1969 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Convertible
The 1969 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Convertible represented the first major redesign of the Cougar since its 1967 debut. As Mercury’s upscale take on the Ford Mustang pony car, the Cougar featured European-inspired luxury appointments while still delivering sports car performance.
For the 1969 model year, the Cougar saw more aggressive new front and rear styling with items like hidden headlights and vertically-oriented taillights.
The XR-7 solidified itself as the most opulent Cougar trim. Standard features included leather seat surfaces, wood-grain dashboard panels, a full suite of instrumentation including a tachometer, toggle switches, and other upscale details setting it apart from the base Cougar model. For driving enthusiasts who still wanted open-air thrills, the XR-7 package was also available for the Cougar convertible body style.
Under the sculpted hood, the 1969 XR-7 Convertible offered buyers a range of V8 engine options. The standard powerplant was a 351 cubic-inch V8, but even more powerful choices included the 390 cubic-inch and high-performance 428 cubic-inch Cobra Jet V8s.
This 428 CJ was Mercury’s answer to the era’s most potent engines from brands like Chevrolet, Dodge and Plymouth. The engine produced a conservative 335 horsepower and of all the 1969 XR-7 convertibles, only 173 had the Cobra Jet V8.
Already impeccably equipped inside and out, this rare ragtop Cougar could be customized further with options like air conditioning, power steering, power brakes, and styled steel wheels. Period documentation cements this 428 CJ XR-7’s provenance as one of Mercury’s highest-performing pony cars of the era.
For collectors today, these top-spec Cougars represent the pinnacle of Ford’s achievements in the muscle car wars of the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Credit: Mecum
