Jay Leno Loves The New 1999 Mercury Cougar...Gets His Own Pewter Model
8 January 1998
Speaking before a packed house of automotive journalists, Ford brass and aspiring car designers at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Ca last night on the eve of the intro of the all new and very zaphtec 1999 Mercury Cougar TV comic/talk show host started off his remarks by saying the swoopy new, leading edge design Cougar had..in California carspeak terms a "nice ass". He was referring to the sculptured Acura CL type rear trunk/panel treatment that is very, very daring and stylish. Leno, a long time Ford devotee who at a similar affair just one year ago at the L.A. Auto Show said about the new Ford Electric Ranger truck as he opened the hood to view the engine.."ah look at this rod that holds up the hood...hi tech is still with us" The gala press cocktail/dinner affair was kicked off by Ford west coast public relations boss John Clinard who introduced the head of the Art Center David R. Brown. Brown told briefly of what the Art Center attempts to accomplish which is to turn out the best designers of a variety of products with an emphasis on automotive. He pointed out that recently retired Ford design chief Jack Telnack who was in attendance was a graduate of the internationally famous Art Center. Lincoln Mercury General Sales Manager Steve Lyons said the new Cougar with its bold cab forward styling was going to do for Mercury just what the Navigator did for Lincoln...lots of sales and happy customers. Lyons pulled back the curtain to reveal the shiny new Cougar and the throng gasped as Leno was caught in the process of polishing the car. He was told to detail the new model. Leno explained that he has always been a Ford/Mercury fan and that he remembers going with his father many years ago in Pennsylvania to a dealership to buy a new car. It was a store Leno had worked at a few years previous and his job was odometer re-calibration" Anyway he talked his father into buying a 7-liter Galaxy and didn't tell him it had special mufflers and a Police pursuit package...428 c.i. When his Father learned he'd been had...talked into buying a pure hot rod he would'nt talk to Jay for weeks. Then Jay found out his pop had gotten a speeding ticket for 110 m.p.h. and all calmed down.Ford folks gave Jay a desktop pewter moel of the new Cougar and he hung around and shmoozed with everyone. As you will learn from Los Angeles and Detroit auto show coverage by The Auto Channel the V-6 coupe received rave reviews. Matt Stone, Motor Trend,:" It's bold...I like it". Michael Hollander, A.O.L. " I don't think they borrowed any styling cues from anyone else. It's hot" B.G. Hughes, Ford prospect: "looks neat...a lot like the new Mustang I just purchased" Bill Maloney -- The Auto Channel
