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I’m not sure that the 1967/8 Mercury Cougar gets the recognition it deserves for being a fantastic-looking car, one that is almost totally distinct from its parent Mustang. From its electric-shaver grille to its slightly tunneled rear window, it is filled with graceful styling touches. What makes this ’68 XR-7 even better is its excellent, ready-to-drive condition.

There are a couple small deviations from stock, including a pronounced front air dam and Magnum 500-style wheels. Both are easily removed or swapped if the new buyer prefers a more factory-fresh appearance. The paint color is Augusta Green, a subtle color that accentuates the Cougar’s attractive lines.

Under the hood is Ford’s stalwart 302 two-barrel V8, which is correct according to the car’s data plate. The seller says that the car has a slight power steering leak and that the air conditioning “cools into the 60s.” Anybody from rust country will notice how solid the inner fenders are, a common corrosion point on Mustang/Cougar unibodies.

The Cougar’s tail is as dramatic as the nose, with wide sequential taillights, kicked-up quarter panels, and the aforementioned rear window. This one has a vinyl top, which is a nice period styling touch on this hardtop bodystyle.

The XR-7 was the “luxury” Cougar, the one that was intended to give off a European flair. The woodgrained dashboard and full instrumentation were standard, as were the Jaguar-inspired toggle switches on the dashboard. This one has a modern radio installed, but most people don’t mind a few tunes when they’re driving. It’s hard to see the odometer in this picture, but the ad claims that the car has 53,000 miles on it.

According to the data plate, this Cougar came with a Dark Ivy Gold interior. Judging by other examples online, this color is correct. The brochure claims that interior is “leather…trimmed with vinyl.” I’m not sure which material is where, but the “horseshoe” outline on the seat bottom appears to be a different material than the rest.

Here is the data plate I’ve been referring to, which verifies that this car has changed little since it was built. Backing the 302 is a C4 automatic and 3.00 rear axle ratio. The Denver District Sales Office code proves that it was originally a western car, and it is indeed being sold out of Wichita, Kansas. The seller says that it is rust-free, although there are no undercarriage pictures included in the ad.

This Cougar is a fantastic example of a late-1960s pony car. Posh and sporty at the same time, this one is currently on eBay with a strong high bid of $13,601. With several days to go, who knows where it will end up, but it looks like someone will be getting a nice old car.