Kingstown Shipping Car of the Year, Heat 4
As if the heat the previous weekend at the Rally of the Giants wasn’t enough, the following Sunday saw the Met Office issue a red warning for exceptional heat… and boy was it hot! That didn’t put off many attendees (although it undoubtedly impacted on a few) including this exceptional 1973 Mercury Cougar XR-7, which might look a little familiar to some readers.
Recognise it? Yes, it’s the very same Cougar that won Car of the Year back in 2005! Laboriously restored 17 years ago, it’s unusual in that cars of this era have a lot more plastic used in their construction, which in itself is a challenge, yet this Mercury looks mint, as if it’s just rolled out of the factory. Current owner Mike Churchill is no stranger to Car of the Year, having taken part in the 2017 competition with his 1973 Lincoln Continental Mark IV.