1951 Ford Zephyr vs. 1973 Mercury Cougar
To start off, 1973 Mercury Cougar is newer by 22 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1951 Ford Zephyr. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1951 Ford Zephyr would be higher. At 5,766 cc (8 cylinders), 1973 Mercury Cougar is equipped with a bigger engine. In terms of performance, 1973 Mercury Cougar (152 HP @ 3600 RPM) has 95 more horse power than 1951 Ford Zephyr. (57 HP @ 4000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1973 Mercury Cougar should accelerate faster than 1951 Ford Zephyr. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1973 Mercury Cougar weights approximately 888 kg more than 1951 Ford Zephyr. So despite on having greater horse power, its additional weight may have an impact towards its acceleration in comparison.
Both vehicles are rear wheel drive (RWD) - it offers better handling in dry conditions; in addition, if you are looking to drift, both vehicles do the job better than front wheel drive vehicles. With that said, do keep in mind that many other factors such as speed and the wear on your tires can also have significant impact on traction and control. Let's talk about torque, 1973 Mercury Cougar (377 Nm @ 1800 RPM) has 226 more torque (in Nm) than 1951 Ford Zephyr. (151 Nm @ 2000 RPM). This means 1973 Mercury Cougar will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1951 Ford Zephyr.
Compare all specifications:
| 1951 Ford Zephyr | 1973 Mercury Cougar | |
| Make | Ford | Mercury |
| Model | Zephyr | Cougar |
| Year Released | 1951 | 1973 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 2262 cc | 5766 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 6 cylinders | 8 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Horse Power | 57 HP | 152 HP |
| Engine RPM | 4000 RPM | 3600 RPM |
| Torque | 151 Nm | 377 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 2000 RPM | 1800 RPM |
| Fuel Type | Gasoline | Gasoline |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 1146 kg | 2034 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 4370 mm | 5480 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1630 mm | 2010 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1520 mm | 1340 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2650 mm | 2910 mm |
