Since its inception, the Mercury Cougar has always played second fiddle to its more popular cousin, the Ford Mustang. This was by design, of course, as Ford wanted the Cougar to serve as a bridge between the entry-level Mustang and swankier Thunderbird, striking a balance between luxury and performance that earned it numerous accolades across the industry.

Ford even offered buyers a number of performance packages for Cougar buyers, including the enviable Eliminator, which made the Cougar go faster and look meaner, though these cats are a rare breed.

They’re not so rare that they never show up for sale, however, and a supposedly all-original 1969 Mercury Cougar Eliminator has popped up on eBay (item #182223020343) just waiting for a new home. The asking price is on par with a brand new Mustang GT, but what you’ll end up with is bound to attract more attention.

We reached out to the seller who didn’t have a ton of background information on this Cougar, unfortunately, telling us only that the prior owner had kept the car for the past 15 years and that the 35,243 miles showing on the odometer is accurate.

The car is a running and driving specimen without any leaks, powered by a 351W with a four-barrel Holley carburetor, though the car does come with the original carburetor professionally rebuilt.

The Eliminator package also offered a choice of the Boss 302, 390, and 428 Cobra Jet motors that up the conductibility and performance, when found. Perhaps the most appealing part of this particular Cougar is the four-speed manual transmission backing the V8, a desirable trait from both a driver and collector point of view.

This Cougar isn’t perfect, however, with the seller identifying several areas with rust, although this cat is a solid example of a well-kept car. The interior is in equally good shape and is several steps up from your standard Mustang of the same era.

The Eliminator package offered four outlandish color options, including the Competition Orange you see here, as well as adding a Rallye clock and trip, decals, front and rear spoiler, unique sport wheels, high-back bucket seats, as well as a hood scoop with an optional Ram Air function.

The eBay auction ends today with an asking price of $32,000, a small fortune for this big cat. But if you’ve been looking for a unique muscle car that’s been all but untouched by time, this Cougar might just be the feline for you.