Mercury Cougar El Gato: The Lost Fastback Vision of the Future

Between Myth and Reality - Concept cars often reveal the boldest ideas an automaker never had the chance to fully explore. During the golden age of American muscle cars, manufacturers regularly experimented with dramatic styling studies to glimpse what the future might look like. One of the most intriguing examples from that era was the Mercury Cougar El Gato, a striking concept that pushed the Cougar nameplate into unfamiliar and remarkably futuristic territory.

The 1970 Mercury Cougar El Gato Concept on display at the 1970 Detroit Auto Show. (Picture from: OldConceptCar)

The Cougar had already built a reputation as one of Mercury’s most recognizable performance-oriented models. Introduced under Mercury, the premium division created by Edsel Ford in 1938 to sit between Ford and Lincoln, the Cougar became especially popular in the late 1960s and 1970s as a sporty two-door machine with muscle-car appeal. Against that backdrop, Ford Motor Company developed the El Gato concept as a design exercise intended to explore a more radical direction for future Cougar models.

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: OldConceptCar)

Nicknamed “El Gato,” Spanish for “The Cat,” the vehicle immediately stood out thanks to its vivid lime-green finish and aggressive proportions. Its roofline was noticeably lowered, creating a sleeker silhouette, while the shaved door handles enhanced the clean, uninterrupted body shape. Riding on distinctive 16-inch three-spoke wheels wrapped in then-modern Goodyear Polyglass radial tires, the concept looked far more advanced than many production cars of its time.

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

The front section blended visual cues associated with both the Cougar and Pontiac’s GTO-inspired performance styling, giving the car a sharp and intimidating presence. A subtle flat-black stripe treatment flowed into a molded hood scoop, while the rolled front and rear body pans replaced the bulky chrome bumpers that dominated American automotive design during that period. Most notably, El Gato became the first Cougar concept to adopt a fastback profile, a feature that would later become highly desirable among performance enthusiasts.

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: OldConceptCar)

At the rear, the car continued its futuristic theme with taillamps inspired by the Ford LTD, largely hidden beneath smooth bodywork. A racing-style fuel filler cap interrupted the design on one side, adding a motorsport touch. Beneath the tail sat unusual square center-exit exhaust outlets, a detail that further separated the concept from conventional muscle cars of the era and reinforced its experimental character.

Despite its memorable appearance, the fate of the Mercury Cougar El Gato remains uncertain. Many unused show cars from that period were routinely dismantled once their purpose had been served, and automotive historians generally believe El Gato may have met the same end. If that assumption is correct, the industry lost a fascinating piece of design history. Even so, the concept continues to capture attention today, reminding enthusiasts how a single styling study can leave a lasting impression long after the car itself has disappeared😭. *** [EKA [07042020] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | OLDCONCEPTCARS | FORDMERCURYCOUGARXR7 | AMCARGUIDE]

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