The third-generation Cougars were only made for three years and I think they’re the last of the really beautiful Cougars, coming in only a two-door body style and with nicely proportioned flowing lines. Ok, the bumpers don’t help, but other than that, this 1976 Mercury Cougar XR-7 can be found posted here on craigslist in Taunton, Massachusetts and the seller is asking $6,900. Here is the original listing, and thanks to Mitchell G. for the tip!
“Elegant, sophisticated XR-7 is a unique breed of cat – the luxurious full-sized car that puts you way out in front of the pack! Refined through years of continuing design and engineering improvements, Cougar XR-7 for 1976 has undergone extensive fine tuning and other engineering advancements making it an even more technically sophisticated road machine!” So says a 1976 brochure.
At $6,900, this ’76 Cougar is a hands-down steal as the seller has recently put $6,500 into it. They say it was spent on “recent work”, but don’t say what that consisted of. Whatever it was for, it’s $6,500 less than you’ll have to spend on it. The third-gen Cougars were only made for the 1974, 1975, and 1976 model years and then all of the sexy smoothness went away for several years. Sleek Cougars would return for the sixth-generation two-door-only cars in 1984 and again, somewhat, in the seventh-generation cars in 1989. By then, chrome bumpers had been long retired, although Ford sure didn’t spend too much time in the design studio making these bumpers work both pragmatically and aesthetically.
The interior is gorgeous and other than some light creases on the driver’s side power seat bottom, I don’t see a flaw inside. Sadly, though, there are only two interior photos, both concentrating on the front seats. There are no back seat photos, no trunk photos, no underside photos, and (you saw this one coming) no engine photos.
The armrests look good but I’d much rather see an engine photo, I don’t know about you. This one has Ford’s 351-cu.in. OHV V8 with around 154 horsepower and 256 lb-ft of torque. They say it runs good and this car sure looks good to me for their asking price. You can’t get much in the vintage car world for less than $7,000 anymore. Have any of you owned a third-generation Cougar?
My Buddy had a 75 red over white buckets and console 351 auto.
car was amazing drove nice and rode great. always envied it.
Not to be CATTY 😻 , but while this is a good looking Cougar at a great price. BUT I prefer the next generation. In 77, I tried to buy an XR7. Really wanted that black beauty, but dealer would not deal, wanting full retail price, even though the 78s were about to be put out. List price $7,200 🤔. After several attempts with no success, I bought a triple black 77 Monte Carlo, List $6,350 and great trade in. Still love those 77-79 Cougars!
What sold more Cougars; the style, value or the cat on the end of Farrah’s leash?
MEOW! 🐈 😻 💋! Also recall Catherine Deaneauve 🤔 (famous model) cattily reclining on full size Mercurys. 😀
I definitely agree regarding the design-change which came in ’77… both the T-Bird and Cougar were dropdead gorgeous, and were hugely successful/big sellers.
These ’74 to ’76 Cougars were not distinctive-looking whatsoever, nothing more than tarted-up Torino’s. Ford didn’t put much effort into it.
But man-O-man, with the ’77 model, Ford hit it out of the ballpark.
My uncle had a 460 powered 76 XR-7 yellow outside with brown and beige inside in vinyl. I was in my early teens but i remember my unc talking with my dad about the lousy millage he got. On a good day he usually got 9 mpg’s
I like these Cougars; I agree with Scotty’s “nicely proportioned flowing lines” comment. I even don’t mind the big bumpers, or maybe I’ve just gotten used to them. I like the blue/blue/blue. It has the cool full instrumentation. Could be a nice cruiser for not much money.
My 1st new car that I actually could order the way I wanted it. A triple black 76 XR7 with bucket seats and a console. Ordered it right before the cut off date and only had 2 engine choices a 460 or 351 Windsor ,I went with the 351. Not many ordered with out A/C , the salesman thought I was crazy but at the time I didn’t want it so no power seats no power windows ,it was $5,400 and that car was one that I wish I never sold it because you never see a triple black one. So if anyone knows where one is post it on Barn Finds
This is a really sharp looking car. Although not bad looking cars it was better looking than the Elite or the ’77 model. Does the vinyl top appear missing to anyone else? Who wouldn’t want to roll around in this?
My first car was a ‘76 xr7. White with brown beige buckets and console. Lot of good things happened in that car! Would love to see one of these Restomoded. Tuck the bumpers, no vinyl top or moldings, air ride and a nice coyote under the hood.
I had a 76 XR-7. Silver with red interior all power. I still miss that car. It came with the 460 cu in. I got 10 to 12 mpg in the summer and 6-8 in the winter. I didn’t care gas was cheap.
Had a 79 after that with a 302 cu in it was a nice car but not the 76.
Amazingly nice lines for a land yacht. I love ‘67-‘68 Cougars ‘69-‘71 have grown on me. After that- 👎🏻
Great looking car! Love all the sea of blue!
A guy I used to know had one of these and it was white with a red interior. The interesting thing that he did to this car and also a Chevy Malibu wagon he had is that he cut off the section of roof directly above the front seats and turned both cars into a targa top. Not sure how much that affected the rigidity of the overall car, but it’s certainly made for great cars to cruise around in. He made a tonneau cover with some imitation leather/vinyl and it had snaps that he would put on it when it rained. Very cool!
I really like the triple blue, very attractive. If I had this one, I would figure out some way to get rid of those gawd awful bumpers. Since it would just be a weekend cruiser for me, I wouldn’t be too worried about a fender bender happening to me. I can imagine that the flowing looks of the car would really shine without those diving boards at each end.
6500 spent, “lost the receipts” or, “the receipts are at my parent’s house”………………all for a 3K car at best.
You obviously haven’t looked at classic car prices in the last 10 years. $3000 won’t get you a Yugo, in bad shape.
I’m well versed in classic cars and that Ford is an ugly POS, worth not more than I mentioned. If there are suckers out there willing to pay more, that’s a different story.
I have a 69 El Camino and a 41 New Yorker which is being totally customized. My 41 was an ugly POS like this Ford, but extensive body mods have it looking pretty good. Even if I put 80K into it, which I figure I will, even with what prices are for desirable cars, my custom 41 would never fetch more than 30K. So, what classic cars are worth, means zero when one is talking about a non desirable model.
I love the 76 Cougars especially the RX7 with the two tone leather interior. These Mercs had so much class. I hope it finds a good home.
I bought one new in 76. $7,700.00. It was my first new car. Everyone else my age was still buying beat up muscle cars.
That price seems high. I purchased a new 1976 Camaro, 350, Auto, AC for $5.6K. As bad as the Camaro rusted I guess I should have gotten a Cougar instead. I have always liked this model Cougar, but I still would prefer the Camaro.