Closest modern approximation to a Mercury Cougar

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I have owned both a 1988 and 1992 Mercury Cougar XR-7, both with a 5.0 V8. Even with all the cool cars I've owned/driven since then, I remember them both (especially the '92) very fondly. I sold that one with 168K on the odometer with nary a problem except for normal maintenance and a small rear main oil leak near the end of its life with me.

If I wanted to buy a car today, new or used less than 5 years old that most closely resembled those cars in style/character/dynamics, what do you think it would be? I have my own opinion, but don't want to color anyone's judgement at this time. Thanks!
 
Wow. I still have an '86 Cougar and a '90 Cougar out in the garage.

I guess I hadn't ever thought about this.
 
Happy birthday, and maybe sell them to the OP.
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: Leo99
Dodge Challenger


+1


+2 , more of a boulevard cruiser than pony car.
 
I knew people who had Thunderbirds from that era (late 80s) and I can't think of any modern day cars that are comparable. I think of the Thunderbird/Cougar as a luxury coupe.
 
The camry solara would have been close but they stopped making those a decade back.

A gentleman's coupe, with soft springs etc. A V6 solara could beat any stock 80s Cougar.
 
Originally Posted By: eljefino
The camry solara would have been close but they stopped making those a decade back.

A gentleman's coupe, with soft springs etc. A V6 solara could beat any stock 80s Cougar.


You would be incorrect.

The 83-88 Cougar was based on the Fox platform. An 87/88 when equipped with the 5.0L and the 5spd should be able to run a comparable ET to a similar vintage Mustang.

Now, a quick google yielded the V6 Solara running 15's in the low 90Mph range. My '87 GT T-top, which was a porker, was low 14's @ 99Mph, and that was with the heavy glass roof. the LX coupe's were faster.

Now, when the Cougar was switched to the MN12 platform with the T-Bird, it got heavier and slower. But the Fox cars would have been reasonable quick, particularly with the SEFI 5.0L and the 5spd.
 
Thank you for the responses. 2 door and RWD are a minimum criteria for me.

Prior to reading your replies my first 2 choices were a Dodge Challenger and a Mustang GT, but also a Lexus RC350 or a Benz E class coupe, although one could argue that the last 2 are more similar to a Lincoln Mark VIII which was also a very cool car. I have driven Mark VIIs and VIIIs, but never owned either one. An Infinity Q60 or even the last model year G37 might be considered as well. I did not think about the Cadillac coupe, but that's more of the Lincoln thing again in my mind. I've never driven one but hear they are nice, if a little trouble prone at times. I actually like the previous generation CTS coupe a lot.

From this list, I think the Dodge Challenger in one of its non-Hellcat V8 forms would most closely resemble the Cougar XR-7, but I'd have to think long and hard about actually purchasing one new or lightly used, and I do really like the Scat-pack car for what it is. I know it was a long time ago, but I had an early model Dodge Intrepid that drove great when new, but quickly started to self destruct after 40K miles and it was truly one of the worst cars I've ever owned reliability wise (I had a Jaguar XJ6 that was more dependable and less trouble prone!) I told myself I would not purchase another Dodge/Chrysler product after that.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
If you jumped to a 2007 Camry V6, you get a 1/4 mile in 14.3 seconds at 99 mph!


Not surprising really, given the Solara's additional heft.

So hey, a 2007 Camry V6 would give a stock Fox body a good run
grin.gif
 
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