1986 Kougar Sports Roadster

Description

Founded by Rick Stevens in 1976, Kougar manufactured a series of high quality kit cars using Jaguar componentry attached to a tubular frame and fibreglass bodywork inspired by cycle-wing sports roadsters like the Healey Silverstone, Frazer-Nash Le Mans Replica and HWM.  Stevens’ first car, based around an old S-type Jaguar he owned, used an alloy body but he wisely made moulds to reproduce the shape and five of the earliest cars were exported to Australia.  Available in either kit form or as a complete turn-key production car, the Kougar was distributed in the UK through South Kensington dealer H R Owen and the original Sports was supplemented by the Monza which featured shapely, fully-enveloping bodywork reminiscent of a 1950s sports-racer.  Ewan Scott, editor of Kit Car magazine, described the Kougar as “… one of the best built kit cars that I have ever driven”, adding the acceleration felt like a “… jet accelerating down the runway.” The triangulated multi-tubular frame with bonded fibreglass bodywork utilised an MGB steering rack, independent front and rear suspension by wishbones, coil springs and telescopic dampers, along with servo-assisted disc brakes all round.  The six-cylinder Jaguar motor (either 3.4 or 4.2-litres) was mated to a four-speed synchromesh gearbox with overdrive on top gear and a limited-slip diff.  Options included full weather equipment and leather upholstery.  A properly sorted sports car, the Kougar combined exemplary handling, fierce acceleration and unique styling to evoke a bygone era, proving remarkably successful with over 250 built.