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Mercury is treading new ground with the redesigned Cougar. Customers heading into showrooms looking for the former full-size two-door will find in its place a curvaceous coupe with European styling.

In fact, the customers coming into Mercury showrooms to check out the new Cougar are likely to be active, athletic and younger (between 25-40 years old) than the typical Mercury buyer, which is what the company wants. About half will be women, the company predicts.

The base model has a 2.0-liter, 125-horsepower, 4-cylinder engine, while the V6 version uses the 2.5-liter, Duratec with 170 horsepower. Our test car was a loaded V6, complete with side airbags, power sunroof and a sticker price of $22,310.

In many ways, this new, small Cougar, built on the 106.4-inch wheelbase of the Contour/Mystique, fills the void left by the discontinued Ford Probe. Designed in Europe, it sports New Edge styling, defined by Ford Motor Co. as smooth, aerodynamic surfaces punctuated with “clean folds and crisp intersections.” The Cougar catches your eye with its catlike face, plastic headlight bubbles and attention to detail. Surface delineations, such as the wide swoosh that arcs across the rear wheel and curves into the bumper, give the car a visual presence that suggests muscularity and action.

The Duratec V6 is a high-revving, high-energy powerplant that goes about its business with enthusiasm. A 5-speed manual gearbox is standard, and driving enthusiasts will make it their choice, but our test car was equipped with the automatic that will be chosen by the majority of buyers. This transmission makes for effortless city driving, and has a handy button on the shift lever for shifting out of overdrive for hills or passing.

In the sport coupe recipe, handling is a key ingredient, and Ford ladled a healthy dollop of sporty behavior into this one. Sixteen-inch alloy wheels, standard with the V6, are fitted with performance tires that grip tightly but create a ride harshness not felt in the Contour SVT. Steering response is quick and linear. Whip into a turn and the body sits flat. Change lanes and it responds like a gazelle.

The interior styling is almost as unique as the exterior. The door pulls are large, curved arcs that blend with the dash. The instrument panel is a mixture of textures, some of which are smooth and shiny, almost like an appliance. I see other textures like this in new European cars, but I prefer a softer, more inviting look.

In addition to the standard dual airbags, side airbags built into the seats are optional, and our test car was so equipped. Ford says these bags are designed to cushion both the head and chest.

The light gray faces and white numerals on gauges can be hard to read in some low light conditions, and their faces catch reflections on sun shiny days. At night, however, the faces darken and are easy to read.

Our test car’s front seats were sharply contoured to hold the driver and passenger in place and were quite comfortable. The split-folding back seat is deeply sculpted and would only be suitable for youngsters.

The new Cougar is an important step in attracting new buyers to the Mercury brand. Now that their corporate headquarters are located in California, look for other lively products from a company that is learning how to think young.

Price

The base price of our test car was $16,695. It was equipped with automatic transmission, fog lamps, leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, air conditioning, AM/FM stereo, anti-lock brakes, traction control, power sunroof, power driver’s seat, 16-inch aluminum wheels, side airbags and decklid spoiler.

The sticker price was $22,310.

Warranty

The standard warranty is for three years or 36,000 miles.

Vehicles for The Star’s week-long test drives are supplied by the auto manufacturers.

Point: With a spunky V6 engine, sharp steering and responsive ndling, the redesigned Cougar challenges the stalwarts of the sports coupe market. It has unique styling, good seats and a reasonable price tag.

Counterpoint: The ride felt too sensitive over anything but smooth pavement, and the back seat is too little for adults.

SPECIFICATIONS:

ENGINE: 2.5-liter, V6

TRANSMISSION: automatic

WHEELBASE: 106.4 inches

CURB WEIGHT: 3,084 lbs.

BASE PRICE: $16,695

PRICE AS DRIVEN: $22,310

MPG RATING: 20 city, 29 hwy.