[Auto] 1968 Cougar GT-E 428 CJ: The Rare Factory Sleeper From the Golden Age of Muscle

[Aronus]

As early as 1963, when Ford was preparing to launch the Mustang, the Lincoln-Mercury division had developed a styling study for an upscale companion based on the same underpinnings.

Though confident about the Mustang's potential, Ford instructed Lincoln-Mercury to put a hold on their pony car version and wait to see how the new Blue Oval-badged model performs.

By 1966, the Mustang was an unquestionable hit, so Mercury got the green light to develop its upscale version.

While the initial plan was to just redesign the front and rear ends of the Mustang, Mercury decided to go a few steps forward and deliver much more than just a rebadged variant.

Unleashed on public roads for the 1967 model year, the Mercury pony car dubbed Cougar was built around a slightly longer version of the Mustang's chassis.

Moreover, the model received its own distinct bodywork. Though it looked somewhat similar to the Mustang hardtop, the Cougar was redesigned from bumper to bumper and shared no body panels or trims with its Ford sibling.

Like the Mustang, the Cougar was a hit. While it didn't break its cousin's sales records, it accounted for almost 40% of the Lincoln-Mercury division's sales for the 1967 model year and received the "Car of the Year" distinction from Motor Trend magazine.

 

1968 Cougar GT-E 428 CJ: The Rare Factory Sleeper From the Golden Age of Muscle - autoevolution