The 1968 Cyclone was more than fast for a muscle car — it set an actual world record at 189.22 mph at Daytona, earning it the title of fastest car that year.
Lead trim: Cyclone 302 cu in V8 two-barrel (210 hp, 1968) · up to 290 hp
Mercury Cyclone1968–1969
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Mercury Cyclone yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThe 1968 Cyclone was more than fast for a muscle car — it set an actual world record at 189.22 mph at Daytona, earning it the title of fastest car that year.
The 1968 models dropped "Comet" from their name, the Cyclone becoming a distinct nameplate for the 1968 model year as the Mercury Montego was phased in to replace the Comet; the Cyclones had a mid-tire-level body tape stripe. The 302 cu in (4,949 cc) standard engine was available as a two-barrel (210 hp) or a four-barrel (230 hp); the limited-production 428CJ became available mid-year at a rated 335 hp. In 1969 the 302 was available with 220 hp and the 351 cu in (5,752 cc) engine came in two versions, 250 hp and 290 hp. Production was 13,628 in 1968 and, in 1969, 5,882 Cyclones plus 3,261 Cyclone CJs.
Collectors Spotted in the Mercury Cyclone Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Mercury Cyclone yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
5 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cyclone 302 cu in V8 (220 hp, 1969) | 1969–1969 | 4.9 L V8 | 220 hp | 300 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Cyclone 302 cu in V8 four-barrel (230 hp, 1968) | 1968–1968 | 4.9 L V8 | 230 hp | 300 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Cyclone 302 cu in V8 two-barrel (210 hp, 1968) | 1968–1968 | 4.9 L V8 | 210 hp | 300 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Cyclone 351 cu in V8 (250 hp, 1969) | 1969–1969 | 5.8 L V8 | 250 hp | 355 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
| Cyclone 351 cu in V8 (290 hp, 1969) | 1969–1969 | 5.8 L V8 | 290 hp | 385 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
The 1972 Montego Cyclone was barely a blip: Mercury built only 30 of them before replacing the package with the new Montego GT.
The 1970 Cyclone GT looked every inch the muscle car — hood scoop, racing mirrors, hideaway headlights — but came standard with only a 2-barrel 351 small-block and a 3-speed manual. The big engines were all extra.
Wood Brothers Racing's #21 1971 Cyclone set a NASCAR record that still stands: 18 wins out of just 32 races that season.
The race version of the Cyclone Spoiler II didn't use a Mercury engine at all — under the hood sat the same Boss 429 block as the 1969 Boss Mustang.
Ford planned an even more aggressive nose for the 1970 Cyclone Spoiler II — then built exactly one prototype and stopped there.
The 1969 Cyclone Cobra Jet's optional Ram Air setup — a 735 CFM four-barrel carb — got no horsepower bump on paper at all, despite obviously adding more than the quoted 335 hp.
The 1968 Cyclone was more than fast for a muscle car — it set an actual world record at 189.22 mph at Daytona, earning it the title of fastest car that year.
The 1968 Cyclone (with the GT package as its performance trim) was crowned the fastest car of the year after setting a world record speed of 189.22 mph at Daytona.
A Comet Cyclone GT convertible paced the 1966 Indianapolis 500, a serious honor for what was supposed to be Mercury's mid-range performance model.
This Cyclone GT wasn't just a muscle car — a convertible version led the field at the 1966 Indianapolis 500 as the official pace car.
Ford built about 50 1964 Comet Cyclones with racing 427 power, and they dominated drag racing so hard they got shuffled into their own class to keep things fair.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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