1968 Mercury Cougar XR-7

Description

OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE

“Cougar XR7. It’s where luxury meets muscle.” The 1968 Mercury Cougar XR7 was a refined evolution of Mercury’s original pony car, introduced in 1967 as a more upscale alternative to the Ford Mustang. Positioned as a luxury sport coupe, the XR7 trim elevated the Cougar with European-inspired styling and premium features. It featured a distinctive split grille with hidden headlights, sequential rear turn signals, and a more formal roofline.

“Inside, the Cougar XR7 surrounds you with the look of fine imported cars — leather-grained vinyl, simulated walnut burl, and full instrumentation,” Mercury said. The XR7 package gave it a more sophisticated interior than its competitors.

Under the hood, buyers could choose from a range of V8 engines, including the standard 302, optional 390, and the high-performance 428 Cobra Jet, introduced mid-year in 1968. This made the Cougar XR7 not just stylish, but also a serious performer.

The Cougar XR7 helped Mercury carve out a niche in the muscle car era, appealing to buyers who wanted performance plus luxury and 27,221 units of the XR7 were produced in 1968.

Highlights

• Rebuilt 302 cu-in V8 with Edelbrock top end kit and Thunder series carburetor

• Three-speed automatic transmission

• Power assisted front disc brakes

• Larger aluminum radiator

• BFGoodrich Radial T/A tires

• The chassis number (8F93F539565) decodes as:

  • 8 – Model year 1968

  • F – Dearborn, Michigan, final assembly plant

  • 93 – Body style Cougar XR7 Hardtop

  • F – 302 cu-in V8, two-barrel carburetor engine code

  • 539565 – Production sequence number

Features

• Maintenance completed in July 2025 includes:

  • New fuel tank

  • New carburetor

  • New sending unit with low fuel warning

  • New fuel filter

  • New fuel lines

• Signature vacuum-operated headlights covers

• Sequential rear turn signals

• XR7 badging

• Vinyl roof

• Leather/vinyl bucket seats

• Simulated burl wood trim on the dash, console, and door panels

• Full Instrumentation including tachometer and clock

• Overhead console with map lights and warning indicators

Known Imperfections

• There are small signs of body work done by the previous owner

• There are two small tears on the top of the rear bench seat

• Slight paint imperfection near the rear spoiler on the trunk

Included

• Original dealer warranty card

• Owner’s manual

• Dealer brochure

• Cougar Club of America magazines

• Chrome and gold wheels

• Set offront headlight assemblies

• Other miscellaneous parts (some trim parts, etc.)

Ownership History

The consignor of this 1968 Mercury Cougar XR7 states, “The car was purchased by me in 2016. The engine was rebuilt in 2017 and has less than 1,000 miles on it since the rebuild. The engine is a 302 with an Edelbrock top end kit and Thunder series carburetor. The front drum brakes were replaced with power assisted disc brakes. A new stereo was installed, as well as a rebuilt clock in the center console. Sets of chrome and gold wheels are included with the car (the chrome wheels are currently on the car). A larger radiator was installed in 2021 to prevent the overheating issues Cougars can experience at lower speeds in traffic. The front seats have been recovered in 2021 as well. In addition to the working headlights and sequential rear turn signals, there is an additional set of front headlight assemblies that are included as well. The odometer only goes to 99,999 miles, and I am assuming it rolled over.”

"When I moved to Louisiana, it was the first (since they started using their current vehicle database) and only 1968 Mercury Cougar XR7 registered in the state."