1973 Mercury Cougar

The Mercury model line was positioned above the economy-minded Ford and below the luxury-oriented Lincoln. Offering affordability and aspirational appeal, the Mercury line offered a diverse lineup of six- and eight-cylinder cars on platforms that ranged from the compact 103-inch wheelbase Comet two-door to the large and well-equipped Marquis Brougham sedan.

The 1973 Mercury Cougar was part of the second generation Cougar, built from 1971 through 1973. Changes for its final year (before the third generation was introduced for 1974 and its platform was shifted from its Mustang origins to a different platform and into a new market as a personal luxury car) were minimal. Apart from slight changes to the taillights and the grille, the design was mostly a carryover from the prior year. Standard equipment included high-back bucket seats, wheel lip moldings, two-spoke color-keyed steering wheel, power front disc brakes, sequential turn signals, and a consolette with an ashtray. Body styles included a hardtop and convertible with this being the final run of Cougar convertibles. The base engine was an overhead valve V8 with 351 cubic-inch displacement and 168 (SAE) net horsepower. A 400 CID V8 with 171 horsepower, 429 CID with 198, and a 460 CID V8 with 267 were optional. A SelectShift automatic was standard with a four-speed manual being optional. A higher ratio axle and Traction-Lok differential were also available and made up just a few of the many options Mercury offered.

The two-door hardtop had a base price of $3,375 and the convertible at $3,730.

The Cougar XR-7 series came with chrome rocker panels, XR-7 emblems, a remote-control mirror, a vinyl roof, toggle switches, special wheel covers, a trip odometer, an alternator gauge, tachometer, map light, and oil pressure gauge. The high-back bucket seats had leather seating surfaces.

The XR-7 proved to be more popular than the base trim level, with 35,110 of the 2-door hardtop built compared to 21,069 on the base. There were 3,165 XR-7 Convertibles compared to 2,184 of the base Cougar. The XR-7 hardtop coupe had a base price of $3,680 and the XR-7 convertible was priced at $3,900.

The 1973 Mercury Cougar rested on a 112.1 inch wheelbase and had an overall length of 199.5 inches.

by Daniel Vaughan | Aug 2020