Rosso Predator Program

1990 Mercury Cougar XR7

R293

Media library

6 photos

Media Studies

6 images

Comparison Study I ↗

Comparison Study II ↗

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Story

Rosso Predator Program takes the 1990 Cougar XR7’s long-hood, fastback profile and treats it like a front‑mid engine prototype—without erasing the car’s original roofline and glass. The widebody is unapologetically functional: 420mm of total track growth, squared box-arch volumes, and hard aero edges that read like a touring car turned up to endurance-hypercar intensity.

Underneath the candy Rosso skin is the real pitch: weight moved rearward via a transaxle, modern double-wishbone geometry, and cooling routed through sidepods and hood NACA ducts like a contemporary GT car. It’s still recognizably Cougar from 50 feet—then the splitter, extractor vents, and dual-wing stack make it clear this one lives for braking zones and high-speed load.

Blueprint

The Whitepaper Room

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Collectible Poster

Collector's Edition

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Technical dossier

Fictional engineering concept

Platform

1990 Mercury Cougar XR7

Powertrain concept

Built 5.0L V8 targeting ~700 hp with balanced rotating assembly and track cooling margin
7-speed dual-clutch sequential with rear transaxle layout for improved distribution
Sidepod radiators plus hood-fed auxiliary coolers to stabilize temps in long sessions
Big brake package with dedicated ducting and post-wheel extraction

Aero package

210mm extended multi-element front splitter with stacked dive planes per side
Hood central spine with twin NACA ducts feeding charge/oil cooling
Sidepod intakes and skirt shelves to seal and guide underbody flow
280mm-deep rear diffuser with 7 strakes
Dual-element rear wing on tall adjustable pylons with a lower secondary plane

Chassis & stance

1990 Mercury Cougar XR7

Wheels & tires

OZ Racing forged carbon-composite wheels
20x11 front and rear
Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2: 315/30ZR20 front
345/30ZR20 rear
Wide-track fitment matched to revised scrub radius and fender extraction paths

Fabrication notes

Front-mid engine packaging with revised mounts
firewall/ancillary relocation
and serviceable duct routing
Rear transaxle integration with custom torque tube/driveshaft solution and reinforced tunnel structure
Double-wishbone front/rear conversion with pickup points designed around widened track and low ride height
Flat-floor and diffuser integration requiring rigid subframe ties and heat management around exhaust