68 Cougar
What I feel is one of the most overlooked, but classic American muscle cars of its time was the 68 Cougar. Many of the Cougar models were not as highly regarded as compared to the Pontiac and Ford models, but I believe the 68 model was most likely the best produced in this series (in terms of power, weight and handling). The looks were also nice and streamlined, but not as bold (in my opinion anyway) as other more popular muscle cars of that time and era.
Thus the 1968 Cougar stepped into the scene being available as a 2 door hardtop and it was available in three different models. It was not until late 1969 that convertibles would be added on the shortlist.
When it came to the wheelbase of this year’s model, it was 3 in longer than that of the Mustang (111 inches in total). There were also some options you could go with in order to have a more luxurious variant of the Cougar. Thus, for as little as $200 more you could have more refined interiors for people to admire. When it came to the base price this car started at, you needed to scour your pockets for $2851. The 1968 Cougar featured a 200 BHP 289 CID V8 engine compared to that of a Mustang which would be a six. If you were a speed maniac or you just loved to have those adrenaline levels rushing through your body you could go with the massive 335 BHP 428 CID Cj option which would be available as an extra options starting with the 1970s model.
The best looking Cougars were those which featured the hidden headlamps within the electric shaver grille, the crispy tailored lines and a matching back panel with sequential turn signals, which were nonetheless a Ford Thunderbird gimmick. The width and length for these models had also been on the rise and they featured sweep spear body side contours reminiscent of those of the Buick, full width tail lights and a side glass which would not feature any vents.
Even though Mustang’s popularity was never to be touched by Cougar, it sported out a more elegant and solid look. Thus the production numbers in the first year reached 150000 units, 114000 units in 1968, 100000 in 1069 and something around 72000 in the 1970s.
