CarDomain Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot: the 1968 Mercury Cougar XR7-G

By Jim Brennan

UDMan

Welcome to the CarDomain Obscure Muscle Car Parking Lot, a regular feature which aims to expand the notion of what a muscle car is, and to showcase cars you may never have thought existed. Lincoln-Mercury introduced the Mercury Cougar during the 1967 model year, and by this time almost all the automakers were competing in the hotly contested “Pony Car” arena, so called because they were all modeled after the highly successful Ford Mustang. In 1967, Dan Gurney signed on with Lincoln Mercury to campaign the Cougar in Group II Sedan Racing (Then called Trans Am). There was the obligatory dress up package called the “Dan Gurney Special” for both 1967 and 1968, which included a decal, and other items. However, Lincoln-Mercury Dealers wanted something special, and Ford provided a “Status” car similar to the Shelby Mustangs, that was contracted to Shelby Automotive. Introducing the 1968 Mercury Cougar XR7-G.

Continue reading after the jump!

The XR7-G started life as a high option XR-7 produced at the Dearborn Assembly plant during 1968. Under the terms of Shelby America Inc., the cars were sent off to another subcontractor, A.O. Smith, to perform the upfit of all the items that made the XR-7 an XR7-G. And what were those items?
- Replacement of the front valance panel, and installation of Lucas Fog Lamps
- A Unique Fiberglass Hood
- Racing Style Hood Pins with cables
- A third extra loud horn
- Bullet shaped remote adjustable racing style mirror
- Leather wrapped steering wheel with a gold emblem in the middle
- Leather covered center console with unique toggle switches, which included radio, and rally clock.
- Special Wood Shifter with gold emblem embedded
- Leather Covered door pulls on both doors
- Dual exhause system with a special “pipe in pipe” styling, with a rear valance cutout
- Special Badging with logos on headlamp cover, roof pillars and trunk latch cover.
- Spoked Wheels made by Rader Wheel Company, later recalled and substituted with Chrome Styles Steel Wheels

As if this wasn’t complicated enough, there was a third subcontractor involved if the car was scheduled to have a sunroof installed. The cars were shipped to American Sunroof Corporation. ASC would install the Sunroof, new headliner, and a vinyl top, before the cars went into the Ford distribution system for sale or lease, and in some instances, under a special rental contract with Hertz. About those Special Hertz XR7G’s, there were 188 ordered by Hertz, all with the Marauder 390 CID 4bbl producing 325 HP. They all were equipped with the C6 Select Shift Automatic, Performance Handling Package, Power Steering, Power Disc Brakes, Air Conditioning, Tilt Wheel, and the ASC Sunroof. All were leases to Hertz, and then sold as used cars through Lincoln Mercury showrooms.

There were 5 different engines that were part of the XR7-G package: The 302 CID in either 2bbl Carburetor (210HP), of 4bbl Carburetor (230HP), the 390 CID with either a 2bbl (280HP), or 4bbl Carburetor (325HP), or the 428 CID 4bbl Cobra Jet, producing 335HP. There were 3 different transmissions available, the 3 Speed standard, the 4 Speed Stick, or the Automatic. Oddly, there was only 1 three speed XR7-G produced, with the majority being the 390 4bbl automatic combination produced. Total production of the XR7-G amounted to only 619. There were only 14 built with the 428.

Well, there doesn’t seem to be any CarDomain members who have a 1968 Cougar XR7-G, at least not at the moment. If you do know of someone who has one, have them set up a ride page. We’s all like to see it. So there you have it, an extremely rare Cougar veriant, subcontracted out to three different suppliers during the 1968 model year. I know the Cougar isn’t all that obscure, but this variant sure qualifies. But is it obscure enough to get invited to the Parking Lot, or is it just another overblown “Pony Car”? Let me know, and start suggesting other Obscure Iron in your comments below.