Friday 30th November 1973

The Mercury Bobcat was introduced as a badge-engineered Ford Pinto by the Ford Motor Company of Canada Ltd., one year before the car would become available in the US. Styling differed from the Pinto with larger taillights, separate parking lights, a taller Lincoln-esque grille and somewhat fancier interior and exterior trim. 3-door hatchback and wagon body-styles were offered – Mercury would not offer the 2-door “sedan” body-style on the Bobcat. Styling remained virtually unchanged until a substantial facelift in 1979, and would be dropped after 1980. The Pinto/Bobcat and the smaller, imported Ford Fiesta were ultimately replaced by the front-wheel-drive Ford Escort and Mercury Lynx.