steele901

+1

MustangMan628

You guys do know what the original "California Special" was Right??? The Cougar always had cousins like the T-bird and Mark VII. Although those pics look good, Ford can't possibly expect to sell 2 front runner V-8 production cars.

Joolander

well, to put it simply the GT/CS was a '68 mustang coupewith fog lights, t-bird tail lights, hood locks, side scoops, side stripes, and a rear ducktail spoler. It happens to be one of the more sought-after classic models, as well. Not sure what that has to do with the discussion here, or how it "ruined the Mustang" [&:]

and if you cared to read my original post, you would see that I posited the offering of a 4cylinder and V6, nowhere did I say V8. Therefore, as described here ford would not have 2 V8 frontrunners

MustangMan628

Yes, originally the CS was a Shelby inspired and manufactured if memory serves special edition Mustang. The reason it got it's name was because like 25% of all Mustang and T-bird sales were attributed to the state of California. But, I was referring to the later craze of swapping Mercury Cougar tailights into Mustangs and calling them the "unofficial California specials". I had no idea so few people knew about this. I've seen them posted for sale in magazines, and a bunch of hack jobs at shows up my way. That was the first thing that popped into my head when I saw the pictures later on in this post. Then, I thought of the 07-08 California Special "tribute" package from the factory which pales in comparison to something that was once a great muscle car. I think there was just a misunderstanding here. I didn't mean to put down the original 68 California Special. I just stated that it would be kind of cheap if the new Cougar looked like the 07-08 CS body style, because of the whole history thing.

Joolander

first of all, grafting parts onto lower model mustangs from higher packages, special editions, and models has always happened. yes, everyone knows about it, it still happens today, with people swapping GT500 bodykits onto v6s and trying to sell them as shelbys. it's the same thing, its a disgrace, but even if the GT/CS was the first mustang to recieve this treatment, it is the fault of the scam artists who do that sort of thing, and in no way detreacts from the legacy of the GT/CS.

second, how exactly is the 07/08 GT/CS a disgrace to the California Special name? A California Special back in '68 was basically a Mustang with a few shelby exterior pieces put on it, sold as a package from Ford. it could have any of the trim options as long as they didnt conflict with what was added in the california special package, meaning you could find any mustang engine that was sold in '68 in a GT/CS, and the car that it started as didn't even have to be a GT. In '07 and '08, the car is still a Mustang with a few shelby exterior pieces on it (sold by Ford), except that they now all start as a GT. So, exactly how does my car "pale in comparison" to the original?

also, where exactly do you see any of these Mercury cougar concepts using anything that is specifically on the GT/CS? The one on top was photoshopped by me from a V6 mustang

FirePower

I like your car.

Nice job on the photochop by the way.

I G Joe

personally i think a new cougar would be pretty cool idea on fords part.

03_gt_woowee

that photoshop is ugly as *****

Sal Collaziano

There's some really nice examples here! I REALLY didn't like the most recent iteration of Cougar, to be honest! I know lots of people loved it - but it was just a Mercury Eclipse, if you ask me.. These retro pictures are a different story! I think I'd love a retro Cougar if it was done right...