1968 mercury cougar gt-e - bat
1968 MERCURY COUGAR XR-7 GT-E 427
VIN: 8F93W543066
Engine: W-Code 427ci 4V V8
Transmission: C6 Select-Shift Cruise-O-Matic
Rear Axle: 3.50:1
Exterior: Nordic Blue
Interior: Dark Blue Leather
Body: XR-7 Hardtop
Built: Dearborn, Michigan
Actual Build Date: March 12, 1968
Original Dealer: Lynch Lincoln-Mercury, Santa Monica, California
Documentation: Deluxe Marti Report, period Ford documentation, historic registration records and AACA award documentation
Awards: 2025 AACA National First Prize, Senior competition, 2025 AACA National Award nominee
OVERVIEW
MOTORVAULT is pleased to offer this exceptionally rare 1968 Mercury Cougar XR-7 GT-E, factory equipped with the W-code 427ci 4V V8. Introduced during the 1968 model year, the GT-E represented the top of Mercury's Cougar performance hierarchy. Only 394 GT-Es were produced, with 357 receiving the W-code 427 and the remaining 37 equipped with the later 428 Cobra Jet.
This example is documented by a Deluxe Marti Report confirming it as a factory Cougar XR-7 Hardtop with the 427 4V GT-E engine package, C6 Select-Shift automatic transmission and 3.50:1 rear axle. Finished in its factory-specified Nordic Blue over Dark Blue leather, the car combines its rare drivetrain with an extensive list of factory equipment and an impressive recent AACA show history.
In April 2025, the Cougar earned an AACA National First Prize at the Southeastern Spring Nationals in Charlotte, North Carolina. It subsequently competed at the Senior level and was nominated for a 2025 AACA National Award.
The accompanying documentation states that approximately 2,400 vehicles participated in AACA National events during 2025, with only 187 vehicles receiving National Award nominations.
FACTORY CONFIGURATION
According to the accompanying Deluxe Marti Report:
8 – 1968 model year
F – Dearborn assembly plant
93 – Cougar XR-7 Hardtop
W – 427 4V GT-E
65B – Cougar XR-7 Hardtop
D – Nordic Blue
6B – Dark Blue Leather Bucket Seats
29B – Scheduled build date of February 29, 1968
528393 – Los Angeles ordering district, special order #8393
8 – 3.50:1 standard rear axle
U – C6 Select-Shift Cruise-O-Matic
The Marti Report records that the order was received September 18, 1967, serialized February 8, 1968, and the car was ultimately built March 12, 1968, twelve days behind its scheduled production date. It was released March 14 and sold March 15, 1968 through Lynch Lincoln-Mercury of Santa Monica, California.
FACTORY OPTIONS
The Marti Report documents the following equipment:
C6 Select-Shift Cruise-O-Matic
FR70x14 Wide Oval radial tires
White sidewall tires
Console
Power disc brakes
Power steering
Tilt-Away steering wheel
AM/FM stereo radio
Tinted glass
Front seat headrests
Styled steel wheels
427 GT-E
The centerpiece of this Cougar is its factory W-code 427ci 4V V8. The GT-E was Mercury's answer for buyers wanting serious big-block performance wrapped in the more upscale Cougar platform. The 427-powered GT-E was available only for a relatively brief period before the 428 Cobra Jet replaced it later in the model year. With just 357 427-powered examples produced, the W-code GT-E remains among the rarest and most significant first-generation performance Cougars. Power is sent through the factory-specified C6 Select-Shift Cruise-O-Matic and a 3.50:1 rear axle.
EXTERIOR
The Cougar is finished in its factory-specified Nordic Blue, complemented by the contrasting lower body treatment, chrome brightwork and styled steel wheels with whitewall tires.
GT-E details include the distinctive hood treatment and exterior badging, while the Cougar's hidden headlights and full-width sequential rear lighting remain among the most recognizable styling elements of the first-generation model.
The exterior presents to the high standard reflected by its recent AACA judging history. Paint, exterior trim, chrome and brightwork show particularly well throughout.
INTERIOR
The XR-7 cabin is trimmed in its factory-specified Dark Blue leather and was originally ordered with a particularly desirable group of comfort and convenience equipment.
Factory equipment includes the center console, Tilt-Away steering wheel, AM/FM stereo, tinted glass and front seat headrests.
The XR-7 specification adds a considerably more upscale character to the GT-E's high-performance drivetrain and is an important part of what separates these cars from their Ford stablemates of the period.
AACA AWARD HISTORY
This GT-E has established significant show credentials during the 2025 season. On April 5, 2025, the Cougar was judged at the AACA Southeastern Spring Nationals in Charlotte, North Carolina, where it received an AACA National First Prize in Judging Class 36D. AACA subsequently assigned the car permanent vehicle number W39832.
The Cougar then advanced to Senior competition, including judging at the AACA Central Spring Nationals in Auburn, Indiana, where it was entered in Class 36D, Factory High Performance – Ford & Mercury: 1957–1969.
The car was subsequently selected by the AACA National Awards Committee for consideration for a 2025 National Award. According to the accompanying December 2025 correspondence, approximately 2,400 vehicles were shown at AACA National Events during the year and only 187 were nominated for National Awards.
Although it was not ultimately selected as the recipient of a year-end National Award, its nomination is documented by both AACA correspondence and the accompanying nomination certificate.
DOCUMENTATION
A particularly attractive aspect of this GT-E is the collection of documentation accompanying the car.
Included are:
Deluxe Marti Report
Period Ford temporary Ownercard displaying VIN 8F93W543066
Original-style Ford Ownercard/warranty material
Lincoln-Mercury Division Ownercard mailing envelope
1968 Mercury Cougar owner's literature
Period wiring schematic
Historic LTL suspension/alignment service policy
1995 Ohio registration for the car
Historic personalized XR7GTE registration
AACA National First Prize correspondence
AACA National First Prize plaque
AACA Senior judging documentation
2025 AACA National Award nomination correspondence
AACA National Award nomination certificate
The surviving historic paperwork adds another dimension to an already unusual automobile and provides documentation spanning decades of the car's history.
WHY WE LOVE IT
There are rare muscle cars, and then there are cars that even seasoned enthusiasts rarely encounter. The 1968 Cougar GT-E falls squarely into the latter category.
Mercury combined the sophisticated XR-7 package with Ford's formidable 427, creating a car that offered genuine big-block performance without sacrificing the Cougar's more refined identity.
This particular example checks several important boxes: factory W-code 427 specification, XR-7 trim, Nordic Blue, Marti documentation, period paperwork and nationally recognized AACA judging history.
Its 2025 National First Prize and subsequent National Award nomination also provide independent recognition of the level at which the car currently presents.
For a collector looking for something beyond the usual Mustang, Camaro or Mopar offering, a documented 427 GT-E represents one of the more compelling and seldom-seen choices from the late-1960s American performance era.
CONTACT
For additional information, documentation, or to schedule a private showing, please contact:
Brian Henry
(317) 522-8260
sales@motorvault.com
Ralph Haga
309-721-9725
sales@motorvault.com
MOTORVAULT
520 W. McCarty Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46225
Visits are by appointment only. Financing assistance, trade consideration, and nationwide enclosed transportation are available.
TERMS & DISCLOSURE
This vehicle is offered by MOTORVAULT in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Independent pre-purchase inspections are welcomed and encouraged. We are happy to coordinate with your preferred marque specialist or independent inspection facility. Financing assistance and nationwide enclosed transportation through trusted enclosed carriers are available upon request.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information provided, MOTORVAULT makes no representations or warranties, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, condition, originality, or reliability of the information contained herein. Vehicle specifications, descriptions, mileage, equipment, documentation, service history, ownership history, and condition are based on owner-supplied information, supporting documentation, vehicle history reports, inspections, and our own evaluation, but are subject to verification by the purchaser.
Prospective buyers are encouraged to independently verify all information and perform their own due diligence prior to purchase. Unless otherwise stated in writing, all vehicles are sold AS-IS, WHERE-IS, with no warranties expressed or implied beyond any remaining transferable manufacturer's warranty.
MOTORVAULT is a vetted Bring a Trailer Local Area Partner and one of only two approved Local Area Partners in Indiana. We specialize in presenting exceptional enthusiast and collector automobiles with transparency, comprehensive documentation, professional photography, and concierge-level service throughout the buying and selling experience.
