1971 · Mercury · United States
1971 Mercury Cougar: A Larger Body and the One-Year 429 Cobra Jet
A larger second-generation Cougar, new body codes, and the one-year 429 Cobra Jet option, fitted to 448 cars.
United States · researched through 2026-09-22
The Cougar Club of America's Marti-derived production page gives 62,864 Cougars for 1971, this record's own overview states, under new second-generation body codes: 34,008 standard hardtops (65D), 25,417 XR-7 hardtops (65F), 1,722 standard convertibles (76D) and 1,717 XR-7 convertibles (76F), with Wikipedia carrying the identical total. The GT returned on the standard hardtop, 787 built, with the 351 two-barrel standard and the 351 four-barrel or 429 Cobra Jet optional.1,2,3
The 429 Cobra Jet, the key fact this record leads with, was offered in non-Ram Air (C-code) and Ram Air (J-code) forms, both quoted at 370 hp and 450 lb-ft, requiring a Hurst four-speed or C6 automatic. The club's 429 CJ registry counts 448 built, 401 hardtops and 47 convertibles, though this record's own production notes flag that the registry does not name the record behind that 448 figure. Only one 1971 Cougar, an XR-7 hardtop, is recorded with the Q-code 351 Cobra Jet, which the VIN decoder dates to introduction on May 17, 1971.4,5,6
This record's own conflicts note carries a small production dispute: the club and rarity tables give 1,722 standard convertibles and 25,417 XR-7 hardtops, matching the 62,864 total, against 1,723 and 25,416 from a separate musclecarfacts.com page, with the club rows staying in the table because they sum to the reported total. This record's own unpublished leads section holds a further, unused claim: a forum and sale-listing post attributing to Marti a finer breakdown of 46 1971 GT hardtops built with the 429 Cobra Jet, 20 of them Ram Air automatics, held out because no published table carries it.7,8
Four engines are documented: the 351 two-barrel at 240 hp and 350 lb-ft, the 351 four-barrel at 285 hp and 370 lb-ft, the 351 Cobra Jet at 280 hp and 350 lb-ft in its single recorded car, and the 429 Cobra Jet at 370 hp and 450 lb-ft across both C and J codes, none of the ratings stating their measurement basis. This record documents three 1971 base prices: $3,289 for the 65D hardtop, $3,629 for the 65F XR-7 hardtop and $3,877 for the 76F XR-7 convertible, and 1,335 Cougars of every kind carried the four-speed manual that year.6,7,8
This record's own identification section carries the year's VIN engine-code map directly: H for the 351 two-barrel, M for the 351 four-barrel, Q for the 351 Cobra Jet, and C or J for the 429 Cobra Jet in its non-Ram Air and Ram Air forms respectively. No performance or specification figures survive in this record's own performance and specifications sections, both of which are left empty for the year.6,4
What the record documents in full is the second generation's first year and the 429 Cobra Jet's only year in the Cougar: four body styles resolving to 62,864 cars on a total both the club page and Wikipedia agree on exactly, a GT package built alongside the new big-block option, and a 448-car 429 CJ run this record's own notes admit rests on an unnamed record even as it stands as the reported figure.1
Fact sheet · 1971 · United States
The numbers
1971 Mercury Cougar — A larger second-generation Cougar, new body codes, and the one-year 429 Cobra Jet option, fitted to 448 cars.
Coverage: Partial — researched sections are shown; missing ones are not yet sourced. Researched through 2026-09-22.
Every figure is labeled with how sure we are. Reported means a manufacturer, registry, or reference figure we cite but have not reconciled against factory records ourselves. Disputed means credible sources disagree and both are shown. Rows are separately scoped; don't add them together unless the note says they make up a total.
Key facts
Production
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| All 1971 Cougars1,2 as published | 62,864 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard 2-door hardtop (65D)1 Standard · 2-door hardtop, 65D · as published | 34,008 | built, model-year | Reported |
| XR-7 2-door hardtop (65F)1 XR-7 · 2-door hardtop, 65F · as published | 25,417 | built, model-year | Reported |
| Standard convertible (76D)1 Standard · convertible, 76D · as published | 1,722 | built, model-year | Reported |
| XR-7 convertible (76F)1 XR-7 · convertible, 76F · as published | 1,717 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| GT (standard hardtop)1 GT · standard hardtop · as published | 787 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 429 Cobra Jet, all bodies4 429 CJ (C and J codes) · 4-speed or C6 · as published | 448 | built, model-year | Reported |
| 429 Cobra Jet hardtops4 hardtop · 429 CJ · as published | 401 | built, model-year | Reported |
| 429 Cobra Jet convertibles4 convertible · 429 CJ · as published | 47 | built, model-year | Reported |
| 351 Cobra Jet (Q-code), XR-7 hardtop5 XR-7 · hardtop · 351 CJ (Q) · as published | 1 | built, model-year | Reported |
| What was counted | Count | Basis | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| All 1971 Cougars with the 4-speed manual transmission8 4-speed manual · as published Whole-year installation count; not split by body or engine. | 1,335 | built, model-year | Reported |
Rows are separately scoped; do not add them unless a note says they partition a total.
The four body-code rows sum to the 62,864 total on the club page; the 429 CJ hardtop and convertible rows sum to 448.
The 429 CJ registry does not name the record behind its 448 figure.
Prices when new
| Model | Price | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Cougar 2-door hardtop (65D)7 | $3,289 | base price as published (basis not stated), 1971 model year |
| Cougar XR-7 2-door hardtop (65F)7 | $3,629 | base price as published (basis not stated), 1971 model year |
| Cougar XR-7 convertible (76F)7 | $3,877 | base price as published (basis not stated), 1971 model year |
Prices are the nominal dollars of the day, not adjusted for inflation.
Engines
| Engine | Factory rating | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|---|
| H · 351 V8 2-bbl6 351 cu in · 2-barrel | 240 hp @ 4,600, 350 lb-ft @ 2,600 (as published (basis not stated by the source)) | standard | Not yet sourced |
| M · 351 V8 4-bbl6,2 351 cu in · 4-barrel | 285 hp @ 5,400, 370 lb-ft @ 3,400 (as published (basis not stated by the source)) | optional | Not yet sourced |
| Q · 351 Cobra Jet V8 4-bbl6 351 cu in · 4-barrel | 280 hp @ 5,800, 350 lb-ft @ 3,800 (as published (basis not stated by the source)) | optional from 1971-05-17 per the decoder | 15 Reported |
| C / J · 429 Cobra Jet V8 4-bbl (J = Ram Air)4,6 429 cu in · 4-barrel | 370 hp @ 5,400, 450 lb-ft @ 3,400 (as published (basis not stated by the sources)) | optional; 4-speed or C6 automatic required | 4484 Reported |
Ratings are the manufacturer's advertised figures under the standard shown (SAE gross before 1972, SAE net after). They are not dyno results, and gross and net ratings can't be compared directly.
Transmissions
| Transmission | Availability | Built |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · 3-speed manual6,4 | standard (not with 429 CJ) | Not yet sourced |
| 5 · 4-speed manual (Hurst shifter with 429 CJ)6,4 | optional | Not yet sourced |
| U / X · Select-Shift automatic (U = C-6, X = FMX)6 | optional | Not yet sourced |
Paint
| Code | Color | Built |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Calypso Coral (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
19 |
Ginger Bronze Met (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
2 |
Med. Br. Yellow (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
3 |
Br. Red (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
49 |
Med. Peppermint Met (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
5 |
Med. Ginger Met (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
6 |
Med. Blue Met (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
7 |
Maroon (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
79 |
Med. Ginger Bronze Met (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
8 |
Lt. Gold (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
A |
Black (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
C |
Dk. Green Met (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
C9 |
Med. Red. Met (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
D |
Br. Yellow (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
E |
Med. Goldenrod Yellow (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
E9 |
Med. Ivy Bronze Met (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
H |
Lt. Green (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
I |
Br. Lime Green (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
J |
Grabber Blue (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
J9 |
Br. Yellow Gold Met (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
K |
Dk. Slate Gray Met (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
L |
Lt. Gray Met (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
M |
White (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
N |
Platinum (Diamond Blue) (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
O |
Lt. Goldenrod Yellow (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
P |
Med. Green Met (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
Q |
Med. Blue Met (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
R |
Dark Brown Met (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
S |
Med. Gray Gold Met (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
T |
Red (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
V |
Lt. Pewter Met (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
W |
Yellow (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
X |
Dk. Blue Met (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
Z |
Grabber Green Met (decoder code)9 | Not yet sourced |
Color names are the factory's. We don't show color swatches, because a screen color is no guide for a restoration.
Interiors
| Code | Trim | Built |
|---|---|---|
1A |
Black -- All Vinyl9 | Not yet sourced |
1B |
Med. Blue -- All Vinyl9 | Not yet sourced |
1D |
Dark Red -- All Vinyl9 | Not yet sourced |
1R |
Medium Green -- All Vinyl9 | Not yet sourced |
1W |
White -- All Vinyl with Black9 | Not yet sourced |
3A |
Black Vinyl & Black Cloth9 | Not yet sourced |
3B |
Med. Blue Vinyl & Med. Blue Cloth9 | Not yet sourced |
3F |
Med. Ginger Vinyl & Med. Ginger Cloth9 | Not yet sourced |
3R |
Med. Green Vinyl & Med. Green Cloth9 | Not yet sourced |
5A |
Black -- All Vinyl9 | Not yet sourced |
5B |
Med. Blue -- All Vinyl9 | Not yet sourced |
5D |
Dark Red -- All Vinyl9 | Not yet sourced |
5F |
Medium Ginger -- All Vinyl9 | Not yet sourced |
5R |
Medium Green -- All Vinyl9 | Not yet sourced |
5W |
White -- All Vinyl with Black9 | Not yet sourced |
6A |
Black -- All Vinyl9 | Not yet sourced |
6B |
Med. Blue -- All Vinyl9 | Not yet sourced |
6D |
Dk. Red -- All Vinyl9 | Not yet sourced |
6F |
Med. Ginger -- All Vinyl9 | Not yet sourced |
6R |
Med. Green -- All Vinyl9 | Not yet sourced |
6W |
White -- All Vinyl with Black9 | Not yet sourced |
7A |
Black Vinyl & Black Cloth9 | Not yet sourced |
7B |
Med. Blue Vinyl & Med. Blue Cloth9 | Not yet sourced |
7F |
Med. Ginger Vinyl & Med. Ginger Cloth9 | Not yet sourced |
7R |
Med. Green Vinyl & Med. Green Cloth9 | Not yet sourced |
Identification
- Body codes
- 65D standard hardtop, 65F XR-7 hardtop, 76D standard convertible, 76F XR-7 convertible.1
- VIN engine codes
- Fifth VIN character: H 351 2V, M 351 4V, Q 351 CJ, C 429 CJ, J 429 CJ Ram Air.6,4
Where the sources disagree
Identification
Read a 1971 Mercury VIN
The VIN decoder runs in your browser and never sends the VIN anywhere. How the factory numbered this year's cars:
Same model year
Also in 1971
- AMC AMX The AMX name moves onto the redesigned Javelin as its top model. It is a derivative badge, not a continuation of the two-seater. 2,054 were built, all with the 360 or 401.
- AMC Hornet SC/360 AMC's one-year compact muscle car pitched as an insurance-friendly alternative. AMC reportedly planned 10,000, but 784 were built.
- AMC Javelin A new, flared-fender Javelin, with the AMX name as its top model. Javelin won AMC the 1971 Trans-Am manufacturers' championship.
- AMC Matador Machine The Rebel Machine's unadvertised successor, a 'Machine Go' option package for the Matador hardtop. Production is unknown; published guesses run from 43 to 68.
- Buick Riviera The boattail Riviera: 455 rated 315 gross / 255 net, GS 330 / 265; 3,175 of 33,810 were GS.
- Buick Skylark Gran Sport, GS and GSX Compression fell to 8.5:1, the GS 350 and GS 455 were merged into one GS series of 9,170 cars, and the GSX became an appearance package on any GS.
- Chevrolet Chevelle and Malibu SS A single RPO Z15 SS package now spanned small- and big-block V8s; 9,502 of 19,293 SS cars carried the LS5 454, and Chevrolet began printing net ratings beside gross.
- Chevrolet Chevy II and Nova SS limited to the L48 350 per the source; Rally Nova (RPO YF1) offered. Enthusiast-compiled production: 194,878 cars; Super Sport 7,015.
- Chevrolet El Camino SS A single RPO Z15 SS package on the Malibu/Custom El Camino; the El Camino share of 19,293 SS cars is not separately published.
- Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS The last SS 454 year: RPO Z20 on 1,919 of 128,600 Monte Carlos.
- Dodge Challenger Challenger's second year lost the SE, the R/T convertible, and the T/A; a new pillared coupe joined the hardtop and convertible, and production fell to roughly a third of 1970's.
- Dodge Charger A new, shorter third-generation body absorbed the Coronet two-doors and the Super Bee; it was the last year for the R/T and for a factory Hemi Charger.
- Dodge Coronet R/T and Super Bee The end of the line for Coronet performance: the two-door Coronets were replaced by the Charger, taking the Super Bee with them.
- Dodge Dart GTS, Swinger and Demon Dodge's version of the Duster fastback arrived as the Demon, and the Demon 340 became the performance Dart: 10,098 built, plus 85 Canadian Swinger 340 Specials.
- Ford Maverick Grabber The Grabber became its own model with a dual-scoop hood, and the 210 hp 302 V8 arrived; Classic Industries counts 38,963 Grabbers.
- Ford Ranchero GT The second Torino-based Ranchero year; reference counts give 3,632 GTs, while Barn Finds rounds the GT figure to about 3,900 of 24,946 Rancheros.
- Ford Thunderbird The last fifth-generation year kept the 360-hp 429 as standard; production fell to 36,055.
- Ford Torino A carryover year for the 1970 body; the Torino Cobra now came standard with a 351 four-barrel and offered the 429 Cobra Jet-R, but only 3,054 Cobras were built.
- Mercury Comet and Cyclone The final Cyclone year: production fell to a few thousand across Cyclone, Cyclone GT and Cyclone Spoiler.
- Oldsmobile Cutlass, 4-4-2 and Hurst/Olds Compression fell to 8.5:1 for regular fuel, the W-31 was dropped, the sports coupe was gone, and 4-4-2 production fell to 7,589.
- Plymouth Barracuda and 'Cuda Four headlamps and a new grille marked the second E-body year; the Hemi and 440 Six Barrel stayed on the 'Cuda order form, but Barracuda-line production fell to about a third of 1970's.
- Plymouth Duster 340 and 360 The Duster 340's second year brought a new grille, a Thermo-Quad 340 rated 275 gross and 235 net hp, and a $2,703 list price, while output fell to about 12,900.
- Plymouth GTX, Belvedere and Satellite On the redesigned 1971 Satellite body the GTX fell to 2,942 cars, only 30 of them with the Hemi.
- Plymouth Road Runner Redesigned on the new Satellite body as a hardtop only, the Road Runner fell to 14,218 cars, and a 340 joined the 383, 440, and Hemi.
- Pontiac Firebird and Trans Am The 455 HO year: the Trans Am's biggest engine, 2,116 cars, and a Formula line split across three V-8s.
- Pontiac GTO Lower compression, dual gross and net ratings, the 455 HO as the top engine, and production down to 10,532.
- Pontiac Grand Prix Boat-tail styling, lower compression, and the manual transmission gone by March: 116 of 58,325 had one.
- Pontiac Tempest and LeMans The Tempest name gives way to T-37; the GT-37 option carries on and the 455 HO is available in two-door LeMans models.