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Original 1968 Mercury Cougar XR7-G with 390 Marauder V8 heads to auction
A rare 1968 Mercury Cougar XR7-G fitted with a four-speed manual and 390ci Marauder GT V8 is offered again, with recent mechanical work and a full set of documents.
By George Kensington · 4 min read
A rare 1968 Mercury Cougar XR7-G, one of roughly 623 built and one of a limited number fitted with the optional four-speed manual gearbox, is back on the market. The car is powered by a 390ci Marauder GT V8 with a four-barrel carburetor and finished in Grecian Gold with Parchment leather and vinyl upholstery.
The XR7-G was the sporting flagship of the Cougar range. Its equipment included a fiberglass hood scoop with hood pins, a Talbot-style driver-side mirror, a revised front valance with fog lamps, a console, a third horn, unique tailpipes, special exterior badging and styled 14-inch steel wheels with XR7-G centre caps. The "G" suffix refers to racing driver Dan Gurney. Like the Shelby Mustang, the cars were delivered to the A.O. Smith facility in groups for conversion, where the fiberglass hood scoops were fabricated in-house. Emblems on the steering wheel, trunk latch, headlight cover and roof pillars were sourced from ASCO, and the cars were specified with Lucas fog lights, Talbot outside mirrors and a black Oxford roof covering.
According to the seller, who acquired the car in 2025, it remained with its original owner until 2023 and was reportedly stored in a covered garage from 1998. The car now shows about 54,000 miles, with roughly 75 miles added under current ownership. It was previously offered on Bring a Trailer in October 2026 and is offered again with a Deluxe Marti Report, a window sticker, a warranty card, the owner's manual, a car cover, spare parts and a Colorado title in the seller's name. The title carries Antique and Classic brands from a former Pennsylvania title. The Marti Report denotes the car's original specifications.
Recent work includes a rebuilt limited-slip rear axle with replacement axle seals and bearings, a replacement brake booster and master cylinder, new tyres and brake-fluid service. The radiator was re-cored using the original date-coded top and bottom tanks, and the factory Holley carburetor was restored by Drew at AFS Carburetors. Intake-manifold, thermostat and valve-cover gaskets were replaced, a new fuel-filler neck was fitted in February 2026, and the heater core was replaced by West Coast Cougars. Tune-up work covered points, plugs, cap, rotor and wires, and the transmission and rear differential fluids were serviced.
The original owner had fitted a rear spoiler, since removed though the mounting holes remain, and painted the hood and hood scoop flat black. Exterior LED bulbs were installed under the current ownership while the original FoMoCo headlight bulbs were retained, and a passenger-side Talbot-style mirror was added. The car has a black vinyl roof, concealed headlights and sequential rear turn signals. The suspension is described as largely original, with the possible exception of the upper ball joints.
Factory specification for the 390ci Marauder GT V8 was 325 horsepower and 427 lb-ft of torque, delivered through a four-speed manual transmission and an optional Power Transfer Axle limited-slip differential to the rear wheels. The car also came with power steering, heavy-duty suspension and power-assisted front disc and rear drum brakes. The sale includes a spare instrument voltage regulator, a carburettor-to-fuel-pump line and assorted light bulbs, along with LED bulbs for the dashboard.
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