El Gato created to be running speedily into extinction

As we all knew, Mercury was created in 1938 by Edsel Ford to bridge the price gap between the Ford and Lincoln vehicle lines. So Its products marketed as an entry-level premium brand for nearly its entire existence. Well, it's clear now, the Mercury was one of car brands under the U.S. automobile manufacturer Ford Motor Company.

1970 Mercury Cougar El Gato Concept on display at the 1970 Detroit Auto Show. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/33VRnNH)

One of the best concept cars ever made by using this brand is probably just the Mercury Cougar El Gato. It made by the Ford Motor Company in the 1970s and of course, the model that is closely related to this concept is the Mercury Cougar. This is the 'nameplate' applied to various car models sold by the Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company from 1967 to 1997, and then from 1999 to 2002.

1970 Mercury Cougar El Gato Concept appeared as a typical classic American muscle car with a bold lime green paint job and built as a styling exercise for a futuristic-looking Cougar series. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/33VRnNH)

While this nameplate is most often associated with two-door coupe car models, at various times during its production especially in the 60s and 70s, Cougar was also marketed (and became popular) as a high-performance fast muscle car.

Back to El Gato (Spanish for 'The Cat'), it was appeared as a typical classic American muscle car with a bold lime green paint job and intended to build as a styling exercise for a futuristic-looking Cougar series.

1970 Mercury Cougar El Gato Concept used ultracool 16-inches three-spoke wheels wrapped with new-at-the-time Goodyear Polyglass radials. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/33VRnNH)

The car exterior featured with a chopped roof, equipped with the shaved door handles and used ultracool 16-inches three-spoke wheels wrapped with new-at-the-time Goodyear Polyglass radials. To say this Cat was before its time would be a serious understatement.

While the front end merged styling from both the Cougar and the GTO, it still projected an evil stance on the face. Note how the limited flat black striping ends inside the molded-on hood scoop. Also, the front and rear pans were rolled a very advanced looking feature in an era of chrome bumpers. This was the first-ever fastback Cougar.

At the rear were fully covered with the LTD-style taillamps only broken at the left by the racing-style gas filler cap. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/33VRnNH)

At the rear were fully covered with the LTD-style taillamps only broken at the left by the racing-style gas filler cap. The square center-exit exhaust tips lended a very unique air to the car. 

It is not known if El Gato still exists but it’s presumed to have been destroyed (due to the standard Ford practice for unused show vehicles at the time) 😭. What a pity! *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | OLDCONCEPTCARS | FORDMERCURYCOUGARXR7 | AMCARGUIDE]

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