage yard. Just like Ford chucked the Mercury brand as a whole... how poetic.
Most great Ford cars had shitty future in the Teadrinker land. What to expect from people so conservatist that they had to rename the Ford Scorpio as Granada to rise the sales up
They were sold as Ford Cougar all over Europe and here in Germany they did quite good sales numbers, some of them are still around. I always thought that it was a good looking car given what Ford sold at that time in Germany. One thing I never understood tho was the fact that Ford had also a Ford Puma (based on the Fiesta) in their German catalogue. Puma is the German word for Cougar so you basically had two Ford Models available at the time called Cougar. XD
I had a 2000 with the sport package (4 wheel disc, 2.5 Duratec etc), leather, moonroof (that broke as they all did prior to 2001). Was a blast to hustle through the twisties. My Uncle , who owned Saabs & BMWs said it was the best handling (at that time) American car he'd driven in a long time.
My first car was a 1995 Mercury cougar with the v8. Absolutely loved it. Great power, great room, it was completely sad when I had to sell it. I always felt this last generation cougar should have been the new Mercury Capri in the USl
I had an 2001 v6 cougar and also a 1985 Capri 5.0. The Capri was amazing, the Cougar I wanted to be but it never was. It was a nice car, it just wasn't fast or even very quick. I loved it at the time none the less.
Had one of these for 3 years. 2010-2013. Engine was superb, very reliable. Body though fantastic on the outside, was nothing special inside. As all fords. No rust, even with winter salt. Suspension, on the other hand, sucked massive balls. Always something wrong with it. The front silent blocks could only be changed with the whole ball joint business, so good luck with that. CV joints? Don't even get me started. Those were the reason I sold the thing. Cost a fortune to change, and a bitch to find. Apparently there's two types, depending on where the ABS sensor is, and not interchangeable. Rear linkage always squeaky, no matter what parts you throw at it, OEM or cheap chinese ripoffs. 6 sparkplugs to change, and the kits come by 4, so two kits for one change, thank you. All in all a good car, I miss it.
My parents had a new Cougar in the early 80s. When Mercury redesigned it entirely. It was a beautiful car it was designed to go 55mph with just a few hp. I don't recall what the number was, but it was low. It moved down the road just fine.
I had a 4cyl, which only came with the manual. Great fun, amazingly well built and nice trim inside. It was stolen and the thieves did not know how to drive a manual - goodbye transmission, clutch and Cougar.
In 1982, my late Uncle drove me in his 7th Generation Ford Thunderbird (or was it a 4th Generation Cougar??) up from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon. To my shock and awe I discovered Flagstaff was just one Great Big Truck Stop!! Anyway, that car was BIG, and he could afford to fill the tank. In 1991 while shopping for a new car, I test drove a Cougar. It felt nose-heavy like a 747 with the 3.8 v6. But after the Operation Desert Shield (the lead-up to Gulf War part I) fuel crisis, I wasn't looking to win any races with the 5.0. I should've bought that car!! My buddy had a 1994 Thunderbird with a sound system you could hear two blocks away!! But this isn't why you tuned in. There are some cars whose names should have NEVER been resurrected; that should Remain in the history books!! This 8th Generation Cougar is at the TOP of my list (followed closely by the TrailBlazer & Thunderbird)!!!! I can understand and forgive the Big 3 for the downsizing from the late 70's to mid 80's, but This was F!@#$%G Ridiculous!!!!! UNFORGIVABLE!! What the HELL was Ford Thinking?!? I bet the same guy who thought This was a good idea is the EXACT Same jackleg who thought: "Let's replace the rear wheel drive Mustang with the cheaper-to-make front wheel drive Probe!!". 😆😆 My wife's coworker had one in 2010-11 and he loved it! Me?!? It's Criminal what Ford did to the name Cougar for this 8th and last generation!! I'd rather take the bus than be seen in this pathetic example of an American classic!!!!!
My dad bought a brand new 1999 2.5L V6 Cougar in Australia, which was sold under the Ford badge. Looked fantastic inside and out. It was very unique and rare as they were only sold through select Ford dealers called FTE. This stood for the "Ford Tickford Experience." The car was badly built. The engine seized only 10000k mark and was charged under warranty. The fuel pump was replaced, light bulbs always used to blow out. The quality of the "leather" was awful, leather colour would rub from you sitting in the seat, causing the colour to come off. The paint quality was woeful. If you even chamois dried the car it would scratch and craze the paint. The car handled and steered beautifully but the engine wasn't calibrated very well. The torque kicked in about 4-5000 rpm thus the car was very slow to take off in. Once it got up to speed on the highway, it would cruise beautifully. Unfortunately due to the major mechanic issues this car had, dad got rid of it before the warranty expired.
I bought one new in 1999, red with the V6, five speed stick, sunroof. Not a bad car, my only real gripe was the dash design which made it difficult to upgrade the head unit.
I've owned a '00 2.0 ZETEC EU-spec version. Handled superbly (due to the Mondeo ST derived front suspension), though with 130 bhp wasn't fast, was quite economical, very practical (huge trunk) and for the 5 years I've driven it, and 5 more when my mom drove it, it never ever broke down, it was all pure maintenance, in that respect it was more dependable than an AK-47. -25C? Engine cranked with a touch of the ignition. +35C? AC went full blast without a cough. And the heated wind-shield should be mandatory in every car. Rust was the thing that killed the cat. The whole floor and front fenders were all crusty at the end of its life. Shame, because that was a damn good car. As a side note: Ford has made a Cougar S prototype with a wide bodykit, 220 bhp 3.0V6 derived from the Mondeo ST220, 6 speed M/T and AWD(!). Sadly, it didn't go any further, this would be a classic by now.
Ford was on point with their "new edge" styling during that era. Almost bought the little FWD Cougar, but owned 2 new edge Mustang GT cars over the years. Their designers made some nice looking cars that still hold up today.
That last generation Cougar wasn't a bad car, but like you said, it was such a change from previous generations that it just didn't sound the right chord with folks like me who followed the entire progression over the years.
I worked at the plant these were built in when it launched. It was built in the Flatrock Assembly plant, in Flatrock MI. It was the replacement for the Mazda MX3/Probe and the cougar was bulit alongside of the Mazda 626. It was an earky attempt at modular production and Fords first production modular assemby vehicle. It was a bit disasterous , the instrument panels barely fit as they were assempled outside the plant at another location. They also built a lower end four cylinder model the first year, I can't remember how many in the thousands. It was very underpowered and Ford had them stripped of reusable parts and wheels, then destroyed.
Man loved the Mecrury Cougar my best friend owned the 6th generation type he got white version bought brand new with no miles on we travel a lot places in that car shocking it was a nice ride had a lot room inside car and very comfortable ride on big long trips and stuff he owned that car years drove it until it couldn't go no more he racked up like high mileage on that car before it broke down and he never had a bunch car problems the whole time he owned it i'm think it had about 2,350.00 miles on it before it died.....lol.
Hi mate! Thanks for your awesome videos! Be so kind and include values in the metric system for your viewers from outside the US as well! Thank you and keep on! :)
🎉I considered buying a used 2001 Cougar to replace my 1993 Mazda MX6 V6. This was in the late 2000’s. The car I was looking at was in great shape and only had 40,000 km. But after test driving it I was a little let down. The V6 engine felt unrefined compared to the turbine smooth 2.5L engine my Mazda had. But the main complaint was seats! They were hard wearing cloth, plywood hard and very very uncomfortable, even for my younger bones at the time. I ended turning it down and buying a low milage Golf GTI VR6 of similar vintage. I’ve often wondered what it would have been like with the better leather seats and in a higher spec.
I remember these they are exactly the look you think of when you say 2000s sports car or just 2000s car in general the melted candy bar look that dominated that era or car design
These things were everywhere in the early 2000's and then suddenly, nowhere.
Cash for Clunkers most likely
Same like last gen Ford Scorpio
So correct, sadly the few that I rarely see are sickeningly ragged out.
Come to think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one 😦
They were still alive in NY until 2017 then they just disappeared from the roads one day
The body lines are fantastic for that time period. My 2000 was the 2.5l V6 with 5 speed and thus the sport package. It was my baby as it was the first fun car I bought when I was young. Unfortunately I hydroplaned on a valley road and it was totaled (no injuries luckily).
The quad projector lenses were basically unheard of back then, especially in a budget car.
I have pictures of it when my buddies and I did "photoshoots". I kept that car clean and polished. I really miss it.
Custom Cougars was a website with lots of great parts and mods and there was nobody else focusing on this line at all.
Never had one but the V6 manual sounds fun.
Lexus ES300, Infiniti J30, Toyota Supra, all had quad projectors in the 90s. I'm sure I missed a couple more. Not to say that the Cougar wasn't special IJS the quad projectors wasn't (by 2000) wasn't IMO.
@@byronruffin3026 you're right! That's why I ended that statement referencing them being on a budget car. It only lasted 99-00 then they only had projector low beams for 01-02.
I loved my 2001 5spd, was a great college car! IDK why but I always has females admire it more then dudes which I wasn't mad one bit lol Yep Custom Cougars had lots of goodies for these, Team Neco & New Cougar forums were great for info being smart phones at the time didn't exist.
From 1967-1979 were the best years for the Cougar in my opinion.
In grade 7 in vancouver some journalist were testing these in the parking area behind playland. My father being curious drove to where they were. I cant remember exactly how it happend but twenty minutes later a journalist was teaching me to drive stick while trying to keep the car within the cones. I dont remember what the publication they were working for was or the name of the journalist but that is one of the best memories of a less than great childhood.
I used to see TONS of these around in the 2000s/2010. They were that quintessential "college kid" or "first car/teen car." However, like all Fords, they all died off and you rarely ever see them anymore...much like 1st and 2nd gen Tauruses...they were the #1 selling car and millions of them were on the road, now theyre basically unicorns. You'll still see Hondas and old Buicks from the early 90s still roaming around, but all the old Fords took a shit and disappeared off the roads.
I had a 2001 v6 5spd it was a blast to drive , did 220 kph. Sound system was choice too.
Mine was silver on black leather and all options. Loved that car I bought it new then. I sold it 6
years later.
I worked for a car rental company in the early 2000's. And one year we got some of these to rent. They were quick and handled well, so they were fun to drive.
I remember the old guy down the street drove Mercury Cougars. He went to go look at this thing and returned with his previous Cougar.
I had a friend who bought one of those 2000's. He had it for 14 years, with 250k miles! He sold it! Still running.
My favorite car! I had a 99 in college. Not fast, but Cougar is so much more comfortable and agile than my Camaro, Tiburon, and Monte Carlo.
I bought in 2003, a 2002 2.5-litre, manual V6 Sport, my first brand-new car. I loved that car! My whole life I wanted one. There were only seven left in all of Manitoba. I called one of the Ford dealerships in Winnipeg where I lived. They found one, forty-five minutes outside the city in a small town. My Ex-Wife, the Salesman, and I drove to the dealership in the Salesman's car. We got to the Cougar and I noticed it had been sitting for a little while and pointed it out. My Ex test drove it and she liked it. Then it was my turn! It was my Ex and I in the front and the Salesman crammed in the backseat, the guy was built like a Fullback. In town, I was nice and calm. As soon as I hit the high-speed road I took it up to 150 Km/h. Then after five or ten minutes on the high-speed road, I took a left going from 150 Km/h to 10 Km/h in about 50 meters almost launching the Salesman into the front seat before turning. I had to test everything out, eh? It was quick and agile. We arrived back at the dealership and the Salesman said, "So, what do you think?". "Love it, but we have to talk price", I said. My Ex went into the lounge in the dealership. He wanted roughly $28,500 CAD. The Salesman and I would spend the next four and a half hours haggling in the lot at the Ford dealership (I smoked in those days). He used the usual different scare tactics that salesmen usually use like, the Dealership is having a promo the coming weekend and if we don't take it then it would be gone; That they have other people interested; putting time limits on my decisions; Using emotional blackmail by saying my Ex with be disappointed if we don't get it; He tried psychologically profiling me but if anything I profiled him on the forty-five-minute trip to the dealership (I asked a lot of questions on the way down); And so on. After about an hour and a half of "negotiating" I told him to smoke 'em if he had 'em because I was not moving on price and he didn't seem to be moving very fast either after the first hour (I had been smoking the whole time and I noticed he was dying for one). Then, in response to all his scare tactics, I just kept saying go for it, or let them have it and reminded him that it had been sitting for at least a little while. After a while I called his bluff and told him there was no one looking at the car, if he wanted to sell it I was his best shot. I told him our price and we were not moving. An hour to get him down from $28,500 to $24,000. It then took three and a half hours to get him from $24,000 to $23,500 and I wasn't the one haggling. In the first hour, I started at 19,000 and went to 23,000. The next three and a half hours I stayed at 23,000 and was not moving. He was at 24,000 and finally caved after all that time. He came down to 23,500 and I knew I couldn't squeeze his head anymore. So I said, "Let me talk to Kat" (not her real name). He said ok and went inside and my Ex came out and I had to sell it to her. It took about fifteen or twenty minutes but I got her onboard and we got to drive it back to the Dealership in Winnipeg and he followed. When we got to the Dealership, we were filling out paperwork with the Manager and I guess the Salesman didn't call ahead and tell her about the price drop because she was quite surprised about the new price. We had a few things going in our favour when we bought. We bought in August (apparently that's when it is slow, I asked if they were busy on the ride to the dealership, and he said it was their slow time of the year) and at the end of the month when they have to fill their numbers, and the last is controlling your/the environment. I would definitely get another Cougar. I loved it!
I bought one of these brand new in the summer of 1998 and I remember the salesman telling me that I was one of the first in the country to get one. The car wasn't the greatest or the worst car I've owned. The rear brakes were a bit of a problem but that was about it and it had a really good transmission and clutch that was made by Mazda. It had the 2.5 V6 with the 5 speed manual and it had an unusually high top speed for what the car was, one night on a lonely highway I nearly pinned the 150 mph speedometer which to this day is the fastest I ever went in a car.
Holy crap man, that is wild!
Lacked the strong personality and elegance of previous versions, no wonder why it flopped.
The last generation of the Mercury Cougar was a nice looking vehicle. I especially liked the ones made after the 2000 model year with the updated headlamps. I worked at a Lincoln-Mercury dealership right before the Cougar was discontinued and it was one of my favorite vehicles that we sold. I liked the looks of it and I liked that it had an available V6 engine. The only thing I didn't like about the car were the reliability issues with the car. I think that may have been one of the reasons why it was discontinued in 2002. If I were to give this car a grade or a ranking, I would give it a C.
Beautiful design that still hold up after 25 years!
Last year I sold my 1968 Cougar that I owned for ten years. It had been completely restored with new stock OEM parts and interior. I loved the car but found myself using it less and less and it was just sitting in the garage. Before I purchased this one, I owned a 1969 XR-7 and it was a nice car as well.
My best friends mother purchased a brand new two tone 1967 Cougar when we were about 11. I loved that car and to this day have never seen another factory two tone. (Not a vinyl roof, that doesn't count.) It was Turquoise on the bottom and the roof was Trafalgar Blue Poly and it came from the factory that way.
I liked that little car. Never had one but I wanted a manual version. Never came across one. Yet. If I do, I’ll have it.
Most of them in Europe are manuals, just buy the gearbox and swap it
I just saw one on cargurus with the v6 and 5mt for $4200, want the link man?
Edit: nvm it's an auto sorry about that listing says 5 speed manul but the image has a auto rip
@@manduri1434 Good thing I am moving to Europe in 2-3 years, will get a manual V6 one when I do if I can, or settle for the 4 cylinder.
What i found plenty and my brother has one for sell here in texas. Manual. Gray. Smooth af. Only thing we been fixing was the power steering rack cause its really obscure but car is pretty cool tho
The same time period toyota celica is a way better car for the money. If you get the vvtli engine its a real ripper of a car. 180 horsepower and only 2500lb
I had the 2002 XR. Loved it, even when the car suffered from the typical Ford problems. The fuel pump died at 30k and there were a couple of electrical issues. I used to have to drive it across I4 from Tampa to Daytona every weekend, and it made for a comfortable ride.
When they were first introduced in the 60s, they were a force to be reckoned with. The styling was beautiful. A successful partner to the MUSTANG.
Absolutely. I owned a ‘67 Cougar XR7. Light green metallic, black vinyl top, white letter tires, rally wheels, console, floor shifter. It was a “Euro-Mustang” with class. I still miss it.
It’s interesting that ford did the SVT treatment for the contour of that era but not the cougar . It could of used that extra 25 ponies and been more competitive to imports
It was the import itself
The Cougar S was the SVT Cougar but it got axed at the last minute.
@@FuckTrumpFuckYouIfYouVoted4Him That sales trend really scared the daylights out of Ford/Mercury back then, to lose 50% after 1 year just to say goodbye to ANOTHER 50% the next year? They should've listened to their customers better, it needed more power BADLY. The previous generation had the XR7 with it's Supercharged V6 and was a beast. To have this as it's replacement with just 170HP-180HP was a slap in the face to the Cougar nameplate. The truth of the matter though was that Ford didn't really have a transaxle strong enough yet small enough to fit into the Cougar's packaging. At least, that's what I was told.
@@ftffighter The power output wasn't really the issue. The issue was the automatic CD4E transmission which accounted for 70% of sales wasn't geared for 16"-17" wheels. Remember, that same transmission was designed for the Contour/Mystique with 14"-15" wheels. Those larger wheels made the car slower which was most noticeable with the automatic. The Duratec is a strong performer otherwise. Could it have used another 30hp? Sure. Like I said, the S had the Contour SVT drive line in it and it was axed right before dealers could start placing orders for no good reason. A 3.0 Duratec V6 swap from a Sable is the most common way to remedy that and you get an extra 35 ft/lbs of torque to go with it. The 3.0 is what the car should have gotten as a top dog option with the 2.5 Duratec as standard. But when does Ford ever listen to its customers?
@@FuckTrumpFuckYouIfYouVoted4Him Wait, Ford never used the AXOD-S on the Cougar?
I had a friend who owned a 2000. I myself wanted one as well at the time. I was 27 years old in 2000 and it did bring me into the Mercury Dealership (in my town different dealers sold the Fords from the Lincoln/Mercury's.) I absolutely would have bought one had my friend not bought the exact version of this Cougar that I wanted. He really enjoyed his 5 speed. I think he had it for at least six or seven years and it never game him trouble. I have to give credit to Mercury for trying. It was kind of their last attempt at luring in younger buyers to the brand. Ten years later the whole brand was gone.
I worked at a Lincoln-Mercury car dealership for about 3 1/2 years in the early 2000s, so I remember these Cougars well. In my view, this car is a mixed a bag and to me was he answer to a question no one asked. I can see why they decided to put these out, The Mitsubishi Eclipse was still kind of a popular car at the time and Mercury needed something to bring young buyers into the dealers, that otherwise had more established and more affluent buyers. I found the car to be uncomfortable myself and it really didn't stand out much in terms of performance from everyone else. The quality was so-so as well as the reliability. When they pulled the plug on this car, it was honestly for the best.
I absolutely love your channel and seriously relate to your content. I was born in 03 and never got to experience 90% of the cars on the channel but love them all the same. I just recently bought my dream car a 1978 new yorker brougham. I'd love to see some more content on the luxury cars of the 70s. Thanks for the content
We called that a
Bro-Ham back in the 70s 80s 😂
I remember walking into a dealer when they came out - only about 25 at the time, looking at the one on the floor. The dealer rushed over and asked what he could do to get me in that car today! I said, "put a V8 back in it and make it rear wheel drive again." He just stopped...looked at me, and said, "I don't think they're going to be doing that." I said, "Then I don't think I'll be buying one." He walked away... lol
You are the type of a client this car wasnt made for😅
Sadly cars that fill these preferences are then bought and mainly crashed somewhere in the hillbilly land lol
Yet two years prior when they still had the V8 RWD Cougar you people didn't buy them, so what was the point in saying that? That's what I fired back with when I came across a smartazz like you when I was selling them b
@@FuckTrumpFuckYouIfYouVoted4Him Oof... you need a nap or something. Someone's hiney is still a bit chapped from...35 years ago (you gotta let it go man). Just FYI - at that time, and 2 years prior to that - I was coming out of high school and into college. As much as I would have loved a candy-apple red, V8 powered, RWD XR7 - "someone" didn't have the scratch to buy one. But to your point - the dealer came up to ME and asked ME what it would take to put me in that Cougar. I didn't seek him out, I didn't offer an unsolicited comment. I simply answered his question with complete honesty - that's quite literally what it would have taken. Not sure what you're so pissy about. And my guess is that if you were coming back with snarky quips AS A SALESMAN, word got around pretty quickly about your specific kind of "customer service".
@@danerwin731 🐂💩 dude, don't blow smoke up my arse. You said so yourself "I WALKED INTO A DEALER....". Now you're saying "the dealer came to you".....I think you're the one that needs a nap. You can't even tell a good lie, let alone remember it. 😂😂😂😂😂
I just got my first Thundercat Tuesday. It's the '95 XR7 with the 281 (4.6L)
At the time of this...O.o...Typing, I call it my "Brain-Dead Thundercat" because I'm getting the ECU replaced shortly
The 7th gen Cougar (No pun intended) left a mark on me from when I was a teenage; my dad owned the '89 LS model year and that thing was indeed a beast that lasted forever. Ever since, that generation has been my personal favorite out of all the generations.
I might get some push back...probably...When I first saw the 8th Gen. Cougar, a girl from church showed up one Sunday...It was yellow and she was thrilled. I wasn't too impressed and somewhat disappointed at the new look and FWD layout.
I mean, she loved it and drove it to her heart's content, and that's all that matters.
Honestly, the '96-'97 Cougar were the best looking for that Gen. but I still favor the black and woodgrain interior with the digital gauges from '89. Honestly, from '94-97 the interior seems bland and reminds me of the Mustang (Not a issue) It's slowly growing on me but I do wish Ford-Mercury thought it out a little more back then.
That's just my opinion
That disaster for Mercury worked out fine for me, I got a '99 v6 automatic in 2005 for only $3,500 and it ran until 2012, although it was pretty shot the last year or two! I put a super nice audio system in it and the car got the attention of the ladies back then. I smoked an early 2000s white w/ red Monte Carlo SS in it and another time i got it up to over 120 but less than 125 mph on an old country road i know of.
In the Spring of 1999, I received a brochure via U.S. mail; who'd have thought that FoMoCo produced a front-drive, 4-cyl., 5-spd. manual Cougar?
i had a 1988 Cougar that I bought after graduating High School in 1995. It was my second car. It was fairly low mileage and in excellent condition inside and out. I loved that car. It was so nice compared to the beat up Ford Escort EXP I was driving before. It's digital dash felt so futuristic to me.
I really liked the eighth gen. In 2001 I test drove one and a Grand Am GT. I ended up getting the Grand Am.
Your story sounds just like mine. I bought an 88 Thunderbird when I graduated in 98. In 2000 I test drove both a 2000 Cougar and a 99 Grand Am SE Coupe. Wound up buying the Grand Am.
I had the 25th Anniversary with the 5.0 and it was awesome! It was my first car, and I always regretted not heing able to take as good of care of it like the previous owner.
In Europe, we didn't have the Mercury brand, so there was no legacy brand/model to compare it against. The Ford Cougar was a nice coupe, the bigger brother to the Ford Puma at the time. They were pretty rare, so they stood out. I always thought they looked cool.
The 7th gen mercury cougar XR7 actually only had the 5.0L V8 for a few years from 91-93. Before that they had a supercharged V6 that replaced the turbo 4 from previous generation. In 1994 they switch to the same 4.6L 2v that they were using in the Crown Vic and Mercury Grand Marquis. Love the 96 my grandfather had it was fun to play around with, just wished they kept the 5 speed manual to the end of the gen. They turned to manual only when they went to the 5.0.
I was referring to the 6th. Last two years had the 5.0
These came out right around when me and all my buddies were hooking up our cars, just preceding the F+F craze. One of my buddies grabbed a brand new 2000, V6, in yellow with black leather interior. The color scheme really worked. I did a pretty stout audio system in it so I got pretty intimate with the car. I liked it. The price was really decent, performance was decent etc. I'd read that this was essentially the 3rd gen Probe rebranded as a Mercury. Odd choice by Ford, but at that point, they might have just been throwing shit at the wall hoping something stuck. Also I remember reading that Ford was talking about throwing the 200hp Contour SVT engine in these, but I think it was too late.
I bought a 2000 Cougar in 2002. It was a great car! Never had any problems with it. Handled great and moved out. It didn't have a lot of horses but it was quick. Maybe the drag coefficient was really good, not sure. The styling was ahead of it's time sporting projector beam headlights! I really liked it overall.
I had a 2000 Cougar my first few years of collage. I liked it, it was defiantly unique. The styling was completely different from any other domestic manufacture. The 4 cylinder wasn't fast but it had some decent pick up and handled decently. If I remember correctly i did have some issues with the pressure sensor. The interior was decent, I'm 6'2" and it was surprisingly roomy inside. Although back seats were awful, not much room and the shape of the back rest had a huge bulge in the middle for lumbar support that made them really uncomfortable. But all in all it was a decent car and I do wish I still had it. But I very seldomly see them on the road today. I don't think a lot of them were maintained well enough to make it to the roads of today.
I just bought a 2002 Cougar last month. Mine has the V6 with a 5-speed manual.
Black leather interior. I LOVE this car.
Everything about it.
I love its looks, its interior, its handling.
It is an absolute PLEASURE and THRILL to drive! Plenty of power, yet good on gas.i’d never even heard of these cars before, much less seen one.
Which is another thing I love about it!
No one else around has one!!!!
I haven't seen a fifth gen Cougar in ages. As soon as I saw that picture though I remembered it like yesterday. I was born in 1986. Am I that old already? *sigh*
My stepmom had one when I was in my early 20s and me and her swapped cars because she wanted to drive my 99 firebird Formula for a few hours and I remember it to be an ok car, but I liked my firebird better and was happy to be back in my car.
we bought one new in 1999. A Melina Blue V6 auto. Loved that car ! Fun to drive, gorgeous at the time, best halogen headlights I have ever driven with. TONS of room with the seats folded. Sold it when we decided to have kids..
I had a 1998 Mercury Mystic with the V-6 5 speed and I loved it. It also lasted for 315k miles. Original clutch. That’s the reason I got rid of it because it was going to cost $1,800 to replace the clutch
Do you regret not coughing up the $1,800.00??
It's a good car, the only problem was it had the Cougar name
My fav is the original 1967...then believe it or not, Iloved the one I believe was on the Fox body platform in 1981 and 1982. Loved those.
That version was based on the Mustang.
@@ajanderson2787 And the Fairmont. Not sure why...but I loved them. Most people did not.
@@brianmoore6306 The 67-70 was also Mustang-based. My grand-uncle (my nana's brother) once had a Fairmont, & I saw one last year believe it or not. But it was raggedy & the trunk was missing. My Grandfather in Atlanta is a retired Relief Worker from Ford Motor Company. Talking about all these old models brings back memories!!!!
I remember a friend had the V6 auto, I liked it. My other friends' GS-R would crush it in a race. Dad had a first gen, told me many stories about it.
I had a 2000 Cougar. It was nice looking and had a nice interior. Didnt love it... didnt hate it. V6 automatic had disk brakes in front and drum in back
I had a 1978 Mercury Cougar 😂 I loved that car.
My buddy had one briefly around 2004 or so. It was the 4 banger and quite gutless. It broke down after probably 9 months or so of owning it and I don't think he kept it much longer after that.
I owned a 2022 Mercury Cougar for four years and absolutely loved it! One my best vehicles I’ve ever owned! Thanks for the upload!
There's no such thing as a 2022 Mercury Cougar.
You cant even own a car from 2022 for Four years🤣
2002
2002
I bought my third Cougar recently 84,000 miles 24 years old it’s like an old friend… the interior is immaculate just upgraded stereo to a touch screen… 2.5 Duratec engine is smooth… all for £1000 … 👍🏻
Just sold my 99 a few months ago. Bought it for $1200 with 88k on the clock. Made for an awesome little commuter until a fender bender messed up the shift linkage. Amazing freeway cars and good fun with a V6, 5 spd combo
I daily a 99 v6 manual and I love it
I loved my 2002 cougar. Drove it for 11 years and never had an issue. Wish they would make it again.
I remember the 99s advertisement in the newspaper in Nov 98' for these cars
Great video GreenHawk! I had not thought about the Cougar in so long. I really loved the first generation and 6th and 7th were nice. This one never really stood out to me. Anyhow thanks for the great memories!
A cougar wagon and sedan option just seems like heresy!
I used to make interior plastic for this car at Lear Corp in Huron, Ohio.. its a rebadged Ford probe basically. It was a unique ride. Thanks for the video sir
Nope. Not Probe-related in *any* way whatsoever. Also, hard to rebadge a car that wasn't produced at the time.
Its not related to Probe in any way dummy, its the floor and engine of Ford Mondeo
And Mercury Cougar is a rebadged...Ford Cougar.
Lear is a seat maker these days in my city for Corvette...521 Industry Rd, Louisville Ky
ACTUALLY the same platform as the MAzda MX-3
The probe an this cougar used a lot of the same production molds and stamping. Same 2.5 l v6 and 2l 4 cyd
I had a red 2000 it was lower kms but lasted 20 years. It was a nice looking and nice driving car inside and out. had loads of cargo space. The V6 had a nice roar to it
I bought one if these used from a friend. It had been hit on the passenger side rear quarter panel. I only paid $600 for it. It was the 4 cylinder auto. Honestly it was a nice car. Adequate power and handled pretty good. Got decent gas mileage. Hardly see them anymore.
They were basically second Gen ford probes built on the Ford contour chassis
Awwwwsome Episode!!! I learned to drive in a 3rd Generation Cougar! I dated a girl who purchased the last generation and I personally thought it was a piece of Krap!!! Hated that car I would constantly hit my knee on the under portion of the dash when I shifted!!!!
I totally forgot about this car. Thanks for the reminder! Terrific video as always. I think I hear your voice is better.
Those 67-70 year models were SOOOO rad and good looking!
It was insane that the car failed. I owned a 99, and to this day it's one of the best cars I've owned. Particularly your connection with the road. Handling was fantastic. It wasn't 'fast' off the line but smooth and effortless on the freeway. It had real rear seat room. And the cargo space was bonkers. I'd buy another one if I could find one in good condition.
6:50 - this is like Cracker Barrel trying to sell lobster. Doesn't matter how good it is. Few people will look there for the product. *Ford* should have sold it, and it should have worn the Probe name.
These came out when I was in high school and were a worthy replacement for the probe. The styling was pretty far out there for the time and was introduced on the original North American market focus. To say your car was “European inspired” at the time was a big selling feature. This was during the best iteration of the BMW 3 series and European cars handled better and carried some prestige. This was also during the fast and furious era, and a v6 cougar with 170 hp was a leg up on a civic or celica. There was a couple in town that had underglow, tuner rims and body kits. Thanks for another great video. Another idea would be to look at the tuner era (2001 to 2005) and how the car manufacturers tried to cash in on it with fake performance house treatments of econoboxes (I’m looking at your Corolla S and focus zxw with your underbody diffusers)
I don’t know, buddy. I love me a good looking cougar. 😂 - Xan
Sssshhhhhh😂😂😂😂😂
I have a wall of car badges (only manufacters not sub models) and I pulled a cougar badge because I thought it was cool, but since it didn't fit with my wall I just gave it a chuck at the salvage yard. Just like Ford chucked the Mercury brand as a whole... how poetic.
I was considering this, the Mustang and the ZX2 in 2000…. Ultimately I went with the ZX2
They sold as the Ford Cougar in the UK. They never really caught on here either.
Most great Ford cars had shitty future in the Teadrinker land. What to expect from people so conservatist that they had to rename the Ford Scorpio as Granada to rise the sales up
They were sold as Ford Cougar all over Europe and here in Germany they did quite good sales numbers, some of them are still around. I always thought that it was a good looking car given what Ford sold at that time in Germany. One thing I never understood tho was the fact that Ford had also a Ford Puma (based on the Fiesta) in their German catalogue. Puma is the German word for Cougar so you basically had two Ford Models available at the time called Cougar. XD
I had a 2000 with the sport package (4 wheel disc, 2.5 Duratec etc), leather, moonroof (that broke as they all did prior to 2001). Was a blast to hustle through the twisties. My Uncle , who owned Saabs & BMWs said it was the best handling (at that time) American car he'd driven in a long time.
What a great looking car and this is coming from strictly Toyota guy. A SHO version of this Cougar would have been sweet.
My first car was a 1995 Mercury cougar with the v8. Absolutely loved it. Great power, great room, it was completely sad when I had to sell it.
I always felt this last generation cougar should have been the new Mercury Capri in the USl
The Accord V6 Coupe in those years was a too strong of a competition .
Great channel....very unique and niche, discussing cars from this era that everyone seems to have quickly erased from their memories. Lol
1967-1970 was THE BEST looking model in my opinion❤👍🏾..Love that grill! Muscle cars are the best hands down😍☺!
I had an 2001 v6 cougar and also a 1985 Capri 5.0. The Capri was amazing, the Cougar I wanted to be but it never was. It was a nice car, it just wasn't fast or even very quick. I loved it at the time none the less.
Had one of these for 3 years. 2010-2013. Engine was superb, very reliable. Body though fantastic on the outside, was nothing special inside. As all fords. No rust, even with winter salt. Suspension, on the other hand, sucked massive balls. Always something wrong with it. The front silent blocks could only be changed with the whole ball joint business, so good luck with that. CV joints? Don't even get me started. Those were the reason I sold the thing. Cost a fortune to change, and a bitch to find. Apparently there's two types, depending on where the ABS sensor is, and not interchangeable. Rear linkage always squeaky, no matter what parts you throw at it, OEM or cheap chinese ripoffs. 6 sparkplugs to change, and the kits come by 4, so two kits for one change, thank you. All in all a good car, I miss it.
My parents had a new Cougar in the early 80s. When Mercury redesigned it entirely. It was a beautiful car it was designed to go 55mph with just a few hp. I don't recall what the number was, but it was low. It moved down the road just fine.
I actually really want one of these.
I wouldn't mind owning one as a work car. Wouldn't be my fun car for summer but a decent daily.
I wouldn't mind owning one as a work car. Not as my fun summer car since I already own a fun summer car, but it would make for a decent daily.
I had a 4cyl, which only came with the manual. Great fun, amazingly well built and nice trim inside. It was stolen and the thieves did not know how to drive a manual - goodbye transmission, clutch and Cougar.
American anti theft system worked as it should lol
In 1982, my late Uncle drove me in his 7th Generation Ford Thunderbird (or was it a 4th Generation Cougar??) up from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon. To my shock and awe I discovered Flagstaff was just one Great Big Truck Stop!! Anyway, that car was BIG, and he could afford to fill the tank. In 1991 while shopping for a new car, I test drove a Cougar. It felt nose-heavy like a 747 with the 3.8 v6. But after the Operation Desert Shield (the lead-up to Gulf War part I) fuel crisis, I wasn't looking to win any races with the 5.0. I should've bought that car!! My buddy had a 1994 Thunderbird with a sound system you could hear two blocks away!! But this isn't why you tuned in.
There are some cars whose names should have NEVER been resurrected; that should Remain in the history books!! This 8th Generation Cougar is at the TOP of my list (followed closely by the TrailBlazer & Thunderbird)!!!! I can understand and forgive the Big 3 for the downsizing from the late 70's to mid 80's, but This was F!@#$%G Ridiculous!!!!! UNFORGIVABLE!! What the HELL was Ford Thinking?!? I bet the same guy who thought This was a good idea is the EXACT Same jackleg who thought: "Let's replace the rear wheel drive Mustang with the cheaper-to-make front wheel drive Probe!!". 😆😆 My wife's coworker had one in 2010-11 and he loved it! Me?!? It's Criminal what Ford did to the name Cougar for this 8th and last generation!! I'd rather take the bus than be seen in this pathetic example of an American classic!!!!!
My dad bought a brand new 1999 2.5L V6 Cougar in Australia, which was sold under the Ford badge. Looked fantastic inside and out. It was very unique and rare as they were only sold through select Ford dealers called FTE. This stood for the "Ford Tickford Experience."
The car was badly built. The engine seized only 10000k mark and was charged under warranty. The fuel pump was replaced, light bulbs always used to blow out. The quality of the "leather" was awful, leather colour would rub from you sitting in the seat, causing the colour to come off.
The paint quality was woeful. If you even chamois dried the car it would scratch and craze the paint.
The car handled and steered beautifully but the engine wasn't calibrated very well. The torque kicked in about 4-5000 rpm thus the car was very slow to take off in.
Once it got up to speed on the highway, it would cruise beautifully.
Unfortunately due to the major mechanic issues this car had, dad got rid of it before the warranty expired.
I bought one new in 1999, red with the V6, five speed stick, sunroof. Not a bad car, my only real gripe was the dash design which made it difficult to upgrade the head unit.
Had one when they first came out, loved it.
I had a 7th Generation XR-7, but I wouldn't rank it any higher than my Buick Riviera; I really loved the Rivvy
I've owned a '00 2.0 ZETEC EU-spec version. Handled superbly (due to the Mondeo ST derived front suspension), though with 130 bhp wasn't fast, was quite economical, very practical (huge trunk) and for the 5 years I've driven it, and 5 more when my mom drove it, it never ever broke down, it was all pure maintenance, in that respect it was more dependable than an AK-47. -25C? Engine cranked with a touch of the ignition. +35C? AC went full blast without a cough. And the heated wind-shield should be mandatory in every car.
Rust was the thing that killed the cat. The whole floor and front fenders were all crusty at the end of its life.
Shame, because that was a damn good car.
As a side note: Ford has made a Cougar S prototype with a wide bodykit, 220 bhp 3.0V6 derived from the Mondeo ST220, 6 speed M/T and AWD(!). Sadly, it didn't go any further, this would be a classic by now.
Ford was on point with their "new edge" styling during that era. Almost bought the little FWD Cougar, but owned 2 new edge Mustang GT cars over the years. Their designers made some nice looking cars that still hold up today.
I had a 2001 cougar, was a fun little car at the time.
That last generation Cougar wasn't a bad car, but like you said, it was such a change from previous generations that it just didn't sound the right chord with folks like me who followed the entire progression over the years.
My neighbor had a green on green 1978 MC. With a huge circular cougar hood ornament.
I like it. I always wanted one when I was in high school. Although I never actually owned one.
I worked at the plant these were built in when it launched. It was built in the Flatrock Assembly plant, in Flatrock MI. It was the replacement for the Mazda MX3/Probe and the cougar was bulit alongside of the Mazda 626. It was an earky attempt at modular production and Fords first production modular assemby vehicle. It was a bit disasterous , the instrument panels barely fit as they were assempled outside the plant at another location. They also built a lower end four cylinder model the first year, I can't remember how many in the thousands. It was very underpowered and Ford had them stripped of reusable parts and wheels, then destroyed.
Excellent title for this video 😁 😂
Man loved the Mecrury Cougar my best friend owned the 6th generation type he got white version bought brand new with no miles on we travel a lot places in that car shocking it was a nice ride had a lot room inside car and very comfortable ride on big long trips and stuff he owned that car years drove it until it couldn't go no more he racked up like high mileage on that car before it broke down and he never had a bunch car problems the whole time he owned it i'm think it had about 2,350.00 miles on it before it died.....lol.
I liked it as a small sport coupe but never felt Cougar was the correct nameplate for it.
My grandparents have a 1999 Cougar and a 1998 Celica
New Prelude coming out is a carbon copy of this car. The roofline, the greenhouse, the lower bodylines. What is old is new again.
First time hearing about a new Prelude! Wondering if it’s going to be electric
@@GreenHawkDrive think EV but also hybrid version
Hi mate! Thanks for your awesome videos! Be so kind and include values in the metric system for your viewers from outside the US as well! Thank you and keep on! :)
🎉I considered buying a used 2001 Cougar to replace my 1993 Mazda MX6 V6. This was in the late 2000’s. The car I was looking at was in great shape and only had 40,000 km. But after test driving it I was a little let down. The V6 engine felt unrefined compared to the turbine smooth 2.5L engine my Mazda had. But the main complaint was seats! They were hard wearing cloth, plywood hard and very very uncomfortable, even for my younger bones at the time. I ended turning it down and buying a low milage Golf GTI VR6 of similar vintage. I’ve often wondered what it would have been like with the better leather seats and in a higher spec.
I hate to tell you but the 2.5 in the cougar and the 2.5 in the Mazda are the same engine, so not sure how one would be more refined than the other...
I bought this car back in 98 , and i t was a Great car. I loved it and had no big issues , just your daily wear and tear.
I remember these they are exactly the look you think of when you say 2000s sports car or just 2000s car in general the melted candy bar look that dominated that era or car design
My 97 is still my daily driver. LOVE IT !!! NO... IT'S NOT FOR SALE !
I have a 1978 Jade Green Mercury Cougar XR7 with 86k miles on it. Mint Condition. A/C stills blows cold.
Happy Caturday! ROAR! Yes, it's fitting that this video was released today.