1970 Mercury Cougar
The 1970 Mercury Cougar represented the third and final year of the first generation for Mercury's sporty personal luxury car. While sharing its platform with the Ford Mustang, the Cougar distinguished itself with a more refined and upscale image, a longer wheelbase, and unique styling cues that appealed to a slightly more mature buyer seeking a touch of sportiness without the raw edge of its pony car cousin.
Key Characteristics and Styling:
The 1970 Cougar maintained the distinctive "cat" styling that had defined its predecessors, but with some notable updates.
- Front End: The most significant visual change for 1970 was the introduction of a prominent, horizontally-split grille. This grille, often referred to as the "egg crate" style, featured a central vertical divider and gave the Cougar a more aggressive and sophisticated front-end appearance. The iconic hidden headlights remained, retracting behind doors when not in use, a signature feature of the first-generation Cougar. The front fenders were also restyled, featuring integrated turn signal indicators.
- Body Style: The Cougar was available in two primary body styles: a two-door hardtop coupe and a two-door convertible. Both offered a sleek, fastback-like profile with a pronounced C-pillar on the coupe.
- Rear End: The rear of the 1970 Cougar featured a distinctive taillight treatment. Gone were the segmented horizontal taillights of previous years, replaced by a wider, single-piece taillight panel with three vertical segments on each side. This gave the rear a cleaner, more contemporary look.
- Interior: Inside, the Cougar continued to offer a more luxurious and comfortable environment than the Mustang. Standard features often included bucket seats, wood-grain interior trim, a padded steering wheel, and a more extensive dashboard with a tachometer and oil pressure gauge. Available options further enhanced the luxury and sportiness, such as power windows, air conditioning, and upgraded sound systems.
Model Lineup and Trim Levels:
The 1970 Mercury Cougar offered several trim levels to cater to different buyer preferences:
- Cougar (Base Model): This was the entry-level offering, still well-equipped with a comfortable interior and a good array of standard features.
- Cougar XR-7: The XR-7 remained the premium performance and luxury model. It typically featured more aggressive styling cues, a wood-grain dashboard with additional gauges, leather or vinyl bucket seats, and often came with more powerful engine options as standard or readily available.
Powertrain Options:
Mercury offered a range of V8 engine options for the 1970 Cougar, providing buyers with choices from respectable performance to outright power:
- 2V and 4V Versions of Ford's 351 Windsor: A popular choice, the 351 cubic inch V8 was available in both two-barrel (2V) and four-barrel (4V) carburetor configurations. The 2V offered good everyday drivability, while the 4V provided a noticeable increase in horsepower.
- 429 Cobra Jet: For the performance-minded enthusiast, the potent 429 Cobra Jet V8 was an option, delivering substantial horsepower and torque, often paired with the competition suspension package.
- 429 Super Cobra Jet: An even more potent variant of the 429, the Super Cobra Jet offered enhanced performance through upgrades like a Ram Air induction system and a more aggressive camshaft.
Transmission options typically included a three-speed manual, a four-speed manual, and Ford's C6 SelectShift automatic transmission.
Performance and Handling:
While often overshadowed by its Mustang sibling in terms of outright performance image, the 1970 Cougar was no slouch. The available V8 engines provided ample power for spirited driving. The Cougar's longer wheelbase and slightly heavier curb weight generally contributed to a more comfortable and stable ride compared to the Mustang. However, with optional performance packages, including upgraded suspension and brake components, the Cougar could deliver a surprisingly engaging driving experience.
Market Position and Legacy:
The 1970 Mercury Cougar occupied a unique niche in the automotive market, bridging the gap between the sporty Mustang and more traditional personal luxury cars. It appealed to buyers who wanted a stylish, comfortable, and capable coupe with a touch of performance. While the first generation of the Cougar concluded with the 1970 model, its distinctive styling and upscale persona left a lasting impression and it remains a sought-after classic for collectors and enthusiasts today. The 1970 model, with its bold grille and refined styling, stands as a strong representation of Mercury's foray into the personal luxury sports coupe segment.