Seeing the success Ford was having with the 1971 subcompact Pinto, Mercury lobbied for its own version of the car. That wouldn’t come about until 1974 in Canada and the U.S. in 1975. The new Bobcat was a badge-engineered version of the Pinto with a higher level of trim (as you would expect of a Mercury). The seller has a running Bobcat from 1980 that has a few bumps and bruises. Located in West Jefferson, North Carolina, the little car has been available long enough here on Facebook Marketplace for the seller to drop the price to $3,900. Another tip from Barn Finder PRA4SNW.

The Bobcat first appeared at Canadian dealerships in 1974, and it was a barely disguised Pinto. A year later, Mercury’s American dealers got a car that was still obviously a Pinto derivative, but it was a bit fancier and had a grill that was more complex than the Pinto’s. Bobcat buyers had to decide if the Bobcat’s better trim level warranted a rather modest increase in the sticker price. Both hatchbacks and wagons were offered, with the latter selling in larger numbers (unlike the Ford Pinto).

The seller’s car has the standard 2.3-liter inline-4 and a 4-speed manual transmission. The same as you would find in a Pinto of the same model year. A V6 was offered, but found few takers (after all, the car was supposed to be easy on gas). This edition came with air conditioning from the factory, but that hardware appears to have disappeared.

This Merc wears a “custom” paint job, which we assume was one way that Mercury tried to differentiate the Bobcat from the lowly Pinto. The sheet metal has an assortment of dents, which you probably will overlook if you’re seeking cheap wheels. Rust seems to be minimal while the plaid-patterned upholstery appears to have held up nicely over 45 years. We’re told the little machine runs well but only comes with a bill of sale (North Carolina didn’t do titles in those days?).