Mercury Cougar
The third generation Cougar was born in 1974 and was a significant departure from the athletic and performance models of before. The car was no longer based on the Mustang but instead moved to a heavier and bigger chassis, which meant that Cougars were more personal luxury cruisers than muscle cars, even though Mercury tried to present them as such. Acceleration times were disappointing, even with the optional 460 V8 with 220 hp (via CCA).
Mercury moved the Cougar to the personal luxury segment and away from its muscle car roots. Cougars were cars for middle-aged Mercury buyers who wanted something sportier than a Thunderbird but with the same level of comfort and equipment.