1987 Mercury Cougar: Outside the Muscle Focus

For 1987 Mercury produced a 20th Anniversary Cougar derived from the LS, in Cabernet Red with gold-finished wheels, badging and trim, according to Wikipedia's own account this record's overview carries; the turbocharged XR7 had been dropped after 1986. Total 1987 production reached 105,847 cars, this record's own dek and production table agree, though this record's own note explains that this figure rests on a single tertiary source whose underlying record is not stated. The 20th Anniversary Cougar itself totalled 5,002 cars, LS-based in Medium Cabernet Red under paint code 2H, this record's own production table states, with its own note adding that the source's text calls the figure approximate, that at least 800 went to Canada, and that the model went on sale from February 1987; this record's own key facts section is otherwise empty for the year.^1,2

Three 1987 prices are documented, this record's own prices section shows, each from Consumer Guide's own account and each on a basis the source does not state: $13,595 for the Cougar LS, carrying this record's own note that the base Cougar GS trim was dropped for 1987, leaving only LS and XR-7; $15,832 for the Cougar XR-7; and an $18,052 starting price for the 20th Anniversary Edition, effective from its February 1987 introduction.³

Two engines are documented for 1987, this record's own engine table shows: a 3.8-litre (232 cubic-inch) V6 with central fuel injection, standard on the LS and rated 120 horsepower SAE net, and a 5.0-litre (302 cubic-inch) V8 with sequential electronic fuel injection, optional on the LS and standard on the XR-7, rated 150 horsepower SAE net. Only one transmission is documented for the year, a 4-speed overdrive automatic (AOD) across all models, this record's own transmissions table shows, the separate 3-speed automatic and 5-speed manual XR-7 choices carried in 1985 and 1986 both gone for 1987.²

This record's own options section itemizes 37 entries across LS and XR-7, now the only two trims: individual items include a 58 amp-hour maintenance-free battery standard on the XR-7, individual bucket seats with console offered on the LS only, a sport steering wheel offered on the XR-7 only, and an electronic instrument cluster with digital speedometer, trip odometer, fuel, coolant, oil and voltage displays, diagnostic alert lamps and a trip computer, optional on the LS and standard on the XR-7. Five Preferred Equipment Packages are also documented by code, 161A, 162A and 163A for the LS and 165A and 166A for the XR-7, each bundling an escalating set of the individually listed options, from basic convenience items up through leather-wrapped steering wheels, power seats and the 5.0-litre V8 itself in the top LS package.²

This record's own paint table carries 26 colour entries for 1987: 5 standard colours, Black, Smoke, Medium Scarlet, Oxford White and Medium Cabernet Red reserved for the 20th Anniversary model only; 9 clearcoat metallics; 4 tu-tone combinations; and 8 XR-7-specific two-tone combinations, every one of the eight pairing its body colour over the same Medium Smoke roof. This record's own specifications section carries nine 1987 figures: a 104.2-inch wheelbase, a 200.8-inch overall length, a 70.1-inch overall width, a 53.8-inch overall height, 22.1 gallons of fuel capacity, 14.6 cubic feet of cargo capacity, curb weights of 3,133 pounds for the LS and 3,379 for the XR-7, 10.0-inch vented front discs against 9.0-inch rear drums with 10.0-inch rear drums added for the optional towing package and the XR-7, and an engine summary repeating both ratings from the engine table by trim.²

This record carries no 1987 price beyond the three Consumer Guide figures already given; its own price notes explain that a J.D. Power valuation figure was pulled from every page on the site because those live pages can change without notice and cannot be independently checked. This record's own interiors section is left entirely empty for the year, and no performance figures, identification codes, documented conflicts or unpublished leads survive in their respective sections either, consistent with this record's own production notes describing 1987 as outside the 1967-1973 muscle focus the record otherwise covers in depth.²