Ah, the classic cougar roaring on top of the Lincoln Mercury sign. A symbol many baby boomers recall from their days of watching television without the option of fast forwarding through commercials. Like the MGM lion, the Lincoln Mercury cougar signified style as well as power.
This ad highlighting two of Mercury’s 1969 models proves this point. On the elegant, staid side is the Mercury Montego, a vehicle introduce in 1968 which lasted until 2007. The intermediate-sized vehicle looks to be shown in its convertible, ragtop version. On the powerful side is the Mercury Cyclone. With a body frame similar to cousin Ford Mustang, is shown racing through the desert on its 428 V8 engine. Driving the Montego to the country club at 25 mph is not shown.