oldest cougar

there's a pre production one around that was used in the Top Gear test among others, IIRC the reg is R988 HAR

the oldest S***XAV is S75 apparently
 
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The official launch date for the car was the 1st of August 1998. ANY car registered on and after this date will be your oldest ones. XAV's etc don't mean jack. They're just relevant to the originating registration area. The pre August R Plates were registered by Ford as demo and review cars. They would be your actual first ever registered Cougars.
 
There's the one that keeps popping up for sale and there's definitely one in the Ford Heritage Collection. A Melina Blue one.
 
V6SINGH said:
The official launch date for the car was the 1st of August 1998. ANY car registered on and after this date will be your oldest ones. XAV's etc don't mean jack. They're just relevant to the originating registration area. The pre August R Plates were registered by Ford as demo and review cars. They would be your actual first ever registered Cougars.
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Mine is registered December 1998 S727 XNO
 
Dude who owned the Clarkson one turned up here a couple years ago. He asked if it was worth more because he (Clarkson) had driven it. I'm assuming he was looking for a seling point, so it may well have changed hands since.

Incidentally, if the registration actually was R988HAR, that car no longer exists.

:EDIT: It was R883HAR, and that vehichle still exists but is SORNed.
 
Mine is S650XHE. First registered 30.11.1998. Presently in silver frost with original wheels and other bits and bobs but that's soon to be changing.
 
I would like to revive this thread and hope it's of interest.

I still have Cougar R883 HAR (known as Clarkson's Cougar?!), and still intend to restore it.

It was registered in 08/07/1998 and featured on Top Gear.

So, is this the oldest surviving Cougar in UK?
 
Agree with Tony, this is the oldest known Cougar in the UK. It was the very first one that the press had access to. I believe fully restored in total original condition this car will be a future classic and a collectable car because of the Top Gear and Clarkson link.
 
Thanks Tony, guess we need more info on Cougar prototypes etc., maybe some USA Cougar enthusiasts could help with this?
 
willeaper said:
I would like to revive this thread and hope it's of interest.

I still have Cougar R883 HAR (known as Clarkson's Cougar?!), and still intend to restore it.

It was registered in 08/07/1998 and featured on Top Gear.

So, is this the oldest surviving Cougar in UK?
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Can you remember when this appeared on Top Gear ? I have downloaded every episode and would like to see this.

My Favourite though is in Series 9, it's the 'Reliant Orbiter'. What a shame the controls jammed !

reliant-space-shuttle.jpg
 
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Hi,
It's the episode where Clarkson tests the Cougar against an Alfa.
It's great and funny, with such phrases as 'bird puller'!
But he also actually liked the Cougar, and there are some great shots of R883 HAR, currently owned by yours truly.
 
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