1969 Mercury Cougar XR-7 Convertible from “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”
Driven by James Bond‘s wife, Contessa Teresa “Tracy” di Vicenzo, this Mercury Cougar XR-7 is one of the few American cars in a 007 lead vehicular role, and it’s now up for auction as a piece of cinematic history.
The Mercury Cougar was launched two years after the phenomenally successful Ford Mustang. Built by the Mercury division of the Ford Motor Company ostensibly created by Edsel Ford in 1939, that nicely bridged the gap between Ford and Lincoln Zephyr in the early days, the Cougar model was first introduced in 1967. It was Mercury’s upmarket luxury Ponycar, along with its more muscular cousin the Cyclone CJ powered by a 428ci V8 big- block Cobra Jet engine, produced in very small numbers.
Unlike the Ford Mustang, the Cougar was not available with a straight-six engine, but options ranged from a 289ci V8 rated at between 195-225bhp to the more powerful 390ci V8 rated at 280- 335bhp. Fitted with the latter engine which developed an impressive 427lb ft torque at 3200rpm, the Cougar’s 0-60mph time was a vivid 8.1 seconds. Transmissions were three or four speed manual or three-speed Merc-O-Matic automatic.
James Bond’s Muscle Car From ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ Is Up for Auction
The 1967 Mercury Cougar XR7 is expected to fetch between $130,000 and $200,000 at Bonhams’s annual Bond Street sale.
