Press Story

The cat is back. Leaner, meaner and aesthetically cleaner, the new generation Cougar is an enthusiast's car, pure and simple. Mercury designers made a bold statement with the '99 model by sculpting the Cougar's trim profile with New Edge styling cues. New Edge is the latest in design, replacing soft, rounded contours with sharp, harder body lines.

Distinctive designs inspire creativity, and in the case of the new Cougar, no sooner was this cat out of the bag than unconventional thinkers at Ford's Special Vehicle Engineering group were ready to customize it.

Though conceived and executed by SVE, one of the primary goals of the Eliminator transformation project was to use off-the-shelf aftermarket high- performance components, so new Cougar owners could replicate many of the modifications and build a hot cat of their own.

With the Cougar's radical new styling driving the project, the intent was to accentuate rather than alter the car's distinctive body lines. To accomplish this and

visually lower the car, SVE installed a ground-effects package from Inform Designs. Inform also produced the rear spoiler and sheet-molded compound hood with an integral scoop that hints of something special lurking in Cougar's engine bay. The custom body work is highlighted by a stunning coat of PPG Harlequin Chrom-O-Flair paint, which changes hues depending on the light and angle of view.

In stock trim, the Cougar's new 2.5-liter, 24-valve DOHC Duratec V-6 produces a stout 170 horsepower at 6,250 rpm and 165 foot-pounds of torque at 4,250 rpm. The engine draws air through a K&N air filter to a Vortech supercharger that boosts performance significantly, allowing the Cougar to run with the world's fastest sports cars.

What would a custom Cougar be without a "cat-back" exhaust system? Eliminator gets its growl from a stainless steel Borla system with quad carbon fiber tips. At the other end of the performance spectrum, stopping power is enhanced by the addition of a massive set of Brembo four-wheel disc brakes with drilled rotors.

This cat claws at the road with aggressive 225/40R18 Goodyear Eagle GS F1 performance radials mounted on 18- by 8-inch Enkei VX-1 alloy wheels from TSW. Eliminator's ride height is lowered 1-1/2 inches by the addition of stiffer Eibach front and rear springs.

The interior wasn't forgotten in the transformation. Hidden behind the tinted side glass and distinctive Visteon Cougar rear window are a set of Recaro Sport seats. Other interior details include a leather and carbon fiber Momo steering wheel with integral air bag, a Hurst aluminum and carbon fiber shift knob and sport pedals. A set of custom floor mats from Visscher Caravelle add a finishing touch to the interior.

In Mercury's Cougar Eliminator, living life on the edge has its rewards.

In 2.5 liter form, this is a car that you could duplicate on your own.

According to John Coletti (Houston MCA show in September 1999), this engine has now grown to 3 liters and has gone from 250 horses to 325.

Related Press

FRANKFURT, 14 September, 1999 – Ford is promising a treat for driving enthusiasts, with the launch of the high performance 205 PS Ford Cougar ST200 early next year. The exhilarating coupé is making its public debut at the Frankfurt Show.

The Ford Cougar ST200 combines the sporty, free-revving, 2.5-litre V6 engine already acclaimed in the Mondeo ST200 with a unique suspension set-up optimised for agile handling. The result is a car that is exceptionally responsive and rewarding to drive.

"The inherent capabilities and purposeful looks of the Ford Cougar make it a natural choice for the application of performance technology and techniques that we’ve developed and honed in motorsport," says Will Boddie, Vice President of Ford’s Small and Medium Car Vehicle Centre. "Inspired by the responsive new engine, and with dynamics on the standard car that are already among the best in class, the Cougar ST200 team has been free to create a powerful sports coupé that really sets the pulse racing."

Increased power and uprated suspension

For the ST200, the power output of the Ford Cougar’s existing, all-aluminium, 24-valve V6 Duratec engine has been increased by more than 20 per cent, from 170 PS to 205 PS. Cylinder heads, camshafts, intake manifolds and the inlet and exhaust systems have all been tuned to develop both extra power and torque. In the Cougar ST200, the engine provides a top speed of 230 km/h and cuts the 0-100 km/h speed to 7.8 seconds.

To handle the extra power, the car’s suspension has been comprehensively retuned, with the clear objective of providing outstanding levels of handling. Overall stiffness has been substantially increased, with measures including the adoption of a larger rear anti-roll bar, while re-balancing of all the suspension elements ensures that the car’s ride comfort is still exemplary.

To suit the character of the Ford Cougar ST200, steering response has also been sharpened, with the emphasis on providing greater ‘feel’ for the driver around the centre point. As a result, the steering responds very directly to driver inputs, contributing further to the car’s performance appeal.

Sports styling details inside and out complete the high-specification package, including new 17-inch alloy wheels, a blue background to the instruments and supportive leather-covered seats. Both the front seats are heated and the driver’s seat has six-way power adjustment. Paint colours will include a new, metallic ice blue which will be exclusive to the Cougar ST200.

The Ford Cougar ST200 will go on sale early in the year 2000 in Germany and selected other European markets (Britain, France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland). Prices will be announced nearer launch.