Editing Ford Pinto (section)

==Mercury Bobcat (1974–1980)==
Lincoln-Mercury dealers marketed a [[badge engineering|rebadged variant]] of the Pinto as the Mercury Bobcat, beginning with the 1974 model year in Canada. It was produced in all of the same body styles and styled with a unique egg-crate grille and chrome headlamp bezels (which were later recycled for a styling update to the 1976 Pinto). The rear featured modified double-width tail lamps for the sedan and Runabout models.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.autolit.com/Store/1974-mercury-bobcat-brochure-canada.html |title=1974 Mercury Bobcat Brochure Canada |access-date=2018-10-20 |archive-date=2018-10-21 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181021024655/http://www.autolit.com/Store/1974-mercury-bobcat-brochure-canada.html}}</ref>

For 1975, the Bobcat was added to the U.S. market and sold initially in upgraded levels of trim as the Runabout hatchback and Villager wagon. Lesser-trimmed versions were offered in subsequent model years. The Bobcat was never offered as a two-door sedan with an enclosed trunk for the U.S. market. The Bobcat was offered as a two-door sedan for a limited number of years in Canada. All Bobcats were restyled with a domed hood and a taller vertical bar grille styled to look like senior Mercury models. Throughout all the model years, Bobcats offered various appearance options that were similar to the Pinto's.{{sfn|Lewis|2003|p=290}}

For 1979, the Bobcat received a major restyling shared with the Pinto featuring a slanted back front end with rectangular headlamps and inboard vertical parking lamps but distinguished with a large vertical bar grille. Except for the wagons, the tail lamps were revised. The base instrument cluster received a new rectangular design with a modified dash pad.{{sfn|Lewis|2003|p=315}}

Production of the Bobcat ended in 1980 to make way for its replacement, the [[Mercury Lynx]]. In total, 224,026 Bobcats were produced from 1975 until 1980.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Flory |first1=J. Kelly Jr |title=American Cars, 1973–1980: Every Model, Year by Year |date=2013 |publisher=McFarland |location=Jefferson, NC |isbn=978-0-7864-4352-9}}</ref>

<gallery widths="160" heights="120">
File:1977 Mercury Bobcat wagon.jpg|1977 Mercury Bobcat wagon
File:Rear of 1977 Mercury Bobcat wagon.jpg|1977 Mercury Bobcat Villager wagon
File:Mercury Bobcat Runabout 1978 (15482996372).jpg|1975–1978 Mercury Bobcat Runabout
File:Mercury Bobcat Pincat.JPG|1979–1980 Mercury Bobcat Runabout
</gallery>