Vehicle Description
1989 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Hardtop
Since its introduction in 1967 and with little exception, the
Mercury Cougar shared its chassis and bodyshell with its Ford
counterparts. The seventh generation spanned 1989 to 1997 and was a
counterpart to the Ford Thunderbird, sharing the MN12 platform. In
1989 the only engine available was the 3.8 liter V6, marking the
first time a V8 was not available in a Cougar. This was because the
lowered hood line could not accommodate the larger V8. In 1991, a
redesigned intake manifold allowed the V8 to return.
For consignment, a 1989 Mercury Cougar with a supercharged V6 and a
title verified 50,874 actual miles. According to our consignor, the
car was ordered new and owned first by a Mercury executive and has
some unique specifications as a result. It is one of 2,200 XR-7 5
speeds produced in '89 and has been a feature car at the 50th
anniversary of the Cougar at the 2017 Carlisle Ford Nationals as
well as a celebrity pick for the 1980's-1990's Cougar class along
with 3rd in its class at the 2018 Carlisle Ford Nationals. A Marti
report, the original build sheet, and service records from 2016 to
present accompany the car.
Exterior
Solid black paint covers the car and looks especially good with the
black grille, and black accent lines on the large rear tail lights.
The long flat hood transitions seamlessly to the composite
headlights and onto the body keyed bumper cover, while a prominent
Cougar emblem is front and center. More emblems are found on the
fenders where XR7 tops a subtle warning, supercharged! The profile
of the car is distinct and differs from the Thunderbird as the rear
quarter window is large and square and the C-pillar is square,
flanking a perfectly vertical rear window. The rear edges are also
statelier and more upright while the sport mirrors and 15-inch 7
spoke wheels hint at some less serious intentions. Overall, the
paint is in very good condition with some minor scuffs on lower
portions of the car are the only exterior detriments.
Interior
Cloth inserts and contoured armrests dress up the door panels that
look great. They contain parts of the JBL audio system which
appears on this car without the requisite "luxury group" option, a
special concession for the executive owner. Gray cloth bucket seats
occupy the front with prominent side bolsters with electric
adjustments that alter the seats in 12 ways for optimum comfort;
these are available on the passenger seat as well. This was the era
of automatic seatbelts that followed a track in the door and locked
you in after you shut the door. The rear bench is also made of gray
cloth and three sets of seat belts and these seats fold down
allowing access to the trunk, a feature normally reserved for the
leather interior option. A sporty black steering wheel is in great
shape and the 6 gauge pod is simple and clean. A canted cluster in
the center stack houses the AM/FM/Cassette radio below a panel of
information displayed in period green illumination. Below that are
the climate controls with metal colored buttons and a CD player for
the upgraded audio package. The shifter is in the center console
along with a parking brake, which shows some wear on its leather
handle. Low pile gray carpet and the headliner that surrounds the
sunroof are in good condition. Gray flannel covers the clean trunk
which has a low lift over and sizable interior.
Drivetrain
The 3.8 liter V6 engine under the hood is boosted with an Eaton M90
supercharger that is intercooled, netting a horsepower rating of
210. Fuel injected and rowed through the gears via the Mazda M50D
5-speed manual transmission, the horses are sent to the rear wheels
where it finds 2.73 gears in the axle. Power disc brakes are at
work on all four wheels. The engine bay is clean and displays the
unique air intake pipe embossed with "Supercharged" in large
letters.
Undercarriage
A very clean underside doesn't exclude surface rust on parts of the
exhaust and rear axle. There's no residual or leaking oil, no built
up dirt or grime to speak of, and bushings and boots look good. The
single exhaust comes from the engine and splits near the back where
it enters a pair of mufflers sending back two simple tailpipes.
Mercury touted the independent suspension at both ends and we find
MacPherson struts in the front and coil springs in the rear.
Drive-Ability
Late model 3.8 liter supercharged engines are not uncommon at the
mall, but having rear wheel drive a stick with one is. This is a
car that was designed with form and comfort in mind, but functions
with equal credibility. It's a smooth power with good acceleration
and we imagine at highway speeds, this is quite the mover. Around
our loop, it's a tame big cat that purrs with a bit of a roar just
under the right foot. Shifts are smooth and braking is more than
adequate. We're happy to report that all operations work as they
should.
This body style was used in the Daytona 24 hour race in 1989 and
won first in class. The IMSA cars were sponsored by Stroh's, built
by Roush, and one of them is housed in a museum not far from us.
The race cars are cool, but so is this street version.
Supercharged, stick shifted, low mileage, and black, it's a winning
combination for the race in Gen 7 Cougar desirability.
1MEPM62R4KH673586
1-USA
M-Mercury
E-Passenger Car
P-Automatic Belts
M62-Cougar XR7 Hardtop
R-3.8 Liter Supercharged V6
4-Check Digit
K-1990
H-Lorain, OH Assy Plant
673586-Sequential Unit Number
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in
person.
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