By 1969 the pony car war was at full gallop. Every manufacturer had at least one model in the fray. Sales people had to know their enemies’ strengths and weaknesses. Lincoln Mercury wanted to make sure that they had the information they needed. A series of Competitive Product Comparison Booklets was created, each marked “Confidential.” But now the story can be told… See how the ’69 Mercury Cougar compared to Firebird 350, Camaro, Javelin SST, Barracuda, and even the Mustang Grande.

Hairy–A car that is a potential performer; also, a difficult race course. The newest addition to our–hopefully–increasing library of classic Cougar literature and manuals is the 1969 Mercury Salesmen’s Newsletter. It’s packed full of information about the 1969 Lincoln-Mercury “muscle cars,” including the Cougar “Boss” 302 Eliminator and the Cyclone. There is some really intriguing information here. For example, there is the comparison chart featuring the Cougar “Boss” 302 Eliminator, the Plymouth ‘Cuda 340, the Camaro Z/28, and the Mustang “Boss” 302.

In 1969, Cougar Leads the Way in New Features and Value A completely new sculptured body, a lower, wider, and longer profile, a convertible version, a new roofline, ventless side windows, and an all-new “instrument and command” panel were some of the changes for the 1969 Mercury Cougar extolled in the brochure Lincoln-Mercury Cougar 1969: The Winner Leads the Way! featured here on Classic Cougar Community.

Packages available for the 1969 model year: Standard, Convertible, XR7, GT, Eliminator The third year of production, 1969, brought several new additions to the Cougar lineup. A convertible model was now available in both standard and XR-7 trim. These highly anticipated soft tops proved quite popular and today are considered, by many, among the most desirable of the ’67-’70 production run. Exterior-wise, the grille switched from vertical bars to horizontal bars, and a spoiler and a Ram Air induction hood scoop were added as options.