Mercury Cougar transformed into convincing Audi R8
Click above for more shots of the Mercury Cougar-based Audi R8 replica
The seventh-generation of the Mercury Cougar broke with tradition, switching from Detroit's classic front-engine, rear-wheel drive architecture to the more common front-engine, front-wheel drive design. Its styling was also considered pretty radical for the times, with swoopy curves replacing its predecessor's formal roof lines. We'd wager that the last Cougar's designers would never have believed that their humble compact would someday be the basis for an Audi R8 replica. We've examined the various shapes of the ReplicaAudiR8, as its designer refers to it - we prefer CougaR8 ourselves - and we've concluded it's not too shabby in the least. Take a look at our galleries below to judge for yourselves. Note our comparison shots of the CougaR8 and Audi's version in profile, front, rear and in three-quarter view (again, front and rear), which we've also pasted after the break all together. As we see it, the rear-view is the least successful in mimicking its four-ringed inspiration.
Of course, even if the styling of the replicar is decent, there's just no disguising that Cougar interior, despite the addition of a lone R8 badge on the steering wheel and the fact that these two cars share similar dash shapes. Even the interior, however, pales in comparison to the lack of power from Ford's 2.5L Duratec V6 engine, which at 170 horsepower is down by more than half to the Audi's burbling V8. Lastly, while the brakes and suspension components are fine for an entry-level coupe, they aren't quite up to snuff for a real-deal R8. In any case. Nevertheless, those who are more concerned with appearances than performance can get their own CougaR8 for about $50K - less than half what it would run to drive home in the real thing. Thanks for the tip, everyone!
Gallery: CougaR8 and Audi R8 side-by-side
Gallery: Cougar-based Audi R8 replica
[Source: New Cougar Forums, via Jalopnik]
In Pictures: ReplicaAudiR8 (top) versus Audi R8 (bottom)... you be the judge.
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_thumbnail.jpg "2011 Audi A8: Live from Miami")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Ian 11:00AM (11/24/2008)
of all the things to do with that much money... I just don't get it.
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Flashpoint 1:22PM (11/24/2008)
If the L.E.D lights actually work, most people wouldn't know that you've got a Cougar instead of an R8 with a body kit.
Car Tuning has been taken so far, most cars I see on the road with mods are difficult to recognize anyway.
The farthest I'll go is rims and window tinting.
Flashpoint 1:30PM (11/24/2008)
For $50,000 you can have a car that resembles a car that costs $150,000???
Ask those 300C owners with Rolls Royce front ends.
I keep telling em, if you want to make a $35,000 car into a $350,000 car, you gotta move the decimal point.
Domestic 6.0 2:58PM (11/24/2008)
Wow an amazing job on the exterior !
s13hybrid 11:02AM (11/24/2008)
Wow, actually looks similar. It is a huge waste of time and money, but I guess some bimbo you were trying to get with would never know.
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Rich 3:34PM (11/24/2008)
Erm... no it doesn't.
It is utterly unconvincing. All the A8-style hardware simply looks like racing stripes on a pig ugly car.
What next? A BMW that looks like a Mini? Oh wait...
JZeke 11:07AM (11/24/2008)
How stupid do you have to be to spend $50,000 on a Cougar?
If you need a car to pick up women and have $50k, then why not buy a (new or CPO) Corvette, Boxster, Elise, M3 Convertible, TT, 350Z...
*hits head against wall*
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Randy 1:00PM (11/24/2008)
Or even one could just skip the car and acquire the social and moral skills to get a girl worth having! :)
Travis 3:43PM (11/24/2008)
cue "puppy vs supercar" episode of TG.
kada 2:59PM (11/25/2008)
Sorry, but the only woman you might get with an Elise will be Vicki Butler-Henderson.
That being said, I'd rather get an Elise and keep whatever is left for track days. Who needs women anyway?
Not that convincing the CougaR8, and it will never ever drive in any way like an R8. And paying 40000 for what is essentially an old 4000 car, just for the looks?
Now an R8 that looks like a Cougar, that would be cool. Ugly, but cool.
Yosemite Sam 11:08AM (11/24/2008)
I think it looks great LOL
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Jerk Face 11:08AM (11/24/2008)
*scoff*
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UH2L 11:14AM (11/24/2008)
From some angles, it actually looks better, but it lacks the finish of the original
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Jeremy Korzeniewski 11:15AM (11/24/2008)
amazingly, it really does look better from some angles.
Andrew L 11:24AM (11/24/2008)
It looks VERY similar, but the interior gives it away, still nice job
Bill 11:14AM (11/24/2008)
An impressive waste of money, time and energy.
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JK 11:19AM (11/24/2008)
I just don't understand it at all. So much money and time wasted. And you'd look like such a loser driving this. "I can't afford a real R8 so I spent a couple of years and $30,000 to make this fake one, now I'm just like the rich guys" As if looking like a R8 is of any value. Does it perform like an R8? NEVER. All that time and money to impress a few idiots. Just buy a used S4 for the same money and won't be the most hurt'n poser in the world!
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dukeisduke 11:21AM (11/24/2008)
Yes, it's a huge waste of money, but it doesn't look half bad. The major flaw I see is that they couldn't get the "vanes" in the front and rear corner grilles level with the ground, like on the Audi. That would make it more convincing.
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Tsunami Racer 11:25AM (11/24/2008)
oh that is fantastic!!! thanks for the morning laugh!!!
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Buffy 2:35PM (11/24/2008)
Yes Autoblog... thanks for putting SIDE BY SIDE photos together. PLEASE PLEASE could you do this for new car models, or facelifts so we can really see the difference...
... really see the difference like we have all been doing to this article. ACTUAL VISUAL ANALYSIS AND RESPONSE.