Cougar press photos / reference pics

Thanks Gemma, interesting back end...

autowp.ru_mercury_cougar_eliminator_concept_4.jpg
 
Sorry I didn't mean Thundercat... was referring to SEMA. Not doubting you can get more out of the Cleveland V6 with tuning, boring, turbos or super chargers etc
Seen some mad Mondeos
 
I think it's worth preserving the text, even if the content differs to my understanding (or is more US-centric).

A Look Back At The 2001 Mercury Cougar C2​

BYPARAM DAVIES
PUBLISHED FEB 17, 2022

The 2001 Mercury Cougar C2 was a hit back in the day, and even after two decades, the automotive world has not seen a car like it.
The Mercury Cougar was introduced in 1999 and added two new models in 2001. Cougar came out with the Cougar Zn and Cougar C2 in 2001. The Cougar C2 was a hit among the masses. The new design enhancements on the exterior and the convenience and comfort perks in the interior made it an ideal choice. There were serious upgrades in the engine and performance as well. Enthusiasts were awestruck by the C2, and it became highly famous, mainly among the younger crowd. The superior design and the funky looks were the trends at the time, and Mercury was able to deliver exactly that to the customers with the Cougar C2.
The Mercury Cougar C2 of 2001 was a sensation back in 2001. The elegant design and comfortable interior became immensely popular among the drivers. Many perks to the 2001 Cougar made it stand out from its predecessors.

The Engine And Performance​

Under the hood, the C2 packed a 2.5-liter V6 that could produce up to 170 HP at 6,250 RPM and 165 lb-ft of torque at 4,250 RPM. When needed, the car offered plenty of pickups, but it was linked to a four-speed automatic tranny. Other modifications to the 2001 Cougars included improved front and rear suspensions to cut and smooth the ride and higher-ratio rack-and-pinion steering gear for better control. The vehicle had smooth handling; its suspension was tight and soaked up bumps in the road, making them almost unnoticeable.

It had crisp steering, as one would expect from a sporty car. The fuel economy on a 2001 Cougar C2 was around 29 MPG on the highway and 20 MPG in the city.


An Elegant Exterior Design​

The Cougar C2 certainly had a head-turning style. An energetic look is featured in the front and rear fascia. Apart from this, the seamless grilles and graphics treatments aimed to attract a more youthful audience. The updated features were intended to raise sales, giving the Cougar C2 a good position in the strained compact coupe segment. Mercury offered various exterior paint options for the Cougar C2. There were Distinct French Blue,


Silver Frost, Vibrant White, and Black paint jobs to choose from.

Cougar combined the sleek rounded main forms with creased straight-edge detail. Cat-eye headlamps with smoked lenses, large triangular taillights, sculpted doors, hood, and the character line that runs along the lower portion of the greenhouse are other distinctive features.

Interior Features Of The Cougar C2​

The C2’s interior featured a conventional control layout with a decidedly unconventional appearance. The front passenger seat slid forward when the backrest was folded, allowing riders to access the backseat. It returned to the preset position once the riders were secured in the back. The rear seats were firm and placed the rider high in the car. Taller riders found it difficult as there was limited headroom, and tall heads were squashed into the headliner.

2001 saw a notably updated interior in the Cougar C2. A CD player now came as a standard. The door handles had a perforated black material. The new steering wheel featured revised cruise control switches and a Cougar head emblem. A new instrument cluster with a satin aluminum face and graphics, a new gauge surrounded by rings and pointers, and a new cluster shroud with a technical grain were embedded in the car. Most components were refinished with a new appearance, and others were painted with satin aluminum paint.



The Price Tag On A Cougar C2​

The Cougar C2 came with a refreshed interior and sports styling. These upgrades brought the starting price of a C2 to $19,715, including a $475 destination and delivery charge. This was only the starting price, and there were plenty of customizable options available to increase safety, security, and comfort. These enhancements could cause serious differences in the price. It was believed that the optional extras brought the price up to $22,800.

Overall, the C2 was an intelligent addition to the Cougar lineup by Mercury. The different design and comfort features equipped in the car made it an instant sensation among drivers. It was somewhat of a trendsetter at the time. The different enhancements proved to be quite helpful. The C2 earned a spot among the best-selling cars in its sector at the time. There were some downsides to the car, like the limited headroom that proved to be inconvenient for tall riders. There were problems with the automatic transmission in a sporty car, and some hardcore drivers felt the need for a manual transmission. Getting to the back row was difficult for some people as it required sliding the front passenger seat.
Nevertheless, the car was a major hit back in 2001. The young drivers loved the abundance of features provided in the car. Although there were ups and downs to the Cougar C2 of 2001, it had one of the best sales records at the time.
Post automatically merged:

Also, the images from the article:
1676385650545.png
1676385670976.png
1676385711796.png
1676385737320.png
(Note the text only mentions the automatic version yet the image is of a manual 2002 facelifted interior).
1676385758258.png
I waited about ½hour between posting the text and submitting the next post with the images (I intended them to be in separate posts) but still the forum automerged them.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: David`
Great stuff, lots of bits we did not get which probably did not help with sales in this country, colour options for one, special edions, options, even little things like a front cup holder and to go to press with the cougar s then pull it is daft, if a limited run had been built it would have looked like ford had some faith in the model ☹️
 
  • Like
Reactions: tiff