Mercury Cougar

Just as the Ford Capri was sold by Mercury in the US, so was the 1999-2002 Mercury Cougar -- but in this case history was on Mercury's side, as the Cougar had been part of Merc's lineup from the late '60s until 1997. In Europe, the Ford Cougar replaced the Ford Probe, a Mazda-based coupe which was also sold in the US, but while the Probe had been designed with the American market in mind, the Ford/Mercury Cougar was very much a European product, right down to the "New Edge" styling that was a hallmark of Ford of Europe's cars of the era. Though the Cougar's suspension was tuned for US tastes, the Cougar's hard ride and sharp handling made it feel much more European than American. Regardless, the Cougar failed to sell well anywhere, and worldwide production ceased in 2002.