The Mercury Cougar was originally introduced in 1967, and continued uninterrupted until the rear-wheel drive Thunderbird-based Cougar ended production in 1997. After a one-year absence, this new, very different Cougar would appear as a 1999 model. Based on the Mercury MC2 concept car from 1997, the new Cougar was introduced at the 1998 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, and was scheduled to go on sale in May 1998. Based on the Ford Contour and Mercury Mystique, the new Cougar shares about 70 percent of its parts with the sedans, including the chassis, engines and transmissions. Unlike the sedans, the new Cougar is a front-wheel drive, four-seat, two-door hatchback, and is Mercury’s first production model to feature its New Edge design, which is based on using distinct creases to accent rounded and flowing shapes. Bold, sheer surfaces are accented by a sharp, rising belt line that starts at the front bumper and extends to the rear, ending at the rear bumper and the shardlike triangular wraparound tail light lenses. The New Edge designs allows for minimal spacing between the bumper moldings and the sheet-metal panels, and crisp corners where the hood meets the darkened lenses of the four-beam projector headlights. The Cougar is available with a 125-horsepower 2.0-liter dual overhead cam inline 4-cylinder engine or a 170-horsepower 2.5-liter 24-valve dual overhead cam Duratec V6, with either a standard 5-speed manual or optional 4-speed automatic transmission. The Cougar comes standard with anti-lock brakes and front air bags, with optional side airbags mounted in the side of the front seats.
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