There's a Cougar on the prowl, and Ford Motor Company's Lincoln-Mercury division has it. Cougar XJ7 is Mercury's mid-size, rear-wheel drive, two-door coupe. Cougar XJ7's suggested retail price starts at $16,690. This figure includes an impressive list of standard equipment including: 4-speed automatic transmission; air conditioning; power steering; power windows; tilt steering wheel; power mirrors; reclining bucket seats and AM/FM cassette stereo. Dual air bags were added as standard equipment last year. However, traction control, and anti-lock brakes, both which help maintain vehicle stability on slippery surfaces, are optional. Drivers desiring additional creature comforts have several 'package groups' to choose from. Group one includes rear window defogger and illuminated entry. Group two includes cruise control, leather-wrapped steering wheel and alloy wheels. Group three includes power lock package and power driver's seat. Our burgundy red test drive model included all three option groups plus power moonroof, keyless entry, upgraded stereo and dual six-way power seats. Our well-equipped Cougar's bottom line added up to $22,175. Cougar's wheelbase, defined as the distance between the front and rear axle, measures 113 inches, very large for a mid-size vehicle. Its wheelbase is two inches longer than the full-size Buick LeSabre's. Rear-wheel drive and a long wheel base provide excellent handling characteristics. Cougar's overall length is 199.9 inches. Under the hood, our Cougar XJ7 was powered by an optional 4.6-liter V-8 engine with 205 horsepower producing 4,500 crankshaft revolutions per minute. This is the same engine found in the full-size Mercury Grand Marquis. The engine is smoother and quieter than the standard 3.8-liter V-6 engine with 140 horsepower. Since Cougar weighs in at a hefty 3,533 pounds, the larger V-8 engine is recommended. Inside, the uncluttered wraparound interior is convenient to use. Temperature controls are dial activated, and a digital display keeps occupants abreast of outside and inside temperatures. Radio preset, power and base buttons are easy to reach, but a bit small. Power window buttons, located on both doors are large, and easy to locate even at night. Map holders also are found in each door. Cars equipped with the optional CD player now can feed disks directly into the in-dash system. This differs from previous years when a CD magazine was mounted in the truck. A center console between the front bucket seats houses a deep storage bin. When opened, this center storage compartment doubles as a dual cup holder. A template flips down from the storage bin cover, resting on top of the opened bin, creating two 12-ounce can/cup holders. Fuel tank and trunk release are also found in the storage bin. Front buckets seats are very comfortable even after extended periods of highway driving. Leg room is adequate and headroom is very good considering our model featured the optional moonroof, which sometimes can rob a car's interior of valuable head space. As with most two-door sporty coupes, back seat travelers are in for a tight squeeze. Since Cougar is a rear-wheel drive vehicle, back seat passengers must contend with a transaxle running from the engine to the back axle, creating a center floor bump. Preteens make ideal back seat passengers. It's hard to believe Cougar received its last major redesign back in 1989. It's distinctive exterior is easy to spot in a parking lot filled with look alike mid-size vehicles. Cougar's fuel tank holds 18 gallons of unleaded fuel. Mercury estimates fuel economy for its V-8 overhead cam engines at 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. Our test model clocked in at 20 mpg combined city and highway driving. Cougar and its corporate cousin, the Ford Thunderbird are assembled in Lorian, Ohio. |
