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2025

By Robert Tate, Award-winning Automotive Historian and Researcher
Images Courtesy of Ford Motor Company Media Archives
Published 4.2.2025

1970 Mercury El Gato 7The 1970 Mercury Cougar El Gato show car

The 1970 Mercury Cougar “El Gato” show car was an experimental design concept introduced at the Detroit Auto Show in November 1969. El Gato, is Spanish for “the cat,” was a unique automobile that made a statement at auto shows in Detroit, Chicago and across the country.

 

The concept stood out with a great-looking lime moon, mist green paint job that was right at home in the psychedelic era. The car also offered shaved door handles for that sporty look, as well as 16-inch wheels and a chopped top.

El Gato show car RESIZED 2The 1970 El Gato show car in print

Automotive historians have said El Gato was the first fastback design Cougar model Ford introduced to the public. The El Gato featured a dramatic design look, with both the windshield and the sloping back window introducing an enormously rakish angle to enhance the car’s low, sleek look.

Mercury El Gato 3The Mercury Cougar El Gato was a hit at the 1970 Detroit Auto Show

The Cougar El Gato show car created a sense of movement and depth in concept design emblematic of the 1970s. Automotive historians called El Gato an idea car with the windshield design slanted toward the hood of the model design. The model also came with a great-looking hood scoop with flat black striping. The front and rear pans were rolled to provide a racing type design look. In addition, the concept also offered center-mounted chrome exhaust outlets with full-width taillights. The front-end featured a split grille with a strong center design theme, which offered an impact-resistant material that harmonized with the flush-mounted bumper.

1970 Mercury El Gato 4The 1970 Mercury Cougar El Gato concept on display at an auto show

The show car’s interior featured a bright Lemon Yellow vinyl material with high design bucket seats located in the front and rear of the vehicle. The spare tire was stored behind the front seats underneath the rear window.

El Gato concept RESIZED 5The front end of the El Gato concept

Some automotive historians have said the 1970 Cougar El Gato show car bore some resemblance to popular Pontiac GTO models. Ford Motor Company’s Mercury Division described El Gato as “One Hot Cat.” Ford also said the concept represented an experimental modification of the 1970 Mercury Cougar, which was a great seller that year.

El Gato RESIZED 6A side view of the El Gato concept

My research on the 1970 Cougar El Gato show car yielded very little information. However, I found the concept very interesting. Detroit automotive designers, and everyone for that matter, agree that the 1960s and 1970s were great times in the auto industry.

970 Mercury El Gato RESIZED 8Two views of the 1970 Mercury Cougar El Gato concept

In conclusion, the 1970s brought great change to the auto industry. The 1970 Mercury Cougar El Gato show car was a great-looking concept that will be remembered by automotive historians and Mercury enthusiasts for many years to come.

Bibliography

Ford Motor Company Media. “1970 Mercury ‘El Gato’ Cougar raises intriguing questions.” Ford Motor Company/Automotive American-Classic, Vintage Models. February 5, 2024.

Daniel Strohl. “El Gato (the Cat).” Hemmings.com, August 27,2024.

Mac’s Motor City Garage. “El Gato: A 1970 Mercury Concept Car.” September 7, 2021.

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Photos from the Henry Ford Heritage Association, the Ferens Collection and the Automobile Reference Collection
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Images Courtesy of the Henry Ford Media Center Archives
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